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Solidarity rally for Telus call centre workers fighting forced relocation
Members of the labour movement will attend a July 27 rally to support USW Local 1944, employees of Telus, in their struggle against office closures.
TORONTO – On May 9, 1992, 26 workers at the Westray mine in Pictou County, N.S., tragically lost their lives in an underground explosion due to corporate negligence towards workplace health and safety. The United Steelworkers union reiterates its demands for the full application of the Westray Act, which may hold employers criminally responsible for workplace deaths and accidents on the job.
“Today, we remember the 26 miners who perished 32 years ago because of what a judge described as ‘a complex mosaic of actions, omissions, mistakes, incompetence, apathy, cynicism, stupidity and neglect,'” said Marty Warren, Canadian National Director of the United Steelworkers union. “We owe it to them, their families and to all workers to ensure that such tragedies never happen again.”
The Westray Act, passed in 2004 after a tireless decade-long campaign led by the United Steelworkers union, provides a legal framework for prosecuting negligent employers under Canada’s Criminal Code. However, despite its existence, the law remains largely unenforced, leaving too many negligent employers off the hook and countless workers vulnerable to unsafe working conditions.
“Since the enactment of the Westray Act, over 18,000 workers have lost their lives due to workplace hazards. Many thousands more have had their lives forever altered by workplace injury and occupational illness,” Warren added. “This staggering number highlights the urgent need for robust enforcement of the law. Every worker deserves to return home safely to their families at the end of their workday.”
The Steelworkers reiterate their call for immediate and meaningful action, including:
“As we commemorate the lives lost at the Westray mine, let us reaffirm our commitment to building safer workplaces for all. Together, we will honor their memory by ensuring that their sacrifices were not in vain,” concluded Warren.
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The United Steelworkers union (USW) Local 1944 has launched a nationwide campaign calling on the public to support Canadian call centre workers who are losing their jobs with TELUS. You are encouraged to tell your representatives in Ottawa that it is time to stand up for Canadian call centre workers, our communities and our local […]