28 April 2017

Māori unionists mark Workers Memorial Day with call for iwi-union collaboration

The Council of Trade Unions (CTU) Rūnanga, the body representing 60,000 Māori union members, is marking Workers Memorial Day today with a call for iwi and unions to work together to help end workplace deaths.

“Every year over 50 New Zealanders, many of them Māori, clock on for work and never come home,” said CTU Vice-President Māori Syd Keepa.

“Just in the last fortnight seven people were killed on the job. As a country we have to do better than this.”

“On April 28 each year we acknowledge the people who lost their lives on the job and the whānau they’ve left behind.”

“We know from ACC figures that Māori are more likely to be injured on the job than non-Māori. We know that Māori are more likely to work in high risk industries like forestry and farming too. I reckon unions and iwi should work together to find ways to make sure Māori aren’t getting injured or killed on the job. These are our people.”

“Everyone should go to work knowing they’re safe. Whānau shouldn’t have to worry about whether their boy or girl is going to come home or not.”

ENDS

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