Industrial Strike Improved Health And Safety Union Chief Tells Labour Conference

Throughout the Labour Party conference being held this week in Liverpool, IOSH have been reporting direct from the conference with regard to health and safety issues.

In their update report on Twitter 27th September, IOSH commented:

Perhaps, for us, the highlight of the conference so far has been Unison’s General Secretary Dave Prentis, who gave health and safety a mention in his speech over the threat of widespread strikes over pensions.

“To those who say striking doesn’t work, that we’ll only harm the economy – that’s exactly what they told the builders who fought for health and safety regulation,” he said.

Indeed, the press release issued by Unison prior to Dave Prentis speech gave further references to health and safety when referring to him moving the Public Services composite motion at the conference:

“Conference, my members are no militants. But they will stand up for what’s fair, what’s right, and to those who say we shouldn’t strike, who say striking doesn’t work, that we’ll only harm the economy, make things worse, put jobs at risk.

Just remember, that’s exactly what they told the matchgirls who shut London’s sweatshops. The gasworkers who won the eight hour day. The builders who fought for health and safety legislation. Our women who won the right to equal pay. Sometimes you have to remind people what you are worth.

You have to show people what they’d miss if you weren’t there. Sometimes you have to let people know that you cannot be taken for granted. And I want to make it very clear today, if we vote to strike, a hard decision, always a last resort.”

It yet remains to be seen whether or not the Labour leadership will actually support the TUC and it’s affiliated Unions taking industrial action on 30th November.

More importantly still for those concerned with health and safety is the stance the opposition in Parliament takes over the Con-Dem(ned) coalitions’ slashing of health and safety legislation.

Source: IOSH / UNISON

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