Day of Mourning Rock

Every year on April 28th, members of CUPE, the Labour Council, the Canadian Labor Congress and the public gather and remember the men, women and children who have died due to workplace hazards.

The main topic for this year’s gathering was asbestos, many workers are affected after inhaling asbestos fibers.

President of the North Bay and District Labour Council Henri Giroux says asbestos can be found in bricks, old pipes, ceiling tiles and mostly in older buildings.

He says around 2000 people die every year from inhaling asbestos.

The North Bay and District Labour Council is asking the government to give information on which buildings have asbestos and to ban the use of the building material.

Wayne Glibbery is the Training Services Representative for North Eastern Ontario and he says the symptoms don’t usually arrive until 20 years later.

Asbestosis, mesothelioma, and stomach cancer have all been linked to inhaling asbestos.