UITBB participated in the International Seminar on Health and Safety held in Minsk, Belarus, in April 2026.
In his intervention, UITBB General Secretary Michalis Papanikolaou stressed that occupational health and safety in construction is not merely a technical issue but a deeply political and class one. He highlighted alarming global statistics, including that while the construction sector employs only 7% of the world’s workforce, it yet accounts for approximately 30% of all fatal work accidents, resulting in around 60,000 deaths annually — one every 10 minutes.
The GS of UITBB denounced capitalist exploitation that prioritizes profits over workers’ lives and called for stronger legislation, strict penalties for employers, mandatory safety training, reduced working hours, higher wages, and robust trade union organization on every construction site.
He concluded that only through international class solidarity and continuous struggle can a society that truly respects workers’ lives and dignity be achieved.
Photos from the event:
