{"id":21058,"date":"2020-04-27T16:28:43","date_gmt":"2020-04-27T15:28:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=21058"},"modified":"2020-04-28T10:58:28","modified_gmt":"2020-04-28T09:58:28","slug":"we-will-remember-them-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=21058","title":{"rendered":"We will remember them"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Tomorrow, April 28 is International Worker\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Memorial Day \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a day when usually millions of trade union members join together in solidarity, mourning friends and colleagues who have lost their lives at work.<\/p>\n

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But tomorrow will be different. In a year when we have seen so many brave colleagues fall, many in caring for and saving the lives of others from the coronavirus \u00e2\u20ac\u201c there will be no public outdoor gatherings, no wreath layings, no spoken words of solace \u00e2\u20ac\u201c except those expressed through social media.<\/p>\n

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From Edinburgh to the Eden Project, from Aberystwyth to Aldeburgh there will be no outdoor memorials \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the squares where annually workers come to honour and commemorate their lost friends will be empty and silent.<\/p>\n

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But \u00e2\u20ac\u0098in silence there is eloquence\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 as the poet Rumi wrote \u00e2\u20ac\u201c or you might prefer Isaiah\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0098in silence and trust lies your strength\u00e2\u20ac\u2122. Because tomorrow at 11 am, the nation will fall silent for one minute, marking all those selfless key workers who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve lost their lives to the coronavirus, honouring them all \u00e2\u20ac\u201c including those who work in care, in the NHS, in passenger transport.  <\/p>\n

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First Secretary Dominic Raab has reported that 78 NHS staff and 16 care workers have died from the virus \u00e2\u20ac\u201c although many believe that delays in reporting probably means the true figure is over 100 workers to have lost their lives \u00e2\u20ac\u201c as the numbers will inevitably continue to rise.<\/p>\n

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And we cannot forget the bravery of our bus workers. At least 20 bus drivers in London have died from the pandemic, along with two in Bristol and one in Inverness \u00e2\u20ac\u201c again true heroes who died because they were not safe at work.<\/p>\n

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The tribute \u00e2\u20ac\u201c organised by the TUC \u00e2\u20ac\u201c like everything else we are all facing now, is unprecedented. Workers will stand by themselves in silence \u00e2\u20ac\u201c woven together by the sorrowful threads of loss \u00e2\u20ac\u201c but they will be joined in honouring our heroes by leaders, politicians \u00e2\u20ac\u201c even the prime minister Boris Johnson has said he will be observing the silence.  <\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe union movement will come together this week to honour our brave workers who have died during this awful outbreak,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 said TUC general secretary Frances O\u00e2\u20ac\u2122Grady.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThey are all heroes. They lost their lives while protecting us and keeping essential services running.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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And Labour leader Keir Starmer added, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bEvery day during this crisis we see our key workers going out on the front line, risking their lives on behalf of us all.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bTragically, too many of them have lost their lives. We owe them a huge debt. We can pay tribute to those who have lost their lives by observing a minute\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s silence at 11 am.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u0098A right not a privilege\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s general secretary Len McCluskey in a video message to Unite members said, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bSafety at work is a right not a privilege and now more than ever the safety of our people is our primary concern.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bDozens of our workers have died in recent weeks, victims to an invisible killer a cruel disease, that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s claimed the lives of working people from around the globe. Many of these workers were taking care of us and supporting us, they were keeping people safe and business moving.<\/p>\n

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\u00e2\u20ac\u015bNo worker should feel that their life is being put at risk at work. And Unite is very clear \u00e2\u20ac\u201c if our members feel that their safety has been comprised then whatever steps they take we will support and protect them. And any employer trying to put pressure on any worker in unsafe conditions will be called to account for their actions.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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On International Workers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Memorial Day the message is clear \u00e2\u20ac\u201c safety is paramount. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bAn injury to one is an injury to all,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 says McCluskey.<\/p>\n

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So join us in the minute\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s silence tomorrow, at 11 am to remember coronavirus victims \u00e2\u20ac\u201c many of whom were Unite members, who lost their lives serving on the front line.<\/p>\n

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And as trade union members can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t make their usual tribute and remembrances to lost colleagues, you might want to join in an online collective moment of remembrance and solidarity at 2 pm.<\/p>\n

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Speakers include TUC general secretary Frances O\u00e2\u20ac\u2122Grady and Unite executive council member and London bus driver, James Mitchell. Register here<\/a><\/p>\n

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Last words go to Len McCluskey. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThose we have lost were loved by their friends and families. And on April 28 it is only right that we honour and remember them. Stay safe, remain strong and stay united.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

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By Amanda Campbell @amanda_unite <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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From Edinburgh to the Eden Project, from Aberystwyth to Aldeburgh there will be no outdoor memorials \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the squares where annually workers come to honour and commemorate their lost friends will be empty and silent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21059,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1308,17],"tags":[1295,290,516],"wps_subtitle":"Join in the 11 am silent minute on International Worker\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Memorial Day","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21058"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21058"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21058\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21077,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21058\/revisions\/21077"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/21059"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21058"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21058"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21058"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}