A SMALL socially-distanced ceremony marked International Workers' Memorial Day outside Kilncraigs last week.

Members of the UNISON and UNITE trade unions were joined by Provost Tina Murphy to mark the day last Wednesday, April 28. at the workers' memorial outside Clackmannanshire Council's headquarters.

Each year, representatives gather to remember those who have died at work and to reaffirm their commitments to fight for the living.

This year's theme was Health and Safety is a Human Right – Lets make it a reality.

Kevin McIntyre, Joint Trade Union Committee secretary, said: “People in every work place have had a sharp reminder of the importance of health and safety over this past year with employers working hard to ensure their workplaces are Covid secure.

“It is worth remembering that trade union members have played their part in ensuring essential public services were available and safe for the people of Clackmannanshire.

“Our members have taken care of the elderly and sick in care homes, educated our children in schools and at home, undertaken essential home visits to ensure the safety of children and the vulnerable, performed urgent and essential repairs in peoples homes and of course cleaned all of the offices, care homes, schools and workplaces to ensure they were as safe as possible for staff, service users and pupils.

“We urge every worker to consider safety in their own place of work and would encourage them to join a trade union and to join the fight to ensure every employer puts measures in place to keep their staff safe.”