Workers Memorial Day

Today was the annual commemoration service at Staffordshire's National Memorial Arboretum to mark International Workers Memorial Day.

It was an honour to be invited to say a few words about Vale and our project by East Staffordshire Trades Council, which organises the annual event.

The service takes place beside a tree planted at the Arboretum by the Trades Union Councils.

The plaque on the tree says, 'In memory, in solidarity and with respect for working men and women who gave their lives in the workplace, that we might live and work in freedom, safety and with dignity'.

Four Midlands MPs attended this year's event to add their support to the occasion which aims to remember the dead and to continue the fight for improved health and safety for the living. They were joined by representatives from local branches of trade unions and campaigning groups, many of whom laid wreaths beside the tree.

Elaine Pritchard told those attending that Vale was victimised during his all-too-short life after he supported striking factory girls in Burton upon Trent in 1914. He was never a paid trade union official, but along with Burton Trades Council he was instrumental in establishing the town's first branch of the Workers' Union in 1911.

"That same year, the national annual report of the Workers' Union recorded that throughout 1910 a total of 3,474 people had died at work and 379,902 were injured. As not all accidents were reported in those days, the actual figure is likely to have been even higher," said Elaine.

The Workers' Union, and other trade unions of the time, fought relentlessly for the rest of the century to introduce laws and safeguards that protected workers and reduced deaths and serious injuries.

This illustration, below right, called The Toll Of Industry, appeared alongside those statistics for 1910 in the 1911 annual report of the Workers' Union. This publication is owned by Unite the Union and used with their kind permission.

The article also said: “If a procession was formed of the victims of industry, it would stretch 43½ miles with a corpse every 20 yards. Between each corpse, 100 disabled work people would be marshalled, marching five abreast and if the widows and orphans followed in the procession it would be 45½ miles long.”

At today's service, Elaine also praised Vale for standing up for what he believed to be right and challenging the way things were traditionally done in workplaces. He campaigned for safer workplaces, healthier homes and for people to be paid a fair day's pay for a fair day's work.