UNISON Issues Warning Over Health And Safety Cuts

Ahead of International Workers Memorial Day (IWMD) on Saturday 28 April, UNISON the UK’s largest union, warned that health and safety cuts are threatening to turn the clock back on progress made in keeping people safe at work.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is facing a 35% cut in its government grant over the next three years, which the union says will hit health and safety inspections and the body’s campaigning work hard. The largest in living memory cuts to council budgets will also undermine the ability of councils to enforce health and safety rules, protecting working people.

As well as hosting local and regional WMD events, the union marked the occasion with a one minute silence at its London Headquarters on Thursday 26 April. At all events, members and staff remembered workers who have died or been injured, across the UK and internationally at the same time as resolving to carry on fighting to protect the living.

UNISON’s General Secretary, Dave Prentis, said on 26th April:

“In recent decades, big strides have been taken in protecting people at work from injury and ill health. But this hasn’t happened by magic and there is still more that needs to be done. Ahead of International Workers Memorial Day UNISON is warning that drastic cuts to health and safety will jeopardise this progress – with hardworking people paying the price.

“The government is wrong in believing that health and safety rules are a burden on business. Cut the funding to develop and enforce these rules and business and the taxpayer will face the bigger burden of an injured and unwell workforce. This International Workers Memorial Day, UNISON is calling on the government to think again about its damaging cuts.”

Source: UNISON

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