A GATHERING took place in Keighley to mark Workers Memorial Day.

The event was held beside the memorial garden, in Town Hall Square.

It was organised by Keighley Trade Union Council (TUC), in conjunction with the town council.

Rector of Keighley, the Rev Canon Mike Cansdale, opened proceedings with a number of readings and he called for "courage and perseverance" from campaigners to win "the struggle for social justice" – not just in the UK, but globally.

He thanked Keighley TUC and the town council, which was represented by Councillor John Kirby, for the invitation to attend and for their long-time co-operation in holding the Workers Memorial Day event at a prominent town-centre spot.

Guest speaker at the gathering was former Keighley MP John Grogan, who was representing the town's Labour Party.

He stressed the importance of the International Labour Organisation campaign to have health and safety in the workplace recognised as a fundamental human right.

Mr Grogan said that every year, more people were killed or injured in the workplace than in conflicts throughout the world.

He added that safety in the workplace needed vast improvement.

Dave Towers, secretary of Keighley TUC, reflected on key messaging from previous years.

And he added: "Recently in the High Court, the Government action in releasing patients from the NHS to care homes at the beginning of the pandemic was deemed unlawful. Yet at the same time, in response to the cost of living crisis, the Government was proposing to cut 'red tape' rather than offer financial assistance to families facing rising costs – with the use of food banks in northern towns increasing exponentially. In my opinion it was the decision to ignore so-called 'red tape regulation' which led to many deaths of healthcare workers and residents when patients were discharged from hospital without testing for infection, and was now determined to be unlawful. Therefore the drive to cut 'red tape' would in fact reduce safety in the workplace.

"Keighley TUC will continue to 'remember the dead and fight for the living' on Workers Memorial Day every year."

A spokesperson for the international Workers Memorial Day campaign said: "Whilst every year more people are killed at work than in wars worldwide, most don't die of mystery ailments or in tragic 'accidents'. They die because an employer decided their safety just wasn't that important a priority. Workers Memorial Day commemorates those workers globally."