Members from various unions gathered to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day event in Victoria Park in central Portsmouth on Friday 28 April.
The event started at midday and included a minute’s silence and laying of flowers at the Worker’s Memorial monument established by Portsmouth Trades Council.
The annual event commemorates workers who have died as a result of injury, illness or accident at work and promotes the importance of workplace safety.
UNISON South East regional secretary Steve Torrance spoke at the event about the importance of the campaign work by trade unionists to achieve the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which is now the bedrock of employment rights making workplaces safer.
Steve also highlighted the importance of health and safety representatives in maintaining safe working practices and reiterated the slogan of the event which is ‘Remember the dead. Fight for the Living.’
Find out more from the TUC about International Workers Memorial Day