International Workers Memorial Day 2026: UNISON Housing workers "Remember the Dead & Fight for the Living"

Today, the Greater London UNISON Housing Association branch marked International Workers Memorial Day at the “clasping hands” statue in 3 Mills Green, Stratford, for what I believe is the 17th year. This day honours workers in the UK and around the world who have lost their lives or been injured at work due to accidents or industrial diseases.  

At this very site, four workers tragically died in a wholly avoidable incident caused by carbon monoxide poisoning in an underground shaft. Three of them lost their lives while heroically trying to rescue others, succumbing to the gas themselves.  

Thanks go to local Newham MP James Asser for attending and speaking on the importance of workplace safety, and to Clarion Housing Group Health and Safety Advisors who laid a wreath. UNISON National Officer Andrew Dobbie, who researched the tragedy, gave a talk at the actual shaft where these workers died.  

GMB rep Simon Rush read a message from Newham Labour Mayoral Candidate. Forhad Hussain, an engineer working on a major construction project, reflecting on lessons still relevant today from these preventable deaths. GMB member Heather Lafferty also made a moving personal contribution.  

It was also so good to hear from Labour Movement stalwart and retired Unite, UCU member, John Saunders, who delivered a passionate speech about the countless workers who have needlessly died over the years, here and across the globe.  Many thanks as well to local Stratford Cllr Sabia Kamali for her support.

It was a proud Labour Movement Day. 

Workers Memorial Day 28 April 2026: 12 Noon (tbc) "Clasping Hands" Statue, 3 Mills Green, Stratford

 

"Remember the Dead, Fight for the Living"

The Greater London UNISON Housing Associations branch will be marking again, International Worker's Memorial Day, with a wreath laying event at the "Clasping Hands" Statue in 3 Mills Green, Stratford, Newham, East London at 12 Noon (tbc) Tuesday 28 April 2026.

This memorial stands on the site of a tragic and wholly avoidable incident, where a worker lost his life after being overcome by poison gas in a ventilation shaft — and others died, one after the other, trying to rescue them. Their courage and sacrifice remind us why the fight for safe, healthy workplaces must never stop.

For 2026, the TUC is focusing on the need to prevent violence at work — we want a greater protections from verbal and physical abuse and violence in workplaces, and protections enshrined in law, too.

Members, Safety reps and Staff Safety officers from local Housing Associations are expected but all welcome to pay their respects. Guest speakers invited.  Please bring banners. 

Further details to follow. Check out https://www.tuc.org.uk/IWMD/international-workers-memorial-day-events for updates and similar events across the country. 

Workers Memorial Day 2025: Clasping hands statue in Stratford, Newham

 

Last week my UNISON branch organised the annual Workers Memorial Day event at the "Clasping Hands" statute in Three Mills Green, Bow, Newham. 

This is the site of an historic "accident" where 3 workers died, one after each other, trying to pull out another worker, who had collapsed at the bottom of a ventilation shaft from poisoned gas. 

Local MPs, Uma Kumaran and James Asser laid wreaths at the memorial together with Safety officers from Clarion and L&Q Housing Associations. Uma, James and London Assembly member, Unmesh Desai, together with others, also spoke about the importance of this day, not only in remembering those who were killed at work or died of industrial injuries but as a day to think about campaigning in the future to protect those currently at work. 

I introduced the event as UNISON Housing Associations branch chair and our branch Secretary, Joseph Ogundemuren gave closing remarks. Afterwards we gathered outside the site of the actual shaft nearby. 

Workers Memorial Day Monday 28 April - 1pm Clasping Hands Statute,Three Mills Green E15

 

This year's event will take place at 1pm next Monday 28 April 2025. All welcome. Remember the dead and fight for the living. 

Worker's Memorial Day 2024: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends".

 

Today we remembered workers who died in the course of their duties and also those who died trying valiantly to save them. Workers Memorial Day is on Sunday (28 April) this year but we decided to hold our annual event today. 

The venue was beside the "Clasping Hands" statue in Three Mills Park in Stratford, East London. Over a 100 years ago, 4 workers died at this site in a notorious health and safety incident. 3 of them died trying to pull out of danger, a worker who had collapsed due to poisonous fumes at a bottom of a ventilation shaft next to a local Gin factory. 

Even by the standards of the time, basic health and safety rules had been ignored, which resulted in these deaths. 

We had speeches and wreaths laid by representatives of UNISON, Clarion Housing Group and L&Q Group. Many thanks to the professional safety advisors from Clarion and L&Q for attending. 

As well as trade union and Labour movement activists from UNISON and GMB, there was also local Labour Councillors, including Cllr James Beckles, who is standing in the Greater London Assembly Elections and  Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, the Deputy Mayor of Hackney Council (both UNISON members). 

International Workers Memorial Day 2023: UNISON & Safety Advisors Honour the Dead & Work together for the Living

 

Today we held a simple but powerful remembrance ceremony to mark International Workers Memorial Day (IWMD 28 April). IWMD is supported by trade unions and responsible employers across the world to remember those who have died of accidents at work and from work related ill health. It is also a campaigning day to make all workplaces safer. 

This was organised by the London UNISON Housing Association branch members but supported also by a local GMB branch and professional safety advisers from Clarion & L&Q Housing associations.  These are the two largest "shops" in our branch. Wreaths from UNISON, Clarion and L&Q were laid. 

We met at the beautiful "Clasping Hands" statue in the historic Three Mills Green park in Stratford, East London. UNISON National Officer, Andrew Dobbie explained that at this very site in 1901 three workers sacrificed their lives, one after the other, in a ventilation shaft, trying to rescue another worker who had collapsed at the bottom of the shaft from fatal gases. Even the basic health & safety measures of the time had not been followed. I mentioned that this was not just an historic issue, in nearby Watney Market, Stepney in 1990 three workers were killed in a sewer in similar circumstances.

Other speakers spoke that even now, 2 workers per week, on average do not return home from work and the risk to UK health and safety if the Government goes ahead with plans to rescind european safety legislation. Another speaker spoke about the very recent 10th anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse which killed (manslaughter?) over 1100 worker in Bangladesh. 

Many thanks to the UNISON & GMB members (including a former London Assembly member and a former Council leader), national and regional officers, Councillors and the professional safety advisors for attending. I had apologies from many others and look forward to making this event even better next year. 

Workers Memorial Day: This Friday 28 April - UNISON wreath laying at 1pm at "Clasping hands" statute, Bow, E3

 

This year UNISON Housing Association Branch will be remembering those who have died at work due to accidents at work or from work related ill health & diseases. It is also a campaigning day to fight for the living at work and their health and safety.

We will holding a wreath laying event at the "Clasping Hands" statute in Three Mills Green, Stratford, London E3 3DU at 1pm on Friday 28 April 2023. We have held this event now for many years but hope to get a good turn out post Covid. 

This beautiful statue is near the site of a ventilation shaft where 4 workers died in 1900. 3 of them perished while heroically trying to rescue a fellow worker.

Local MP, Lyn Brown is attending and all trade unionists will be welcome as well as safety advisors and anyone else, genuinely interested in health and safety at work. 

Please bring your trade union and Labour movement banners.

UNISON members from the nearby L&Q Housing headquarters will be walking to the site beforehand. The wreath laying and talk about what happened here and why it is important should last no more than 30 minutes or so.

If you are unable to attend this event then check out the TUC website for events local to you or arrange with your employer to carry out a general walkabout safety inspection of your workplace looking for obvious hazards. It is also Stress Awareness month so check on stress risk assessment arrangements and occupational health support for workers.

International Workers' Memorial Day in West Ham (& also remembering Uncle Harry)

Today is International Workers Memorial Day and this afternoon we remembered all those who have been killed at work or died of work related diseases at the beautiful "Clasping Hands" sculpture and memorial in Three Mills Green, Newham, East London.

The memorial remembers "Godfrey Maule Nicholson, Manager Of A Stratford Distillery, George Elliott And Robert Underhill, Workmen, Successively Went Down A Well To Rescue Comrades And Were Poisoned By Gas. July 12 1901". How sad and how fitting to remember this on this particular day.

Our Local Member of Parliament, Lyn Brown, a long standing UNISON member, laid a wreath on behalf of my trade union branch, Greater London UNISON Housing Associations, who have organised memorial events here for many years.

Due to Covid we were restricted this year on who could attend but many thanks to Lyn, Andrew (National UNISON officer for Community), Sonya and Eunice (UNISON activists) for attending.

Hopefully next year we will be able to organise properly and have a bigger and more inclusive event.

Lyn gave a lovely little speech about about how important this occasion was to her as a the local MP to honour workers, such as Robert Underhill, who must have gone down the well on that day, knowing what had happened to those who had tried beforehand to rescue others, but he still risked his life to save others and paid the ultimate price for doing so.

Lyn also mentioned "Uncle Harry". By coincidence this morning I received an email from the niece of Henry (Harry) Turner. She had seen notice of this event on the TUC website. Some 200 yards away from this sculpture, her uncle Harry, had been killed in 1965 during an explosion, in the Sun Flour Mill. He had been working at the site while employed by the London Electricity Board (so possibly a member of UNISON's predecessor trade unions?) . Four people were killed by the explosion. 

There are already the names of other workers killed nearby as well as those from 1901 on the memorial plinth. So maybe we should consider whether other names such as Uncle Harry should be added.

Workers Memorial Day: Wednesday 28 April 2021

 

Workers Memorial Day Wednesday 28 April 2021. Remembering all those killed while at work or who have died of work related diseases.  It is also a campaigning day to fight for the living. 

Check out this physical and FaceBook live commemoration by my trade union branch at the beautiful "clasping hands" sculpture in Three Mills Green, E3.

 

A Newham Greenways & Waterways Circular Walk

Yesterday Gill and I went on a wonderful 3 mile circular walk in Newham, starting in West Ham Memorial Recreation Park E15 (once the home of West Ham FC). We walked through the Park to join the Greenway footpath (in the footsteps of Gandhi) then turned left along the Channelsea river toward 3 Mills Green Park. Passing the former Channel 4 TV "Big Brother" site (and long lost "bridge of shame")

We paid our respects at the "Clasping Hands" statute, which in more normal times we would have held a remembrance event last week on April 28 for Workers Memorial Day.

Next we walked past 3 Mills (LBTH) then along the River Lee towards Bow Creek. At the Twelve Trees Crescent junction we crossed over the river and walked along the other side. .

This stretch toward Cody Docks is very much an unknown and unused gem. I love the Shopping Trolly sculpture in shape of DNA double-helix structure. After Cody Docks you walk through a industrial estate (past West Ham bus depot) then through some estates to rejoin the Recreation Park.

Workers Memorial Day 2020 - A one minutes silence of pictures

 Pictures from trades unions via TUC and from last year's Newham/ UNISON event

Workers Memorial Day - Tuesday 28 April 2020 Theme: Coronavirus

For a number of years my trade union branch (UNISON Greater London Housing Associations) and West Ham Labour Party have supported Workers Memorial Day with a ceremony at the "Clasping Hands" statute in Stratford.

Workers Memorial Day is an international event held every 28 April to remember workers who have been killed at work or have died from work related diseases.

This year we cannot hold such a physical memorial event due to Coronavirus social isolation requirements, but I think everyone understands that 2020 Workers Memorial Day, will be especially important, as we remember all the health and care workers who have died from Coronavirus as well all the other workers such as the bus drivers, cleaners and shop workers.

Check out the call by the TUC for a minutes silence at 11am on Tuesday 28 April.

I have to make the point that no one mentions at the current daily Government briefings on Coronavirus that we are now trying to play catch up after 10 years of austerity for the NHS and social care never mind the official ridicule and scorn shown in this past decade towards workers "elf & safety".

Workers' Memorial Day - Saturday 28 April 2018 10.45-11.15am at Clasping Hands Statue, 3 Mills Green, E3 3DU

This is a really important event in the Labour movement calendar and takes place, I think, at the most significant but unknown example of historic working class art in East London. I hope that as many members of the Labour Movement family can attend as possible. Keynote speakers invited. 

Workers Memorial Day at 3 Mills Green E3 - 11am Saturday 28 April 2018

"The purpose behind Workers' Memorial Day has always been to "remember the dead: fight for the living" and unions are asked to focus on both areas, by considering events or memorial to remember all those killed through work but at the same time ensuring that such tragedies are not repeated.

That can best be done by building trade union organisation, and campaigning for stricter enforcement with higher penalties for breaches of health & safety laws.

Workers Memorial Day is commemorated throughout the world and is officially recognised by the UK Government.

In 2018 the theme for the day is Unionised workplaces are safer workplaces and will focus the huge difference that unions make in preventing deaths in the workplace. We will also be celebrating 40 years of union health and safety representatives" See TUC website.

West Ham Labour Party Trade Union affiliates & members are organising a wreath laying event at 11am on Saturday 28 April 2018 at the "Clasping Hands" statue in Three Mills Green, E3 3DU (see photo college of previous event above).

The statue is in the park next to the film studios and is to remember the deaths of 3 workers who died near this location while trying to rescue a colleague in 1901.

The park is a 10 minutes’ walk from local stations. Please contact John Gray (J.Gray2@unison.co.uk) if you wish to attend.  

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" Worker Memorial Day 2017

Today is Workers Memorial Day, and across the world trade unionists remember the 20,000 British and the 2.3 million deaths of workers worldwide who die prematurely every year in work related accidents or from occupational disease.

In Three Mills Green, Stratford, East London there is a memorial to 4 workers who lost their lives while at work. On this site there used to be an underground well next to a Gin distillery. On July 12 1901 a worker was sent down the shaft to carry out work but was overcome by toxic fumes. Three of his fellow workers went down the shaft, in turn, to try and rescue him and were all in turn poisoned and died while trying to pull their comrades to safety.

The "Clasping hands" statue was later erected to honour this sacrifice.

West Ham Labour Party, UNISON Housing Association branch and Newham Teachers Association (NUT) have for the past several years laid a wreath on Workers Memorial Day at this site to remember all those who have died at work or from work related ill health.

Next year, 2018 Workers Memorial Day, is on a Saturday (it's always on 28 April) so we hope to hold a bigger event, inviting local schools, Woodcraft folk, all parts of the Labour Movement and progressive employers to attend and participate.

This part of East London is steeped in working class history. Behind this picture you can see the London Match Girls Strike Building and also the 2014 London Olympics Stadium.

My UNISON Branch Chair, Tony Power, addressed the gathering and pointed out that due to good health and safety agreements and practices with trade unions, no workers was killed building the London Olympic Stadium. While in a country such as Qater, which does not recognise trade unions, it is thought that 7000 workers will die by the time the World Football Cup kicks off in 2022.