Workers’ Memorial Day is an international trade union movement that honours working people killed and injured because of their work. We honour all workers, and their whanau, who have been impacted by workplace accidents, illnesses, and injuries in the last year.

Workers’ Memorial Day is also a call for protecting and improving the systems intended to keep workers safe and healthy at work.

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

Workers’ Memorial Day Events 2024

Unions will be hosting #IWMD events across the motu, find one near you:
Let us know if you’ll be hosting an event.

Get involved

Unable to make it to an event but still want to get involved?

Use the opportunity to hold a small event at work with a moments silence, a discussion of the importance of good health and safety in your workplace, and why now, more than ever, it’s crucial that we protect workers’ rights to safe and healthy work.

Downloads

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NZCTU Health and Safety starter packDownload

We need corporate manslaughter laws

Unlike other countries, Aotearoa New Zealand doesn’t have corporate manslaughter laws.

This needs to change. This is how you can help make the change we need to ensure everyone gets home from work.

• Read our blog about the human cost of workplace deaths
• Add your name to the #StandWithPike Open Letter
• Sign the Not One More Petition
• Find out what a corporate manslaughter law could look like
• Read the corporate manslaughter FAQs

Related work we’ve done

• 
  Health and safety consensus is dead, and WorkSafe cuts are burying it
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• 
  NZCTU welcomes corporate manslaughter bill introduction
  NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff is calling on all political parties to support the new Member’s Bill from Labour’s workplace relations and safety spokesperson Camilla Belich MP that would ensure negligent… Read More »NZCTU welcomes corporate manslaughter bill introduction
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  The Government must ban engineered stone to protect workers’ health
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• 
  Human cost of workplace deaths shows the need for corporate manslaughter laws
  The number of voices echoing our call for the introduction of corporate manslaughter laws continues to grow. Today we added our names to the open letter of Anna Osborne and… Read More »Human cost of workplace deaths shows the need for corporate manslaughter laws
• 
  WorkSafe job losses another reminder of risks to public services this election
  Working people will bear the brunt of WorkSafe’s proposal for a deep and wide restructuring that was announced today said the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions. “Reducing WorkSafe’s capacity… Read More »WorkSafe job losses another reminder of risks to public services this election
• 
  Health and Safety News Round-up
  Summations and links to recent health and safety cases.   Solidarity to the whānau and friends of the victims.  Forestry private prosecution: employer continues blames worker for their own death After… Read More »Health and Safety News Round-up
• 
  Action still required to eliminate the harm caused by engineered stone
  More needs to be done to protect people who work with engineered stone. Workers in these industries are being exposed to highly hazardous silica dust and fears remain for their… Read More »Action still required to eliminate the harm caused by engineered stone
• 
  Onya, Australia – time for New Zealand to do more to protect workers
  Another Australian jurisdiction has just made moves to make industrial manslaughter a criminal offense. And it’s time New Zealand follows suit. South Australia has recently introduced a new Industrial Manslaughter… Read More »Onya, Australia – time for New Zealand to do more to protect workers
• 
  Unions gather to remember people killed at work
  Today, unions across the country gathered to remember people who were killed or injured at work. The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions held a memorial service at the Workers’… Read More »Unions gather to remember people killed at work
• 
  Not One More FAQs
  At its core, the need for a Corporate Manslaughter Law in New Zealand is about valuing human life and ensuring that workers are safe.   Every week, a Kiwi worker is… Read More »Not One More FAQs
• 
  What is corporate manslaughter?
  What would a corporate manslaughter law look like?    It is important that corporate manslaughter laws are effective and workable at deterring and holding to account both corporations and senior directors… Read More »What is corporate manslaughter?
• 
  New Zealand’s shameful record
  A lack of corporate accountability On 19 November 2010, 29 men went to work and never came home. At 3.44pm, Pike River mine exploded, cutting power and communication into the… Read More »New Zealand’s shameful record