National UNISON Health and Safety Seminar

24th March 2011
Report from Tony Donald branch H&S Rep.

It was privilege to be able to attend Unison’s third National Health and Safety Seminar on 24th March 2011 at Birmingham, being one of the 12,000 safety reps Unison has across the country, I talked to Reps from both ends of the country from Bristol to Inverness, who were all keen to help and protect their members in the workplace. I really enjoyed the numerous speakers we had and the seminar groups which were held. 

Occupational health and safety and the Fit Note I found particularly interesting, many councils are outsourcing their own occupational health service to save money to the detriment of their employees, don’t let this happen to your council! The quality of service will decline in most cases, with reduced standards, continuity of service and lack of medical confidentiality problems using private agencies were some areas of concern raised by Reps.

In these times of massive public spending cuts, there is even more pressure on employers to save money, with greater workloads, under-staffing, cutting corners on training, equipment etc, there is an increasing possibility of more health and safety hazards in the workplace, therefore a greater need for Reps to be present to protect, monitor and act upon any failings of employers to look after their workforce to an adequate reasonable standard.

The Health and Safety Executive is being cut hard by this coalition govt with a 35% saving required over 4 years with the number of HSE inspections down by a third.  It was interesting to note that in the period 2008/9 two thirds of amputations in the workplace were not even investigated by the HSE.

There was a great speech from Roger McKenzie, Assistant General Secretary of Unison regarding the great need to organise and recruit further members in these difficult times, it was noted that there is a lot of apathy at the moment, but this is the time every member needs to stand up and be counted against these excessive cuts to public services with the resultant damage to services and jobs.

There has never been a greater need for Unison to be active and representing our members, brought about by this govt pandering to the private sector, destroying the Welfare State bit by bit, yes there has been waste, money can be saved by better planning and use of resources, but do not get fooled into thinking there is not a political ‘Thatcherite’ agenda behind these large scale cuts, looking at the upper class privileged cabinet speaks volumes.  Remember ‘Unity is strength’ the general public deserves much better than this, don’t lie down, fight for your jobs, services and the wellbeing of your communities.  The mass rally in London showed this great ground swelling of support for this cause, the great assault on public services can be halted in its tracks, ‘people power’, common sense, the best use of public services and the private sector to the benefit of everyone in society will ultimately win in the end, however hard the struggle.