Today, on the 30th anniversary of the National Day of Mourning, we recognize the workers who have died, were injured, or became ill from their job.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to prioritize occupational health and safety. All workplaces should be safe and workers should be protected from risk of injury or death.
The sacrifices that workers have made this year have not been in equal measure. We are grateful that the vast majority of our members have been able to safely work from home during the pandemic. In parallel, UTFA reflects on and honours the essential workers, health care workers, and other people who were injured or died because of unsafe working conditions during the pandemic.
UTFA recognizes that COVID-19 is an occupational disease. We have been steadfast in COVID-19 related health and safety advocacy. We are committed to ensuring that strong workplace health and safety measures are in place for all faculty, librarians, staff, students, and other members of the broader University of Toronto community.
Terezia Zorić
President, UTFA