Swindon TUC Health & Safety Conference

Our second Health & Safety conference was held on February 4th. Last year we had 16 delegates this year 28. Union reps were present from the following unions and workplaces:

• UNISON, AWP NHS Trust
• Unite-Amicus, BMW Swindon pressings
• CWU, British Telecomms
• Unite-TGWU, Comet (Westbury)
• Unite-TGWU, Cooper Tyres (Melksham)
• Unite- Amicus, Honda
• PCS, HMP Erlstoke
• PCS, National Environment Research Council
• UCU, New College
• GMB, Swindon & Marlborough NHS Trust
• UNISON, Swindon Borough Council
• FBU, Swindon Fire Station
• Unite-TGWU, Thamesdown Transport
• Unite-TGWU, Tyco Electronics

Last year we agreed to turn it into an annual event with a view to building it up over a number of years. From this point of view it was a step forward and with the involvement of more unions and workplaces we can build it into a much bigger event.

We had three speakers:

• Ginny Newman, a solicitor with Rowley Ashworth who gave an update on legal issues, with a wide-ranging discussion.
• Julia Brandreth from the Battersea Crane Disaster Action Group, who spoke about the campaign launched after a crane collapse. The campaign has united trades unions, family members affected, and people in the local community.
• Andy Parsons, Swindon Climate Action Network, who spoke about Climate Change and the Workplace. The TUC is calling for the government to give formal recognition to Environmental workplace reps, as with shop stewards, health and safety reps, and union learning reps.

We also had a number of reports from individual workplaces, including BT where the CWU has launched a petition on the Downing Street website seeking a change in the law in relation to ‘Suspension Trauma’ .

In the discussion on practical things we might do together in the coming year, one of the suggestions which was agreed was to organise a meeting with our local MPs on or around Workers Memorial Day (April 28th), to raise with them our concerns over the crisis of the Health & Safety regime, in particular the under-funding of the HSE. We would raise the issue in the media as well. I am trying to arrange that meeting and will let people know in due course the details. We would like a representative cross-union delegation of the main unions to participate in the meeting.

It was also agreed that I would try to get Rory O’Neill, editor of Hazards magazine, to speak to a Swindon TUC meeting some time in the autumn.

Overall, delegates felt that it had been a useful day. I will shortly be sending out a feedback form for more detailed comments. If you have any ideas for next year’s conference please let me know. It will be on February 2nd 2009. Please put it in your diary.

Delegates were also reminded that Swindon TUC’s website is at the service of the local unions, for health & safety or other trade union information and events. We put the CWU’s petition on the site. If you want anything from your union put on the website, please email STUC at the email address below.

Martin Wicks
Secretary, Swindon TUC