Grocon - A Dispute About Safety

28 April 2014

This morning a service was held in Canberra to commemorate International Workers' Memorial Day.

National Workers Memorial Canberra

Injured workers and families of workers who have died as a result of workplace accidents attended the annual service to pay their respects and lay flowers at the official memorial.

CFMEU national secretary Michael O'Connor says a worker is seriously injured or dies every six minutes in the construction, mining and forestry industries.

He says last year 19 workers died in the construction industry and 10 in the mining industry.

"One of the most dangerous jobs you can have is as a construction labourer, they are killed at four times the rate of workers in all other jobs," he said.

"Too often, many workers feel they can't speak out, or stand up to their employer - with devastating consequences."

Mr O'Connor hopes the campaign will help others heed the warnings and stand up for their own safety at work.

"To stand up for themselves, to stand up for their workmates, to stand up for the standards that we've fought for over the years," he said.

"In every state, in every territory, in every workplace that we cover, we'll ensure that our members are encouraged to stand up, to speak out so that they can come home."