Labour health and safety leads Stephen Timms and Kate Greenused International Workers Memorial Day yesterday (Tuesday) to unveil its plans on health and safety.
These included plans to:
- tackle occupational ill health and diseases, such as mesothelioma;
- maintain the tripartite structure of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), including trade union representation;
- strengthen the powers of the HSE allowing it to inspect wherever it sees fit.
Ed Miliband also used the day to tweet that “Labour will act to make workplaces safer”.
These are all policies that UNISON has campaigned for.
UNISON head of health and safety Tracey Harding said: “We welcome these announcements. It’s the first time in the election campaign that any of the main political parties have had anything to say about workers’ health and safety.
“These are issues that should be at the forefront of every political party’s agenda.”
The current government currently prevents the HSE from proactively inspecting in areas such as health, social care and local government potentially putting the health and safety of UNISON members at risk.
UNISON has also highlighted in the past what it believes are government plans to privatise the HSE.
Labour’s promise of action not words on health and safety
UNISON’s warning on HSE privatisation