A message from the family and friends of the Pike River 29 today - health and safety for Kiwi workers is still substandard.

It's Worker's Memorial Day, and in Christchurch the Rail and Maritime Union will make special mention of Pike River.

The union has supported the families of the dead since the explosion in November 2010.

Sonya Rockhouse who lost one of her sons in the mine will speak at the ceremony at noon.

"We wouldn't want any family to have to go through what we've all been through, our health and safety record in New Zealand is appalling, and we need to really severely look at it."

She said the memorial day is for families of workers who left for work and didn't come home.

The forestry industry is marking Worker Memorial Day today by launching a major initiative - the Safetree Contractor Certification scheme.

National safety director of the Forest Industry Safety Council Fiona Ewing said with two deaths already this year, the scheme has the potential to transform health and safety in forestry.

"It's a programme really to ensure that contracting companies have the skills and support they need to operate safely, and it's going to give them clear standards to operate to."