Unions are holding nationwide events this weekend to commemorate International Workers' Memorial Day, an international trade union commemoration that honours working people killed and injured because of their work.

"We honour all workers, and their whānau, who have been impacted by workplace accidents, illnesses, and injuries in the last year,” said CTU President Richard Wagstaff.

“On this Workers’ Memorial Day, we are calling on the Government to protect and improve the systems intended to keep workers safe and healthy at work, including by introducing corporate manslaughter legislation.

“In Aotearoa New Zealand, the number of workplace injuries, fatalities, and deaths from work-related health remain unacceptably high.

“There were 57 workplace fatalities in 2023 and three fatalities in the first 2 weeks of 2024. Every week 17 workers are killed as a consequence of their work, every 15 minutes a worker suffers an injury that requires more than week off work.

“Every one of these incidents are preventable. We need corporate manslaughter legislation to ensure negligent companies are held accountable when their employees are killed at work,” said Wagstaff.

Details of nationwide events:

Wellington – 3pm Sunday 28 April, Workers’ Memorial Stone – Te Papa Waterfront

Manawatū – 12pm Monday 29 April, Workers’ Memorial, Memorial Park, Fitzroy St

Otago – 12pm Sunday 28 April, Workers' Memorial in Princes St

Christchurch – 11.45am Sunday 28 April, Memorial Gardens, Pilgrim Pl/Gasson St

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