Kye Gbangbola at UNISON’s 2020 Black members’ conference with a picture of his son, Zane.
UNISON is calling on members to join a ‘Big Zoom’ on 28 April, to stand with the family of Zane Gbangbola and demand justice.
Seven-year-old Zane Gbangbola died in the early hours of 8 February 2014, during catastrophic River Thames flooding at Chertsey in Surrey, with water having come over a field near the home.
His father, Kye, also suffered a cardiac arrest and life-changing injuries in the same incident. Despite official reports confirming the presence of the toxic gas, hydrogen cyanide, Zane’s inquest ruled his death was due to carbon monoxide poisoning – a conclusion his family and campaigners fiercely dispute.
It was later revealed that the field had previously been used for landfill, and hydrogen cyanide can lurk in such sites.
UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “We are asking UNISON members to give just a little bit of their own time, to show support with a family who have lost so much, letting them know others stand with them in the fight for truth about Zane and fighting to prevent others going through the immeasurable pain and suffering they have experienced.”
For over a decade, the Truth About Zane campaign has fought for justice, demanding an independent panel inquiry to uncover the truth and expose the dangers of toxic landfill sites across the UK. With over 50 million people living near landfill sites, the risks remain unknown without urgent investigation.
In 2020, Kye spoke movingly to UNISON’s Black members’ conference.
Each year, International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD) takes place on 28 April, providing an opportunity to remember those lost due to unsafe working environments where we ‘remember the dead and fight for the living’.
The ongoing risks of asbestos has been chosen as the main theme for IWMD this year. But it is not the only toxic legacy from years gone by still threatening the safety and health of future generations, which is why UNISON also wants to use the day to remember Zane.
Register for the ‘Big Zoom’ and join on the day to stand in solidarity with Zane’s family. They will be joined by Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, in sending a powerful message to the prime minister. The event, hosted in collaboration with the National Education Union, will push for full disclosure and action to prevent future tragedies.
You can also help by supporting Zane’s Law, to protect communities from the dangers of toxic landfill, and demand an independent panel inquiry into Zane’s death or learn more at Truth About Zane.
The article Stand with Zane Gbangbola’s family in their campaign for justice first appeared on the UNISON National site.
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