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  2. All members - How to acknowledge Day of Mourning on April 28 - BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU)

All members - How to acknowledge Day of Mourning on April 28 - BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU)

Published on April 09, 2026

How to acknowledge Day of Mourning on April 28 

 

Dear Members, 

 

Every year on April 28, BCGEU members across the province come together to honour and remember co-workers and family members who were injured, made sick or killed because of something that happened at work. 
 
It is critical that we all remember those workers and reiterate our commitment to fight for the living to prevent further tragedies. Take a moment now to consider how you will acknowledge Day of Mourning on April 28. Here are a few suggestions: 

  • Attend a ceremony in your community – see the list here or contact your BCGEU area office.
  • Download and post at your worksite the BCGEU's Day of Mourning poster. If you don't have access to a printer, you can request a hard copy to be mailed to you by completing this form by Sunday, April 12, 2026.
  • Observe a moment of silence. 
  • Share the following statement in your email signature or on social media: 
    On April 28, we honour the lives of those that have been injured or lost their lives to workplace injury or disease in B.C. Visit dayofmourning.bc.ca for more information.
  • With your worksites Occupational Health and Safety committee, call on your employer to: 
    • Work with health and safety committees and representatives to ensure safe and healthy working conditions, whatever work is taking place; and 
    • Ensure all workers have access to free personal protective equipment, training and paid sick days so they can stay home when they are ill and not risk exposing co-workers and their community.
  • Email, call or meet with your MLA and ask them to call on our provincial government to:
    • Ensure every worker has seamless access to universal, permanent, and adequate paid sick leave, so no one has to choose between going to work sick and getting a paycheque. Being able to stay home when you are sick is fundamental to reducing workplace exposures and illness;
    • Enforce workplace health and safety provisions, including the right to refuse unsafe work; and
    • Deliver on the promise that workplace health and safety is recognized as a fundamental right at work at the International Labour Organization (ILO) this year. 

 

Download PDF of Day of Mourning Poster here

 

In solidarity, 

Paul Finch, BCGEU president 



UWU/MoveUP