UNISON NDC 12: Defend the attacks on health and safety standards

On Thursday lunchtime I went to this fringe. UNISON National Health and Safety Committee Chair Nick Green chaired, John Bamford, Health and Safety Adviser, Greater Manchester Hazards Campaign spoke first. Followed by Robert Baughan, National Officer for Health and Safety.  Who is deputising for Hope Daley who is on a secondment.

During the fringe I made comments on some key points on Twitter again which I have used on this post. It saves making notes.

John started by arguing that there is "no evidence that health and safety is a burden to to business. Evidence instead that it is a benefit to business". "Today it the Longest day. We now have had 3 longest days since Cameron became Prime Minister and 700 long days to come".

"The "Brown Book" which contains the 1977 Safety Representative & Safety Committee regulations is the most powerful piece of worker legislation in existence". Regarding the new "Fit notes" for people off sick. John said that the only decent one he had seen was the one from a GP that said an employee can return to work "if the employer sacks the manager that is bullying him".

There has been a "1/3 cut in proactive safety inspection" by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Tories are now talking about "Getting rid of all safety protection for "low risk" self employed". The "Tories argue that work is not dangerous anymore! The TUC estimate 20,000 work related deaths per year. While Hazards believe that it may be as high as 50,000 deaths" 

Robert spoke about how we cannot rely on the HSE. Many of their officers are very good but it is fighting for its survival. In the Q&A I made the point that not only are cuts to the HSE making work more dangerous but that in my sector front line housing staff will take the blame for trying to deal with the cuts in Housing benefit as will other local authority staff dealing with the impact of government cuts. Check out the Inside Housing report here.

Health & Safety in the Voluntary and Community Sector

My next workshop was led by the Head of UNISON Health & Safety, Hope Daley. Hope had a tough job to remain positive and upbeat about safety in the face of Government attacks on workplace safety measures and cuts in funding for those bodies who are suppose to protect us.

While cuts in funding for our sector means that many employers are taking risks with their employees and our clients. Staff numbers are being cut to the bone. Support services are being down graded. For example "Waking night" staff are being replaced by so called "sleep overs" which means that staff in residential projects will face working a 8 hour late shift, then have a disruptive nights sleep (possibly being awoken several times during the night) and then do a 8 hour early shift. 

I made a brief contribution that health and safety is an organising issue. The "cuts" show that you can not trust the Government, the law or your employer to protect you at work. The only friend you have at work is your union. The best way to make you safer is to help build trade union density and organisation. Recruit a work colleague to the union and volunteer to be a safety rep.

Hope stressed the importance of using Worker Memorial Day (April 28th) and National Inspection Day (which takes place on the Wednesday of European Health and Safety week). She also used the opportunity to promote the new UNISON guide to "Disability and Health & Safety" which was published in December. I had to leave before the end to go to a Service Group Executive meeting.

UNISON NDC 2010: “Bullied at work?” fringe

This packed standing room only official UNISON Health & safety fringe was held on Tuesday lunchtime. The fringe was used to launch a new UNISON document on “bullying at work” which is based on recent UNISON surveys and research on bullying. Portsmouth University business school lecturer, Charlotte Raynar was the main guest speaker (left). Nick Green of National Health & Safety Committee was Chair and Hope Daley (National Health & Safety officer) the second speaker. There was also a very personal contribution from a UNISON member who had been badly bullied at work.

There had been a survey on bullying in 1997 and a new one undertaken last year. A definition of bullying (it’s not the only one) used was having “weekly negative experiences” at work. Before only 50% of workers who reported such weekly negative experiences were willing to call this behaviour “bullying”. However in 2009 80% reported it as “bullying”. So the percentage of workers who now recognise they are being bullying had almost doubled. Which I suppose in a strange way is "positive" since it means that the message about what is bullying and that bullying is unacceptable - has got out.

Some interesting analysis about bullying and what to do about it.

When not being bullied 71% said that they would make formal complaint if they were to be bullied in the future. However only 17% of workers who reported being bullied had done so. 82% said if they were bullied they would see a UNISON rep but actually only 37% did in practice.

Only 20% of those who chose to confront a “bully” thought it had resolved the situation. Which is very low but only 5.9% of those who went to HR thought it resolved anything. Charlotte thought that in some cases when workers reported bullies to HR it ended up being treated as a performance management matter about the worker who complained! Those who made formal complaint thought it was resolved in only 15%. Surprising only 17% of those who had taking out collective grievances thought that it had worked but in this case Charlotte reported that in 1997 such grievances were very rare.

The price of bullying is clear. Workers being bullied suffer depression, stress, suffer lack of confidence and 28% of people leave work directly due to bullying.

Recession and the possible (probable) £34 billion in cuts will result in “negative behaviours” going up? Yes! Bullying is inefficient means of management. Doesn’t make them work harder. This is not just a HR issue this is a "people issue".

Next was Suzanne who was a UNISON member who had been bullied at work by a group of workers who made her life a misery. They made her life seem like “torture”. She put up with it for 2 years. She then reported it to her line manager who agreed that she was being bullied but did nothing. She went to UNISON. Who eventually got Thompsons solicitors involved. Lack of training and understanding by managers is the reason why bullying is “allowed” to carry on. Her managers were redeployed and don’t manage people anymore. She spoke movingly about how she used to be a very confident person but the bullying at the time made her cry all the time.

Hope Daley also spoke about the survey results and UNISON response. Apart from the research and the new policy document UNISON have introduced a specially designed one day course for activists on bullying. There is also new literature and campaign materials. Anti-bullying action should also be used to recruit new members and reps. 80% of members want specific legislation on tackling bullying. UNISON will press for this. Many employer policies on bullying are over 10 years old and not effective. UNISON will be pressing the HSE and the Council enforcement bodies to serve improvement notices about inadequate policies and risk assessments.

In the Q&A I asked whether or not the survey could identify if there was more bullying amongst UNISON members in the private sector (or who work with private contractors) since our branch often comes across “life on Mars” attitudes towards bullying by some private sector managers (it didn’t identify where members worked).

One delegate present told us that she was a former HR officer who was now a union rep. She was very critical of some of her former colleagues. She said she had joined HR because she thought it was a “caring profession”. She said that to be a good HR officer you need tremendous character and need to draw a line and stand up and say “no” to managers.

Finally, Charlotte reminded everyone one of the more positive outcomes of the research was that you are more likely to deal successfully with the abuse if you deal firmly with it on the first or second occasion. If you let the bullying go on for more times without doing anything then it is far more difficult to deal with it. So UNISON must encourage members to go to their reps as soon as there is a problem and the rep must deal with it quickly and firmly. Food for thought.

Workers Memorial Day Ceremony at Waltham Forest Town Hall

Yesterday lunchtime I went to the Worker Memorial Day ceremony outside the Assembly Hall. This had been organised the local UNISON Branch Health & Safety Officer Su Manning. All around us on the floor were shoes and work boots. Fran Chalkwright started the Ceremony after a welcome from Su by reading out the moving poem “Empty Shoes” written by Wendy Lawrence.

Next the Chief Executive of LBWF spoke, followed by the UNISON National Officer for Health & Safety Hope Daley who reminded everyone about what this day meant. Retiring local MP Neil Gerrard spoke about the recent Health & Safety successes (Corporate Manslaughter legislation and increase in criminal sentencing tariffs) and occasional failures (Law Lord ruling about asbestos compensation). We then had Ben Simmons from Thompsons speak out about battling for compensation for workplace victims, Rinaldo Frezzato from the NUT, Sergeant Douglas from the Metropolitan Police talked about the importance of risk assessments and finally Tony Phillips from Waltham Forest Trades Council.  The Mayor then laid the first of three wreaths followed by the local London Fire brigade.

There was then sandwiches at the local Social and Sports club.

It was probably the best organised local Health and Safety event I have ever been to and well done to Su and the branch. Next year lets have more boroughs across London organising similar events.

There were also a number of local Labour Party Council candidates and PPC's there including Stella Creasy and Cath Arakelian.