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More Mums Will Have To Bury Their Kids Like I Did

A tearful bereaved mother accused Prime Minister David Cameron of threatening thousands of workers with future death or injury through safety cuts, saying "More Mums Will Have To Bury Their Kids Like I Did"

Pic: Linda Whelan and her son CraiLinda Whelan received an emotional standing ovation in a packed Commons committee room earlier this month (11th June) as she told health and safety campaigners of her anger - and her determination to fight back.

Her son Craig died 11 years ago when he was engulfed in a fireball while demolishing a chimney.

Ms Whelan warned the meeting:

"David Cameron has repeatedly said he will kill off health and safety culture. Well, he may be killing off our children."


Lobbyists from construction unions Ucatt and Unite rose to their feet as she told them, shaking with emotion:

"It is 11 years on Thursday since I buried my son.

My biggest fear is that more and more people are going to be burying their loved ones as well."

Ms Whelan, a founder of Families Against Corporate Killers, appealed to unions and campaigners to "stand together and fight" to stop destruction of health and safety laws.

Mr Cameron's arrogant pledge to "wage war against the excessive health and safety culture" was repeatedly condemned during today's Save Our Safety lobby of Parliament.

Ucatt general secretary Steve Murphy declared angrily:

"This government will have blood on its hands. And it will be workers' blood."

Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail said she was "sick to death" of journalists who mocked the so-called "'elf and safety culture."

Labour MP Jim Sheridan contrasted the way Mr Cameron regularly read out in Parliament the names of soldiers who died in wars abroad - but ignored workers' tragic deaths on construction sites.

A large group of Labour MPs joined hundreds of lobbyists as they arrived outside Parliament, including Dennis Skinner, Luciana Burger MP for Liverpool Wavertree and several Labour shadow ministers.

Labour leader Ed Miliband issued a statement "warmly welcoming" the lobbyists and pledging that protecting people at work would be a priority for the next Labour government.

See also: Well Attended Save Our Safety Campaign Lobby Of Parliament and the FACK website here

Source: Morning Star / Unionsafety

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