The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, May 1, 2014 | 8 Labour council continues fight for job safety by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff Cold, windy weather failed to prevent approximately 80 people from gathering at the workers memorial outside the Oakville Public Library, Monday, to participate in Canada's National Day of Mourning. The annual event, organized by the Oakville and District Labour Council (ODLC), is held to remember workers who have been killed or injured on the job in Canada and to publicly renew the commitment to fight for job safety. Flags flew at half-staff as representatives of organized labour joined Oakville councillors, members of Halton police and Oakville Fire Department in paying tribute to the fallen. Tim Batke, ODLC first vice president, pointed out during his speech that dying on the job from an accident remains a very real threat in Ontario. "In the last month alone, as we closed in on April 28, four more workers died in Ontario," said Batke. "The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board just released statistics telling us that 243 workers died in 2013 in Ontario. There were 200,249 injuries." Batke said since 1979, when Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act was created, 10,384 people have been killed on the job. This figure, he said, does not include thousands of work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths that go unreported each year. Tim Batke, first vice president of the Oakville and District Labour Council (ODLC), speaks at the National Day of Mourning, an annual day of remembrance for workers who have been killed or injured on the job in Canada. The event was held outside Central Library on Navy Street. | photo by Eric Riehl ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) Those present also heard from National Representative of the United Food and Commercial Workers of Canada, Pablo Godoy, who expressed frustration that people continue to die in incidents that could be prevented. "It strikes me as saddening and maddening that in the world today, with the technology advancements that we see and the automation process that is taking over in our workplaces, that we cannot find ways to remedy how many lives are lost each year," he said. "Even more problematic is that very little has been done really to stop these injuries and deaths. In fact, over the last couple of years it has become more difficult for workers who become injured in the workplace or who fall victim to occupational diseases to actually have access to Workers' Compensation." Godoy concluded by asking those present to observe a moment of silence for those who said goodbye to their families before leaving for a job they never returned from. The gathering also heard from Oakville MPP and recently-appointed Minister of Labour Kevin Flynn who noted that while the Province has been able to reduce workplace injuries by about 30 per cent since 2003, it has not put a dent in the number of workplace fatalities. "They are still at a level that is far too high for any civilized society like the Province of Ontario," said Flynn. "I am here today on behalf of the Provincial government, on behalf of the Ministry of Labour, to tell you I am committed to ensuring this trend does not continue, that we bring an end to this, that we stand on this spot next year and we have done better than we have done in the past." Flynn said the time when someone is most susceptible to a workplace injury is during the first two weeks of their very first job. Batke said workplace injuries and deaths can be prevented by teaching employees and society to be careful in the workplace and to refuse unsafe work. www.oakville.ca Senior Information Fair Navigating the Health Care System You are invited to attend the Town of Oakville's Seniors Information Fair! Admission is free and everyone is welcome to attend. Enjoy exhibitor booths on diverse topics and view images and video of Oakville's new hospital. Light refreshments will also be available for purchase. Saturday, May 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sir John Colborne Recreation Centre for Seniors 1565 Old Lakeshore Road For more information, call 905-815-5960 or visit oakville.ca. If you have accessibility needs, please contact Nancy Beddoe, Manager, Adult and Seniors Services, Recreation and Culture at 905-845-6601, ext. 3976 or by email at nancy.beddoe@oakville.ca