Justice for Asbestos Victims

Demonstration and lobby to restore pleural plaques compensation

Tuesday 28th October 2008 at 1pm

A demonstration and lobby to restore pleural plaques compensation has been organised by "Unite" on Tuesday 28th October 2008 at 1pm, assemble at College Green, Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London. All TUC affiliated Unions have been asked to publicise and support the event.

The House of Lords decision in October 2007 ended the right of asbestos victims to compensation. Overnight, thousands of seriously wronged workers were plunged into a compensation limbo.

A victim of their employers' negligence, now with Pleural plaques, and a high risk of developing a disease that will kill them, they are now denied justice and the compensation they and their families rightly deserve. The Lords’ ruling was a disaster for working people - but the Government has the power to over-turn it and reinstate compensation for Pleural Plaques sufferers. As the Government considers its next steps, we need your support to ensure justice is done. The demonstration and lobby organisers are asking people to join the joint trade union lobby for asbestos victims on Tuesday 28th October 2008. A number of Prominent TU speakers will take part.

Pleural plaques represent irreversible damage to the lining of the lungs caused by Asbestos exposure and greatly increase the risk of developing very serious, fatal Asbestos related lung conditions like Asbestosis or Mesothelioma, a cancer for which there is no cure.

The Trade Unions along with Asbestos victims support and Campaign groups, supported by backbench MPs have been campaigning over the last year, calling on the Government to act positively and reverse a decision of the Law Lords.

In response the Ministry of Justice launched a consultation to help Government to decide whether to overturn the House of Lords decision that stopped pleural plaques victims from receiving compensation.

The CWU Response to Ministry Of Justice Consultation on the Government response to the House of Lords Judgement can be downloaded here

Source: CWU H&S Dept LTB

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