Health and Safety At Work Protest Outside Conservative Party

[TrueBlueTerrier]

No. 348/10
Ref EX5
Date: 23 April 2010


To: All Branches
 
Dear Colleagues
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.
The details of the protest organised UCATT are as follows:

Tuesday 27th April 2010

11am

Conservative Campaign Headquarters
30 Millbank
London
SW1P 4DP

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.

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.

In order to further raise awareness of the Conservatives’ plans UCATT will be leafleting workers on Workers Memorial Day, Wednesday 28th April, warning about what the Conservative safety plans will mean.

Yours Sincerely


Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

[Lounge Lizard]

"If enacted, these crazy plans will take Health and Safety standards back decades" and before we know it school age children will be in factories and up chimneys again, for it was Thatcher no less who wanted a retirn to Victorian values.