NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING - APRIL 28
T he National Day of Mourning is a time to honour those who have lost their lives, been injured, or fallen ill due to their work. It’s also an opportunity to reaffirm our collective responsibility to improve workplace safety and prevent future tragedies. Sadly, hundreds of Canadians die each year from workplace incidents, and many more work- related fatalities go unreported. In 2023, the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC) recorded 1,057 workplace fatalities nationwide, with an additional 274,022 workers taking time off due to work-related injuries or illnesses. These numbers reflect only the incidents that were officially reported and accepted by compensation boards. The actual toll is likely much higher. Yet, the statistics are just part of the story. Every workplace tragedy touches more than just the affected worker. It deeply impacts their families, friends, and coworkers, whose lives are changed forever.
Patrick Kelly – Oct 20, 1997 Edward Cox – June 14, 2001 Scott Mason – Aug 8, 2001 James Clement – Oct 26, 2001 Ryan Clement – Oct 26, 2001 Kenneth Gardiner – Jan 11, 2002 John Aarts – Feb 8, 2002 Allen Manchester – Nov 3, 2003 Michael Hipson – Jan 23, 2006 Kent Walker – May 15, 2006 Donald Duncan – Oct 13, 2007 Major S. Dhadda – Oct 29, 2007 Giovanni DeFrancesco – Jan 1, 2009 Keith Gudmundson – Jan 19, 2010 Vince De Paepe – July 3, 2011 Patrick Gartlan – July 15, 2011 Kyle Knox – Oct 11, 2011 who had been a member for 18 years, tragically lost his life on October 8, 2023, due to occupational diseases. On August 20, 2024, 54-year-old Local 793 member Nicholas D’Amato tragically lost his life in a workplace accident in King City. He was struck by a speeding truck that collided with his ramps. Although the area was marked with cones to warn drivers of the danger, the driver’s reckless behaviour led to this devastating loss. Brother Quinn Martyn was struck and killed in a job site accident on January 24, 2025. He was just 20 years old. The Local 793 apprentice was struck while attempting to help a worker who had been injured while using a skid steer at a job site in Tiverton. The heartbreaking loss of these men again underscores the importance of Local 793’s long fight to make job sites safer for its members – and all workers. “In the construction industry, we face inherent risks every day. It’s part of the environment we work in,” Business Manager Mike Gallagher said. “But the simple truth is, most incidents that lead to workers being killed or injured are preventable. It’s not enough to mourn; we must commit
to real, lasting change. Safety should never be an afterthought; it should be the foundation of everything we do. We owe it to every worker to ensure they come home safe.” IUOE Local 793 President Dave Turple added “I call on all our employers to join with us in a shared commitment to ensuring that every worker who steps onto a jobsite has the highest level of training and qualifications possible. There should never be a shortcut taken that puts a single worker at risk.” Local 793 proudly represents the safety of thousands of workers and the fight for their right to a safe workplace environment, continuously lobbying for improved training, licensing, and standardization in the construction industry so we can work in a safer, healthier environment and eliminate workplace accidents and fatalities.
Local 793 member Fredrick Slomke of Cochrane is one of three individuals recently added to the IUOE Local 793 Memorial Garden and Monument. Brother Fredrick, The Local 793 Memorial Garden and Monument at head office in Oakville was built to honour members who died as a result of construction site accidents or due to occupational illnesses. Their names – 50 of them – are etched on the columns of this monument. Let us all do everything possible to ensure no more names are added. MEMBERS WHO DIED AS A RESULT OF CONSTRUCTION SITE ACCIDENTS OR DUE TO OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESSES
William H. Munroe – Nov 4, 1970 Lambros Kordas – Mar 21, 1977 Joe Petrik – Mar 21, 1977 John W. Jr. Hunt – Sept 2, 1980 Bruce N. Higgs – Feb 6, 1981 Roger M. Sokoloski – Nov 2, 1984 Gerard Drapeau – Aug 5, 1987 Robert Jr. Baxter – Sept 25, 1987 Lynda Baker – Sept 14, 1989 Marc Roy – July 23, 1992 Elzear Dignard – Aug 4, 1992 Wallace Culp – Nov 16, 1993 Charles Barton – Dec 20, 1994 Robert Gerritsen – Sept 17, 1995 Donald Crawley – Oct 6, 1995 Earl Anness – Jan 17, 1996 Ronald Girard – May 17, 1996
Maurice LaChapelle – Mar 9, 2012 Lee Antoniak – Apr 9, 2012 Renato Marchione – July 12, 2012 Jamie D. Davis – July 12, 2015 Marc Normand – Nov 2, 2015 Claude Joly – Dec 15, 2016 Wayne H. McPhail – Apr 6, 2017 Eric Wheeler – May 6, 2019 Sylvio Paquette – July 10, 2019 Cody Proulx – Feb 24, 2021 James DiMarco – June 3, 2021 Ernesto Campoli – June 1, 2022 Fredrick Slomke – Oct 8, 2023 Mike Murphy – Nov 17, 2023 Nicholas D’Amato – Aug 20, 2024 Quinn Martyn – Jan 24, 2025
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