ADVISORY/OFL Joins April 26 Event in Cornwall to Demand Justice for Fallen Workers: Day of Mourning Calls for Jail Time for Negligent Bosses

CORNWALL, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - April 25, 2013) - Ontario Federation of Labour Spokesperson Duncan Mac Donald will join injured workers, survivors and their advocates at a Cornwall event to remember fallen workers. The Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job is the labour movement's most solemn occasion.

Workplace safety advocates are calling for a commitment from every police chief and crown attorney in the province to properly train officers and prosecutors to investigate workplace accidents as crime scenes and to pursue employer violations of safety protocols to the full extent of the law.

This year marks the 10^th anniversary of the passing of Bill C-45, an historic law known as the Westray Bill, which amended the Criminal Code of Canada to hold employers criminally liable when their negligence causes the death or serious injury of a worker. While as many as 400 workers continue to die on the job every year in Ontario and more than 200,000 are injured, not one Ontario employer representative has ever faced a personal criminal conviction.

"When employers ignore safety laws, tragedies aren't accidents … they are crimes," said Mac Donald. "This workplace carnage will not cease until negligent CEOs are ushered out of their board rooms in handcuffs. Without justice, no fallen worker can rest in peace."

Since 1985, April 28 has been recognized across Canada as the International Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job. On this day, worker advocates call for justice and fair compensation for injured workers, victims and survivors.

For the full OFL statement on the Day of Mourning, annual statistics on workplace death and injuries and link to this year's event listings, visit: http://ofl.ca/index.php/april-28-2013/.

The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow the OFL on Facebook and Twitter: @OFLabour.