
Sudbury groups recognize fallen workers on National Day of Mourning
CBC
It started in Sudbury 39 years ago on April 28, a day of mourning to recognize those who have died of job-related accidents or disease.
In 1994 the Canadian Labour Congress made it a National Day of Mourning.
Unions chose April 28 because on this date, in 1914, the Workers' Compensation Act was made law in Ontario.
Today, families, unions and advocates will gather in memory of those who lost their lives on the job or because of work-related illness and injuries.
Andrew Mudge is with the Worker's Health and Safety Centre in Toronto.
He says the Workplace Safety and Insurance board recorded 220 job-related deaths in Ontario last year, but research shows an under-reporting of hazardous conditions and exposures.
"Based upon the research that we've gotten, for instance from University of Ottawa back in 2018, they're basically saying that the numbers from the compensation system across Canada were probably 10 to 13 times higher than what is being reported," Mudge said.
Mudge said that's likely due to the number of cases not being accurately reported to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).
"In the past there's been some issues around employees being felt pressured not to submit claims," he said.
"Or pressure to withdraw claims. Sometimes underreporting the severity, reporting lost-time injury as a no time loss injury, especially if their wages are still continued by the employer instead of actually filing a claim."
A 2019 study — titled Work-related deaths in Canada — argues widely quoted statistics from the Association of Workers' Compensation Board of Canada (AWCBC) should not solely be used as a benchmark for work-related fatalities, as these figures only take into account approved compensation claims.
Mudge suggests moving to a different type of reporting system; one that considers "lagging indicators."
He said it can take years, or even decades, for workers to suffer the health impacts of occupational diseases.
What it comes down to, Mudge said, is to empower workers before injuries become part of the picture.