Campaigners Protest Against Attacks On Workers Rights

Trade Unions and campaigners joined forces last week to highlight the government's assault on health and safety legislation and enforcement.

A lobby of parliament on 10th May, organised by the GMB, heard union leaders warn about the impact of plans to cut life-saving legislation. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has already had its funding slashed and has announced most firms will no longer face any chance of unannounced safety inspections. Changes to the sickness benefit system will exacerbate the problem, unions and campaigns have warned, as will moves to make access to compensation harder after workers suffer an occupational injury or disease.

The lobby came a day ahead of a government announcement that it intends to push through further measures to dilute or remove existing employment rights.

Announcing the employment law review in a speech to the Institute of Directors annual convention, chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne said: 'My message today is straightforward - this coalition government is unequivocally pro-business.' He said the business lobby should not be 'passive observers' as 'for every regulation on business' there is 'a pressure group to defend it.' He said the government intended to boost 'enterprise' by addressing 'the costly impact of our employment laws and regulations.'

However, independent studies in the UK and other developed economies have shown regulations do not damage the economy and in many instances can spur economic growth. Health and safety laws have been a top target of the business lobby, and are already the subject of a government-commissioned review, due to report in the autumn.

Employment minister Chris Grayling, launching the review last month, said: 'By rooting out needless bureaucracy we can encourage businesses to prosper and boost our economy.'

Source: TUC Risks

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