Families Against Corporate Killers Fight On Despite Funding Crisis

Anyone attending the International Workers Memorial Day events around the country last Saturday the 28th April will have been moved close to tears by the experiences shared by members of the families of those killed by the work their loved ones did.

Putting faces and names to the appalling statistics of the workers death toll of at least 2,000 lives each year in this country, is the vocation of an organisation working alongside trade unions and organisations such as Hazards: a group of victim’s family members collectively known as Families Against Corporate Killers.

Fighting to stop their experiences of loved ones killed at work being visited upon those of other families and loved ones, they operate on a shoestring; and are now in danger of having what little funding they get drastically cut as a result of the economic climate perpetuated by this Tory-led Con-Dem(ned) government.

Funding of FACK comes from donations by members of the public, families and friends, trade unions and support groups, who themselves are finding their financial situations squeezed.

They are now desperately in need of financial support. Details for donations appear at the end of this article.

FACK was launched in July 2006 by a group of families of people killed at or by work.

FACK is for all families who have suffered a work-related death to campaign for changes in the law and practices relating to investigation, prosecution and sentencing in cases of work related deaths, and for more action to ensure employers comply with the law to prevent deaths at work and protect workers and members of the public.

FACK lobbied for amendments at every stage of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill’s progress
through Parliament to make the Bill hold employers to account.

The Act which came into force in April 2008 and also applies to Scotland, is not the strong law we need. It will not imprison grossly negligent employers and directors who kill, nor will it deter employers from flouting the law.

We need Directors’ Duties, to make them legally responsible for health and safety in their organisations, and accountable if something goes wrong and facing a prison sentence.

When NW Aerosol killed a worker and injured three others in a fire, the company went into liquidation but none of the directors faced any charges, did not appear in court, and the judge could only fine the guilty company £2 plus £1 in costs.

Glenmill Group who killed a worker due to faulty scaffolding were fined £1.

FACK’s main aims are:

• To unite families across the country in one strong voice to campaign for an end to work-related deaths, and for better treatment of the families

• To advise and advocate for families during the investigation process, to provide emotional support, and to gain strength from each other

FACK wants

Urgent government action to make directors of employing organisations as accountable for their actions as any other Individual, and penalised proportionately to act as a deterrent—the Corporate Manslaughter and NOT the effective law for which we campaigned;

• Positive legal duties on directors for H&S in their companies, with jail sentences for those guilty of killing by gross negligence, NOT unenforceable voluntary guidance;

• More effective preventative inspection and enforcement action by the HSE and Local Authorities to give employers a credible threat of being caught which is currently lacking;

• More powers for workers and safety reps;

• Juries at all work-related inquests in England and Wales;

• A voice for families of work-related deaths in sentencing, equal to that of families of other manslaughter and murder victims.

What can I do?

• Send FACK a message of support plus a donation from your union branch, organisation, or personally.

• Lobby your MP, MSP, MEP and Cllr to support health and safety at work

• Put bereaved families in contact with FACK

• Ask for a FACK speaker to come to a union meeting.

• Send us a donation made out to GMHC Ltd—marked ‘for FACK’

• Order our DVD: ‘Face the FACKS: the human cost of workplace killing’ for £10

To support FACK's work please send donations made out to 'GMHC' with a note that the money is for FACK only to:

FACK c/o Hazards Campaign, Windrush Millennium Centre, 70 Alexandra Road, Manchester M16 7WD

Contact FACK: Tel 0161 636 7557 Email: mail@gmhazards.org.uk

To visit the FACK website, click on the FACK logo above.

We can’t bring back the people we have lost but
we can fight to stop other deaths

Source: Unionsafety / FACK

Designed, Hosted and Maintained by Union Safety Services