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Unifor members and staff joined more than 600 participants at 20th anniversary of the annual Steps for Life walk in Toronto’s Coronation Park on April 27 to mark the National Day of Mourning. The event, organized by Threads of Life, honours workers who have died or been injured on the job and supports their families.
“Unifor is proud to support this important work to support families impacted by workplace tragedy,” said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi. “When a worker dies or is injured at work, the loss isn’t just personal, it’s felt by an entire community. It’s felt by every one of us who believes that no one should ever go to work and not come home.”
With over $100,000 raised—and final totals still climbing—the walk was a record-breaking success, kicking off three weeks of Steps for Life events in 30 cities across Canada.
The Unifor Ontario Regional Council Health and Safety Committee proudly donated $2,500 to the fundraiser, proceeds of which will support families impacted by workplace tragedy.
The event is a solemn reminder of the important role that unions like Unifor play to create safer workplaces by empowering workers to speak up and know their rights, negotiate strong health and safety protections, and hold employers accountable to enforce them.
Hashi delivered remarks to the crowd where she reflected on the importance of working together to create safer workplaces.
“Today, as we mourn the lives lost and walk for the living, we walk with purpose. We walk knowing the work isn’t finished. We walk knowing that we are stronger together.”
Unifor volunteers stepped up to support the event, assisting with registration, food service, and logistics.
The event comes shortly after Ontario businesses received more than $4 billion in WSIB rebates—while injured workers and their families continue to face hardship due to denied claims and underreporting due to workers’ fear of reprisal, unrecognized workplace cancers such as cancer, heart, and lung illnesses, and other factors.
Under the Westray Law, employers can be criminally charged when workers are killed. Yet, in 21 years, only a few dozen prosecutions have taken place and only 11 individuals have been convicted.
“It’s a travesty of justice, and we will keep fighting to ensure those funds go to workers, not corporate bank accounts,” continued Hashi. “We’re also calling on police forces, Crown prosecutors, and regulators to work together—to hold employers accountable when they put profits before lives.”
🔗 Unifor’s Health, Safety, and Environment Department is a valuable resource to create safer workplaces. To learn more and access resources and support, visit: www.unifor.org/healthandsafety
📷 See Unifor’s Facebook album for photos of the Steps for Life walk in Toronto.
