Solidarity at Tower Hill

Construction workers and activists gathered at the Building Worker statue at Tower Hill in central London this Monday (April 28) for an International Workers Memorial Day commemoration.

The annual Unite event is sadly still as relevant this year as ever, with the latest statistics showing that construction is the most dangerous sector to have a job in for workers in the UK.

Around 120 people attended this year’s memorial event, which was organised by the London Building Workers Branch. It not only hosted speakers from the UK, but also comrades from the Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT) in France who had recently been supporting Unite in its campaign for union recognition for workers at Veolia in Sheffield.

Jean Pascal Francois, Officer for Construction with the CGT, addressed the crowd in English, a language he said he learnt, not in university or high school, but on construction sites. 

Jean said that the CGT, “are very proud to be with you.”

“As a builder I know the price of blood and hard work. In France the figures are chilling, and bear witness to an unacceptable reality. Every year more than 700 people die as a result of accidents at work.”

Jean went on to explain that 250 of these work in construction, and that these figures say nothing about the families affected and thousands of people seriously injured, “their lives shattered forever by disabilities.”

Giving examples of avoidable accidents at work, Jean said they “demonstrate the caramel negligence of employers who prefer to cut back on safety to maximise their profits.”

“These things are not inevitable, that’s why it is important to stand together. The killers of workers know no borders, and the fraternity of trade unions should not either.”

Unite national officer Jason Poulter took up the theme that Unite organising workers makes for safer workplaces and a “positive future for those workers we seek to represent.”

Jason spoke about some of the unseen dangers that construction workers face, such as poor mental health, highlighting the Unite Minds campaign. He also spoke about the danger from the work products.

Jason gave the example of silicosis, saying that, “The Health and Safety Executive said silicos, caused by inhaling large amounts of silica dust, is one of the biggest killers outside of asbestos, causing up to 1,000 deaths a year.”

Unite is working with partners like Thompsons Solicitors, to support members exposed to this killer and push from tighter exposure limits.

Jason said, “This is why we are here. To remember the dead, and struggle, and campaign, and fight for the living.”

“There is no better way to do this in construction than to organise workers across the industry.”

Steve O’Donell, regional secretary from Unite London and Eastern Region also addressed the gathered workers.

The area around the statue of the Building Worker was packed, not only with construction workers but also fellow trade union activists from groups such as Unite Community, No Sweat, the Construction Safety Campaign and more.

Following the speakers wreaths were laid at the memorial and balloons were released into the city center sky above the Tower of London.

This year’s International Workers Memorial Day event was organised by Regional Organiser Mark Soave, who said, “The turn out this was brilliant, and a moving occasion. It was good to hear about the experience of construction unions in France from the CGT and how international soldirty can help protect workers.”

“Wreaths were laid on behalf of Unite London and Eastern Region, the Confédération Générale du Travail, Thompsons Solicitors, London Hazards and the Construction Safety Campaign.”

One of the wreaths was laid by London Building Worker Branch officer Dan Thomas, whose day wasn’t finished there.

Following the event Dan left Tower Hill and headed straight to Congress House where the TUC had invited him to join a panel at a one day conference, “Asbestos: Time to Get Rid of It!”. 

Dan talked about his experiences raising awareness of asbestos in the workplace, after last year removed from work, just for highlighting poor practices that could have put fellow workers at risk.

More International Workers Memorial Day events happened around the country and photos from some of these can be seen here.

Photos from the event below.

Jason Poulter – Unite National Officer

Jean Pascal Francois – CGT Officer for Construction

Steve O’Donnell – Unite Regional Secretary London & Eastern

Trevor Simpson – Unite convenor

Dan Thomas and Nguse Abraham

CGT members – Schintu Olivier and Elodie Dinouard CGT – laying a wreath

United Minds campaign

CGT delegation

No Sweat

By Keith Hatch

Photos by Mark Thomas