Message from Joanne Gill, 1st Vice President, CUPE Local 1091 regarding the National Day of Mourning delivered at the Public Board Meeting on April 23, 2024.
Across Canada and around the world, April 28 is designated as a day of mourning for workers who have lost their lives, suffered injury or illness on the job or experienced a work-related tragedy. It is a day to collectively renew our commitment to improving the health and safety in our workplace and to prevent further injures, illnesses and deaths. I am happy to report that in 2023 slightly fewer people died from injury or disease in British Columbia on the job. Having said that, we still have a lot of work to do to bring that number down further, where nobody is seriously injured, and nobody dies. I believe we are on the right track here in Delta with improvements we are making and with your continued commitment, we will continue to strive towards that day.
This year we will raise the CUPE Day of Mourning flag on Friday April 26 as the 28th is a Sunday. I have once again brought decals with me, to remind you to take a moment on the 28th to pause and honour those who have died or suffered injury or illness. I ask that we remember our member, Manny Reel, who lost her battle with cancer and who has left an enormous hole in the hearts of those who knew her. Please mourn the dead but continue to fight for the living.
Thank you.
Darren Duff, Director of Employee Services and Joanne Gill, 1st Vice President, CUPE Local 1091