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Dave Joyce, CWU National H&S Officer has written to all CWU branches highlighting the total lack of support from this government for the invaluable work done by Union safety Reps and it's continued support for the employer's lobby. In a very complete LTB, Dave details the issues around the recent review of current H&S legislation and workers H&S representation in the form of Union safety Reps, and the refusal of the Government, HSE and HSC to amend the current legislation to strengthen USR rights. This despite the evidence which shows the indispensable part USRs play in accident prevention, sickness level reduction, and decrease in costs to the employer in terms of lost productivity and litigation. Reflecting the anger that USRs feel, Dave writes in his LTB: " The last consultation process on CD 207 ‘Improving worker involvement- Improving health and safety’ took place from April to September 2005. 443 written responses were made from employers, trade unions and safety representatives. The HSC/E then took another 18 months to come to this negative conclusion."
The response from the minister Bill McKenzie from the DWP is reveled as an annexe to LTB912/07, and shows the total rejection of the evidence in the consultation document and a lack of understanding of the issues involved: "Although Trade Unionists who responded to the consultation argued fiercely for change, HSC had to weigh their views against other responses from employer's representative bodies that were equally strong in their opposition to change." Highlighting the fact that employers will always have to be dragged kicking and screaming to compliance whenever they are faced with health & safety legislation, he added: "..... HSC cannot make changes without broad stakeholder agreement and the lack of consensus between the social partners on this issue meant that no progress could be made on any regulatory changes." Strange that when it comes to other legislation such as council tax, the lack of consensus does not come into the equation and the government goes ahead anyway! Dave Joyce points out; "The only positive thing to be salvaged out of this sorry episode is that following on from the SRSC Regs review consultation, the subsequent pressure exerted on the HSC/HSE and Government by the Unions, the HSC and H&S Minister Lord McKenzie have agreed to revise the "Brown Book guidance to the SRSC Regulations and a further consultation exercise is awaited. The Minister, HSC and HSE continue to emphasise to the TUC, CWU and other Unions that they place great importance on Safety Reps and worker involvement as proving to be a significant in reducing accidents and generally improving health and safety in the workplace so we've got to ensure that the guidance is strengthened and the exercise isn't used to water it down as some USRs understandably fear we could end up with a somewhat 'Grey Book' rather than the existing guidance which is helpful to all USRs in determining their rights when faced with a hostile employer." The full details of LTB912/07 can be downloaded in pdf form, which includes the full response from the DWP to Dave's letter to them on 25th June '07 as two additional pages.
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"Safety Reps rightly feel let down and betrayed by the Labour Government as the HSE, HSC and Minister appear to be putting far more weight on the views of employers and their organisations than on those of safety reps and trade unions..............This outcome is an appalling travesty of the facts and damages their credibility."