District 18 News
Written by: Lu Nuojun
2021-04-28 16:52
Last update date: 2021-04-28 16:52
Today (28th) is the "4.28 International Workers' Memorial Day" established by the International Union of Trade Unions (ITUC) to commemorate the workers who fell ill, injured and died at work.
The Hong Kong Association for the Rights of Industrial Casualties (Work Rights Association) has sought the government to establish a "Work Death Day" for the 26th consecutive year. In response to the epidemic, this year it continued to use small indoor memorial services to pay tribute to workers who died due to industrial accidents.
The Workers’ Rights Association also released the results of the investigation at the meeting and urged the government to respond to the public’s demands and establish a memorial day and erect a memorial to show that the government takes seriously the victims of work and continues to improve occupational safety, penalties, and penalties. Compensation and other systems.
The theme of the Worker’s Day set by the International Trade Union Union this year is "Heath and Safety is a Fundamental Right at Work" (Health and Safety are the basic human rights of workers). In the past, the Hong Kong Workers’ Rights Association held parades and rallies every year, but since Since last year, due to the raging epidemic, it was changed to a small indoor memorial service, and it was held today at the venue of the club in Lam Tin.
The names of 54 workers who died from April 2020 to the present were posted in the venue, and a memorial to the workers' deaths made by the association was also placed.
The results of the survey conducted earlier by the Association were released at the meeting. Of the 492 responses, a total of 482 (98%) agreed with the establishment of a memorial day, and 449 (91.3%) agreed with the erection of a memorial to the public.
Among the respondents who supported the erection of the industrial monument, 166 (33.7%) believed that it should be set up in a conspicuous urban area, 125 (25.4%) believed that it should be set up in relevant government departments (such as the Labour Department), and 101 (20.5%) think it should be set up in the park, 46 people (9.3%) think it should be set up in the government headquarters.
When asked if they knew that there is a memorial to work in Hong Kong, 441 people (89.6%) said they did not know.
The association pointed out that the government’s most recent occupational safety commemorative installation was placed as a commemorative plaque for the "World Work Safety and Health Day" at the Science Museum in 2005. However, the plaque has been removed and moved to Tsing Yi after the renovation of the Science Museum was completed. The Occupational Safety and Health Institute, and the government only considers the Memorial Day to be "too negative". It has no empathy and fails to give the workers who silently contribute their lives at work the protection and respect they deserve.
Occupational safety measures are not rigorous, cleaners fall into the workplace and accidents happen again and again
Xiao Qianwen, director-general of the Workers' Rights Association, said at the memorial meeting that the government has always owed the injured workers and their families an explanation, reprimanding them for not paying attention, not confirming, and disrespecting the workers' contributions.
She pointed out that there were 54 workers who died in the venue, but they actually accounted for only one-fourth of the annual work deaths, which means that at least 150 workers died during the work and did not enter the public view.
Xiao Xu said that in the past four months, the association has followed up 25 deaths, but the government has not spoken out due to frequent accidents to arouse social concern, and there are no stricter occupational safety measures, such as cleaners. The case of falling from a garbage chute has already occurred in 2010. It is believed that if the government had learned a lesson to regulate the structure of the building, similar cases would not happen again in 2017 and 2021.
In addition, Xiao Qianwen criticized that he did not understand why the government felt that the word "believer" was negative. He believed that the government should recognize its own shortcomings and then make remedies. The lives lost by workers cannot be saved, but the hearts of family members need to be redeemed in this way.
She also mentioned that a few days later, it will be the second anniversary of the death of the former Director General Mr. Chen Jinkang. It is his unfinished ambition to establish a memorial day and erect a memorial.
She hoped that while mourning the workers who died, she also mourned Mr. Chen Jinkang, and prayed that the Workers' Rights Association could fulfill his wish one day.
Industrial accidents are frequent. The Workers' Rights Association urges the government to set up a memorial day and erect a memorial for workers' death as soon as possible, and continue to improve the system of occupational safety, penalties, and compensation.
(Photo by Lu Nuojun)
The director-general of the trade union reprimanded: each life only needs to pay 30,000 mosquitoes
The director-general of the Trade Union Union Meng Zhaoda pointed out that erecting a memorial to the workers is not a formality, but a joint demonstration of the government and society’s commitment to the suffering workers. "In the most conspicuous place, everyone can see and be seen, reflecting the importance of society. The value of life is paid." He said that the government thought the Gongshang monument was too negative and "unexplainable." He also quoted Bei Dao's poem "Despicable is the pass of the despicable," and denounced senior officials and businessmen for being unscrupulous and despicable.
Meng also pointed out that at present "only 30,000 mosquitoes for each life" is like condoning unscrupulous businessmen, and the government has said for many years that amending the law is still only hearing the noise of stairs, but he hopes that everyone "don't be numb and don't get used to it", saying that he will continue to work Gather your strength to fight for it.
According to Noel Colina, project director of the Asia Special Information Research Center, 2.8 million workers die every year worldwide, 66% of which occur in Asia. At the same time, 240 million people face various occupational health and safety issues, such as environmental pollution, poisoning, Occupational cancer, etc.
Workers are quickly forgotten after being injured or killed in the workplace. Therefore, it is necessary to erect a memorial to let the public remember them.
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International Work Injury Memorial Day