Health and Safety At Work Protest Outside Conservative Party Headquarters

"Construction workers Union UCATT have invited members from other Unions to join them in a protest outside Conservative Party Headquarters at Millbank, London in opposition to Conservative Party plans to 'self-regulate' safety inspections that are currently undertaken by HSE Inspectors.

If enacted, these crazy plans will take Health and Safety standards back decades and lead to an increase in accidents, deaths and serious injuries. The demonstration will be led by a mystery special guest."

Announcing this with the above headline, Dave Joyce CWU National Health, Safety & Environment Officer latest letter to cwu branches and members continues to alert the membership to the tragedy that Tory policies on health and safety will bring upon the workers of UK PLC.

LTB348/10 provides details of the demonstration being held next week:

The details of the protest organised by the trade union UCATT are as follows:

Tuesday 27th April 2010
11am
Conservative Campaign Headquarters
30 Millbank
London
SW1P 4DP

Dave's letter to branches goes on to give some background to the need for this demonstration:

During their conference in October 2009 the Conservatives announced that if elected they would allow companies to undertake an independent safety audit. Once the audit is completed, the companies would be able to bar Health and Safety Executive inspectors entering their workplaces and become immune from Health and Safety enforcement notices and criminal prosecutions under health and safety laws, unless there was an emergency.

Despite protests from all Trade Unions, the TUC and Safety Professional Organisations, warning that the policy would increase workplace dangers and risks to workers, the Conservative Party remains unmoved and confirmed in March 2010, that if elected they will press ahead with these plans.

Dave speaks for all those concerned about the health and safety of people whilst at work and who see clearly what the Tory plans will do:

" The Conservatives are playing politics with workers’ lives. By introducing a system of "self regulation" and allowing employers to "opt out" of regulation and enforcement by Health and Safety Executive and Local Authority Inspectors the Tories are endangering the lives of workers across a number of industries.

Trade Unions, Safety Representatives, Hazards Campaigners and Safety Professionals alike are angry and concerned about the impact of the Conservatives’ proposals. It will place workers at increased risk while at work. This is not some spurious health and safety argument about not allowing children to play conkers in the playground, these plans will endanger workers’ lives."

Editors comment:

"Sadly some sections of the media are using this period during the election to continue to ridicule health and safety, with one interviewee on Sky News coverage following the Party Leaders Debates last night saying, " I bumped into so many journalists getting to this interview - health and safety! I should make a claim!"

The media can't quite get the difference between the multi billion pound accident claims industry and their ambulance chasing tactics and aim at creating a claims culture, as opposed to the need for regulation in ensuring safe and healthy workplaces in the UK in order to ovoid accidents, injuries and deaths in the first place.

Of course it is in their interest to support the Tory aims - more accidents and injuries equals more profits for them!"

Source: CWU / Unionsafety

 

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