BASW and SWU will today join the remembrance of health and social care workers who have lost their lives during COVID-19

Every year on April 28th, all around the globe the trade union movement unites to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day.

We remember those who have lost their lives at work, or from work-related injury and diseases. We renew our efforts to organise collectively to prevent more deaths, injuries and disease as a result of work.

The UK theme for the 2020 Memorial Day is: ‘Stop the Pandemic in the Workplace.’

BASW and SWU are supporting health and social care unions (including General Federation of Trade Unions, UNISON, Royal Colleges of Nursing and the Royal College of Midwives) on Tuesday 28 April to remember health and social care workers who have been killed by COVID-19.  

Join in the minute's silence at 11am Tuesday 28th April to commemorate lost workers or join us in the remembrance by lighting a candle on the night of 28 April. Take a photo of your candle, and with a caption about who you’re remembering, post it on social media using the hashtag #IWMD20.

John McGowan, the general secretary of Social Workers Union, said: “The weekly “Clap for Our Carers”, which takes place at 8pm every Thursday, has become part of the lockdown routine for millions of Britons. Hopefully social workers will also actively take part in this important memorial day and be able to offer a minute silence on Tuesday 28th April ’

BASW CEO Ruth Allen added: “Social work and social care colleagues are a community. The impact COVID-19 has had on the workforce and the people they work has hugely affected us. It is so important that we join together to support each other and take time to remember the family, friends and colleagues of social workers and social care workers who have lost their lives during this pandemic.”

International Workers Memorial Day (IWMD) is commemorated throughout the world and is officially recognised by the UK Government.

Social Workers are in the coronavirus front line, never has the WMD slogan “Remember the dead, Fight for the living” been so crucial as it is today during the fight against COVID_19. The pandemic is having a major impact on all of us, not just on lives and physical well-being but on our mental health as well, causing people anxiety, worry and putting them under additional stress.