FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 24, 1998

EDMONTON -- Next week, the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) will host an international ceremony aimed at drawing public attention to the growing problem of work-related deaths, injuries and disease.

The ceremony will be held between 7 and 9 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28th at the Ukrainian Centre in Edmonton (11018-97 Street). It will be one of many events organized by trade unions around the world to mark the 3rd International Day of Mourning for Persons Killed or Injured in the Workplace.

April 28th was recognized as the International Day of Mourning in 1996, when representatives from the world's largest trade union federation -- the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) -- lit a memorial candle at the United Nations Building in New York.

This year, the ICFTU has chosen Edmonton as the site for its main international ceremony. The event -- which will focus particular attention on the plight of child workers -- will be hosted jointly by the ICFTU, the AFL and the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

"It's both a tremendous honour and an important responsibility for unions in Alberta," says AFL president Audrey Cormack. "We will be mourning all those workers here in Canada and around the world who have died or have been injured as the result of unsustainable and dangerous work practices. And we will be stepping up our campaign to fight for better protection for the living."

The ceremony Tuesday evening will feature performances from several local musicians, choirs, poets and dance troupes as well as speeches from a number of provincial, national and international labour representatives. The featured speakers will include Cormack, Lucien Royer from the ICFTU and Dick Martin, CLC vice-president and president of an international organization representing trade unions in the western hemisphere.

The ceremony will culminate with the lighting of a special candle -- the same candle that was lit in New York two year ago -- symbolizing both our grief for the dead and our hope for a safer, healthier future.

Cormack says the message that the labour movement is trying to convey through its Day of Mourning events is extremely important -- and also very timely.

According to government statistics, the number of Albertans killed at work has jumped from 74 in 1994 to 120 in 1997. At the same time, almost 100,000 workplace injuries are reported in the province each year. At the international level 220,000 people are killed each year and 1.2 million are injured. Another 160 million contract diseases because of workplace pollution and contamination.

"It's clear from these statistics that a serious problem exists," says Cormack. "As a result of globalization and widespread deregulation, workplace deaths and injuries are on the rise. That's why Day of Mourning ceremonies are so important. They draw attention to the problem and challenge our leaders -- in government, business and labour -- to take action. Raising awareness is the first step toward finding a solution."