National Day of Mourning April 28th
Every April 28, workers gather to mourn and remember those who were injured or killed on the job, and to fight so that everyone can go home “alive after five” — or whatever hour their shift ends. It grew from CUPE in 1984 to other labour unions in 1985 and was federally recognized with the Mourning Day Act in 1991.
Yellow & black, the colours of caution, and the canary, the bird of warning from the early days of coal mining, are frequently used to mark the Day of Mourning.
For more background and information check:
- Day of Mourning – Canadian Labour Congress
- Day of Mourning, Province of BC – BC Federation of Labour (includes event listings)
- Day of Mourning – Worksafe BC
- CUPE’s Health and Safety Publication, The Canary. Winter 2014 on ISSUU.
The poster from Worksafe BC can be downloaded for printing as a PDF, below:
