Today marked the 33rd annual Day of Mourning for workers who were killed, injured or suffered illness due to workplace conditions.
Following a Day of Mourning ceremony at Fraser Auditorium this morning, hosted by the Sudbury and District Labour Council, the United Steelworkers Local 6500 hosted a second ceremony this afternoon at their hall on Brady Street.
Bereaved families were presented with white roses as they read the names of the 48 workers that died or were injured on Inco/Vale property since 1985.
Sudbury was the first region to declare April 28 as the official Day of Mourning in Canada and the movement spread across the world.
Guest speakers included USW International President Leo Gerard and Joanne Wade from Threads of Life.
Wade's son Brent died on Nov. 9, 1999 while at work Acton, Ontario. The dump truck he was driving was hit by a train at a poorly marked railway crossing. He was 22.
She showed a quilt — a life quilt — with the photos and names of 100 young people who died at work.
On April 6, 2014, Paul Rochette, 36, was killed at Copper Cliff smelter when he was struck in the head by a pin that broke off a crusher and was released like a bullet under pressure. Rochette's co-worker, Justin Stewart, received a concussion and facial lacerations in the same incident.
Rochette's brother-in-law, Ryan Kirwin, spoke about the importance of the event and the impact his death had on the family.
