Two weeks after International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD), the message rings louder than ever: “Remember the dead, fight for the living.” Across continents, more than 250 activities—rallies, trainings, workplace visits, and digital campaigns—mobilised thousands of workers to spotlight deadly occupational hazards and to demand urgent reforms for healthier, safer workplaces.

Under BWI’s global campaign themes, “Stop the Deadly Dust” and “Too Hot to Work,” affiliates around the world organised impactful actions that addressed rising threats like silica exposure, wood dust, extreme heat, and the overall deterioration of occupational health and safety (OHS) standards.

From dusty construction sites in Kenya to political forums in Brazil, from social media mobilisations to youth-focused seminars, BWI’s commemoration of his year's IWMD was a global show of unity and resistance. 

Global Solidarity in Action

In Indonesia, the national launch of the ILO Code of Practice for Forestry was a landmark moment, signalling institutional commitment to the safety of forestry workers. BWI affiliates also held OSH seminars in Denpasar, Bali, ran youth study circles on workplace health in Yogyakarta, and engaged migrant woodworkers in Malaysia on the deadly risks of dust and heat stress.

Africa saw mobilisations with impact. In Zimbabwe, union leaders visited organised workplaces to educate workers about silica exposure, gather OHS concerns, and propose concrete solutions. In Uganda, IWMD activities at the Tororo Cement Company sensitised workers about sector-specific hazards such as dust and extreme weather. South African affiliates, COSATU, and the ANC hosted rallies across all nine provinces, highlighted by a significant rally in Mpumalanga attended by the President.

Brazil witnessed massive demonstrations. Over 70,000 workers gathered in Brasília demanding a reduction in working hours and an end to exploitative 6×1 schedules. In Paraná, 232 symbolic crosses were installed to honor construction workers lost to fatal accidents, while Green April initiatives extended across worksites in Curitiba, Londrina, and Ivaiporã.

Raising Voices and Building Awareness

Workers’ stories and solidarity were amplified online and offline. Across Europe, digital activism surged. In Luxembourg, young unionists distributed flyers and issued a public statement on the danger of heat exposure. France and Sweden hosted public actions and information campaigns, echoing a unified call for safer jobs.

In Turkey, unions convened to issue joint statements on the growing threat of extreme heat, while in Latvia, workers joined national commemorations emphasizing the long-term toll of unsafe workplaces.

Training, Education, and Empowerment

OSH education was front and center. From Peru’s seminar on silica and biological risks in construction, to Argentina’s UOCRA-led training on silicosis prevention—worker empowerment through knowledge was a central strategy. Training on fall arrest systems and AI safety was delivered at worksites in Puerto Madero, while unions in Colombia, the Philippines, and Kenya integrated OHS into collective bargaining agreements and worker education programs.

Workshops across Africa and Asia educated thousands on risk prevention, and many unions used IWMD to deepen their recruitment drives and strengthen OHS committees. Female workers in Indonesia shared testimonial videos about the importance of PPE and dust protection, reinforcing the intersection of safety, dignity, and gender justice.

A United Stand for the Future

The diversity of actions reflected a shared determination: workers deserve to go to work and return home safely. Whether through symbolic actions, political engagement, street demonstrations, or quiet but powerful conversations at job sites, each activity honoured fallen comrades and demanded an end to preventable deaths at work.

BWI General Secretary Ambet Yuson said:

“This year’s IWMD showed that workers and their unions are not waiting for change—they are leading it. From dust to heat, we’re organising everywhere to demand safer work. Our fight is daily. Our solidarity is global.”

Let’s Keep Up the Momentum

While April 28 marked the global day of remembrance, the struggle for occupational health and safety is ongoing. BWI calls on all affiliates to keep organizing, educating, and pushing for enforceable safety standards—because one life lost is one too many.

Together, we fight for the living.