Devonport events mark Workers’ Memorial Day

Babcock International members marked International Workers’ Memorial Day in April by holding events at three venues across Devonport Royal Dockyard.

Ministry of Defence chaplains and senior company directors joined reps from both industrial and non-industrial unions to lead prayers and a minute’s silence at each of the three venues, before company apprentices and graduates released distinctive IWMD balloons.

The memorial event held outside the company’s Varbell headquarters building was also attended by the naval base commander and captain of the base who watched a wreath being laid in memory of all who have died or been seriously injured at work.

The purpose behind WMD is to “remember the dead: fight for the living” and had the theme for 2014 of “protecting workers around the world through strong regulation, enforcement and union rights”.