TUCG Health and Safety Week of Action: Stand up for safe workplaces!

The Government is trying to downplay health and safety practices as �jokes� or �red-tape� in order to push through a programme of de-regulation and job cuts to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which will put workers lives and dignity at risk. The TUCG is organising a week of action to stand up for safe workplaces and to defend the HSE from savage budget cuts. Health and safety at work is about ensuring the minimum standards of working conditions. It is about saving and prolonging lives. It is about people. The simple demand to not be exposed to death and illness at work is not �red tape gone too far� but a basic human right.
 

According to the HSE between April 09 and March 10

�         152 people were fatally injured at work

�         There were 26,061 major injuries, such as amputations and burns, to employees

�         1.3 million people were suffering from an illness believed to have been caused or made worse by their current or past work. 

Yet the 'real' picture is likely to be even more damning given that these statistics relating to fatalities in the workplace provided by the HSE are an underestimate due to reporting inadequacies.

The current legislative and enforcement framework is failing to protect workers.

The Government�s proposals contained in the Young Report (Oct 2010) not only fail to address the problems faced but will make things worse. On top of this, the HSE is now faced with budget cuts of 35 per cent.

This will mean poorer enforcement and thus more workplace illnesses, injuries and deaths!

Health and safety breaches are crimes. If you kill, injure or hurt someone, you expect to go to jail. Why is this different if you employ that someone? The fact is that hundreds of people in the UK are killed at work and untold millions suffer from occupational disease. Employers say safety costs too much, but they�re not paying the price. The cost paid by society and the victims of slack health and safety standards out-strips the business cost several times over.

The Trade Union Co-ordinating Group (TUCG) brings together ten national unions (BFAWU, FBU, NAPO , NUJ, NUT, PCS, POA, RMT, UCU and URTU) to co-ordinate campaigning activities. We are calling a Health and Safety Week of Action from 28th Feb to 5th March.

Lobby your MP to sign EDM 1302 Health and Safety Week of Action

JOIN US ON WED 2ND MARCH 2011:

12.30PM GATHER ON COLLEGE GREEN

2PM RALLY, COMMITTE ROOM 14, HOUSE OF COMMONS
3.30PM LOBBY YOUR MP!

If you would like to organise an event or action in your local area during the TUCG Health and Safety Week of Action contact us at [email protected]