Report from 2014 Hazards Conference, 29-31 August 2014, Keele University
Friday 29.9.14
Opening Plenary:
Ray Rafferty (Unison Health in Northern Ireland): This year is the 40th anniversary of the Health &
Safety at Work Act. Ray has worked in the health service for over 30 years. Health and safety
activists in Belfast have massively reduced workplace injuries and have brought about change to
policies and procedures. One branch with 12 safety reps managed to change European health and
safety law.
Tom O’Connor (Ex-Director of the Council for Occupational Safety and Health (COSH), USA): There
are 18 local/state grassroots groups around the US. They were set up in the early 1970s to let
workers know about their new rights under the Occupational Health & Safety Act. They provide
training and education. In America there are not enough inspectors and workers still don’t work in
safe and healthy workplaces. Last year saw a series of major catastrophies and worker disasters,
including explosions in refineries and mineworkers killed.
Trevor Burden (Families Against Corporate Killing): Trevor’s son Jason died at work aged 19. He was
killed in an engineering accident which should never have happened and was totally preventable.
Employer lied and tried to blame Jason. Brave families like this help to get these stories heard and
fight for safer workplaces. Trevor’s Mum was also at the conference. It was very emotional.
30.8.14
Plenary:
Ian Hodson (President of the Bakers’ Union [BFAWU]): Poverty is a key issue around health and
safety. The Hovis dispute in Wigan was an inspiration. Workers struck and management then gave
permanent contracts to 24 agency workers on zero hours contracts, on the same terms and
conditions as all the other workers. When workers stand together they can win. Workfare is being
used by employers to get cheap labour and people employed through Workfare only receive
benefits for doing this. BFAWU has a clear policy saying that Workfare should be abolished.
Aida Ponce del Castillo (European Trade Union Institute [ETUI]): Aida spoke about the Transatlantic
Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), saying it would have negative consequences and would
affect jobs and the environment. It is being proposed to get rid of “unnecessary regulation”.
Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) could result in companies being able to sue governments of
EU member states who adopt policies which protect workers’ health and safety.
Nancy Lessin (United Steelworkers/Workers United [USW/WU]): The United States is under 12
percent unionised overall and the public sector is under 7 percent unionised. LEAN = doing more
work with less people. There has been a chip produced which can be put under people’s skin, which
can be used instead of swipe cards or clocking on cards. This is being used in a workplace in Ohio and
is used to monitor workers. Some employers have even suggested electronically tagging workers.
Employers are using “Behaviour Safety Programs” and blaming workers for their injuries. For more
information see: www.charleyrichardson.org
Award of the Alan 2014: this was awarded to Alison, a rep from Fox’s Biscuits in Yorkshire.
Morning workshop: Resisting Resilience: Resilience is based on a belief that anything that doesn’t
kill you makes you stronger. It is complete and utter nonsense. There is a theory that resilience can
be taught, but there is no evidence to support this. The concept behind it is to harden people up.
Consultancy firms are repackaging materials that already exist into “Resilience Training”. Managers
love it and some are saying they don’t need to get rid of stress as they can teach workers to be
resilient instead. Some employers are including resilience into recruitment. As a result, people can
be screened out of jobs. Pre-employment screening is illegal under the Equalities Act. Employers are
seeing resilience as an alternative to prevention. This is dangerous. They say it’s not about managing
stress, but about managing people. It discriminates against anybody with a history of mental health
issues. It focuses on the individual. It sees the individual as being the problem but it is the workplace
that is the problem. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has refused to do anything about it.
Keynote Meeting – Organising Against Employers’ Flexibility:
Ian Hodson (BFAWU): It’s about who it benefits. Zero hours contracts are said to be flexible by
employers but in reality it suits the government as it keeps unemployment figures down, and is not
flexible for workers. Employers will send a text message to a large group of zero hours contracts
workers, telling them to come into work, but only a few will get work when they get there and the
rest have to travel back home and cover their own expenses. When Hovis workers won the fight
against zero hours contracts, it was the labour movement as a whole which helped win the fight,
through solidarity and support. Somebody can work a 40 hour week, but if the contract only says 4
hours per week, the worker only gets 4 hours sick pay and 4 hours holiday pay.
Nancy Lessin (USW/WU): It’s about employers getting us to work whenever, wherever and however
they want. Behaviour-Based Safety is based on two flawed and discredited theories and is a hazard.
Whistleblower policies don’t protect whistleblowers, who are often disciplined for doing this.
Whistleblowers are best off asking union full-timers to blow the whistle as they don’t work in the
workplace and can’t be disciplined for it.
Second Workshop Session – Working to 67 and beyond: we worked in groups and first we looked at
what employers can do to support an ageing workforce. We said they could look at welfare facilities,
flexible working, reduced hours, jobshare, phased retirement, alternative job roles if needed,
retraining, support for women going through menopause and hysterectomy, risk assessment,
preparation for retirement, occupational health services, ergonomics, home-working, and job
rotation. We also looked at what the menopause is and how it can effect women. Possible effects
can include hot flushes, cold sweats, changing moods, triggering of allergies, pain, irregular or heavy
bleeding, anxiety, memory loss, loss of confidence, sexual problems, bladder problems,
cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, insomnia, stress, and distress because of loss of
fertility. Ways to make the workplace better for women in the menopause can include working near
a window, use of fans and ventilation systems, regular breaks, education of staff, and good welfare
facilities.
31.8.14
Organising and Campaigning Meeting – Continuous Change: Continuous Bargaining – looking for
trouble: we worked in groups and my group chose to work on campaigning against unfair sickness
policies. The session time was not long enough to work through the tasks on the worksheet, but we
had good discussions and came up with useful ideas.
Closing Plenary: report-backs from organising and campaigning meetings were very good. Meetings
covered cancer, work-related suicide, effects of changes to legal aid and civil liability on personal
injury claims, construction safety, asbestos in workplaces, international solidarity, including the 30th
anniversary of Bhopal in December 2014, and campaigning for health and safety against cuts,
deregulation and enforcement slashing.
Hazards Conference 2015: this will be at Keele University from 4-6 September 2015.
The conference, food, and accommodation were great. I really got a lot out of meeting other safety
reps from all industries and from all over the UK. There were lots of stalls with information to take
back to the workplaces, including a Unison stall. I would recommend this event to all safety reps.
Nina Hammill
31.8.14