CWU and TUC Condemns Tory Government Announcement of Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Board Appointments – Ideological Anti-Trade Union Attacks Openly Continue as Government ‘Lackey’ Board Members are Appointed to Replace Trade Unionists and Diminish Trade Union Influence on UK Health & Safety Regulation and Social Partnership:

This is to update Branches, Regional Health and Safety Forums and Health and Safety Reps on the Government (DWP) announcement this month on a number of new appointments to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Board. The TUC, CWU, all UK Unions and the Hazards Campaign have collectively condemned the appointments which has caused outrage across the Trade Union and Labour movement.
The Lord Robens Committee report of June 1972, made recommendations to the UK Government of the day which were endorsed and enacted in the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974, and established the Health and Safety Executive enforcement body and its controlling board. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Section 10(2), Schedule 2, entitled ‘Establishment of the Executive’, it states that the board (initially the Commission) should be a “Tripartite” body consisting of a Chairman, 3 members from employers, 3 members from trade unions and up to 4 others from organisations such as local authorities and professional bodies. Parliamentary debates of the day back in 1972/74 recorded that in the first place there will be consultation with the C.B.I., the T.U.C., local authorities and others concerned about how best to achieve the Robens objectives and that the role of the trade unions and consultation was to be greatly strengthened. All of these appointments however are qualified in the Act as follows “as he (the Minister) considers appropriate. (My emphasis/definition in brackets).
For 40 Years the process of appointing the Trade Union HSE board members was carried out in consultation with the TUC who would put forward nominees. That principle was left untouched even through the 18 years of anti-trade union Thatcher Tory government period but it was ended by the current Tory Government and previous Tory led coalition in 2014, when they undermined the independence of the UK’s safety system when Ministers refused, for the first time in history, to appoint a TUC-nominated candidate to the HSE board. TUC nominated Matt Wrack, the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) was rejected and instead the Department for Work Pensions (DWP) choose Jonathan Baume, the retired general secretary of the First Division Association (FDA), which represents the interests of senior civil service managers. Baume who was ‘hand-picked by the Tory government wasn’t supported or nominated by a single trade union, including the his own former Union the FDA who confirmed that it did not support Baume’s application to the HSE Board – they supported the TUC nomination! Baume who has connections within the Tory Party and several other paid government jobs is hardly a ‘Workers Representative of choice’ these days. The tripartite system which had survived almost intact for 40 years under Labour and Tory governments alike, created by Lord Robens report recommendations being adopted by Government, to ensure no decision could be made without the support of both employers and employee representatives had been ‘broken’ and was now blatantly under attack by the Tories .
As a result of the appointment of Baum in 2014, the three TUC candidates on the TUC Board were reduced to two! 
Earlier this Month, September 2016 witnessed a further outrageous blow struck against Trade Union influence in UK Health and Safety when all three of the ‘Employee’ seats came up for appointment. It wasn’t a surprise when Jonathan Baum who’s first period of office had come to an end was reappointed. However the holders of the other two Trade Union seats Sarah Veal of the TUC and former GMB General Secretary Paul Kenny were both retiring. Kevin Rowan of the TUC was appointed to replace Sarah Veal ok but Paul Kenny’s seat wasn’t even advertised and neither was the TUC consulted as they should have been! Instead the government appointed a former employer and business leader to a seat on the board of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that is reserved for a representative of workers’ interests. The Health and Safety at Work Act which requires the Secretary of State to appoint three employee members of the HSE after consulting organisations representing employees, and three employers’ members after consulting employers’ representatives was totally ignored. The DWP announced the new HSE Board Member replacing Paul Kenny was Susan Johnson OBE who retired last year as Chief Executive of the Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service. She is also the former Chief Executive of Northern Business Forum, and Executive Director of Business Development for the Yorkshire Regional Development Agency. She was a director of Greggs plc, Legacy Trust UK and Network Rail. She is currently a Commissioner with the Equality and Human Rights Commission; a Director with the Planning Inspectorate, a Director of the Sports Ground Safety Authority and Local Partnerships; a Trustee of Durham University; and an Independent Director on the Risk and Audit Committee of Gentoo Group. It was news that shocked the TUC as Johnson is not from any trade union, she is not a health and safety activist or a safety representative, she was not nominated by any union body.
The UK’s ‘tripartite’ health and safety system is in tatters. Firstly, the Tory Government rejected TUC nomination to the HSE Board Mat Wrack, FBU General Secretary and TUC General Council member two years ago, and instead appointed ‘lackey’ Jonathon Baum to one of the three Trade Union HSE Board seats and now in 2016 with two Trade Union HSE Board Seats up for appointment they replace outgoing GMB General Secretary Paul Kenny, who retires this month, with another Government ‘lackey’ by firstly not advertising the seat, secondly not consulting the TUC and finally by putting a ‘Boss’ Susan Johnson in a vacant Trade Union Board Seat. Johnson has excellent qualifications for an employer’s representative on the HSE but there isn’t anything in her past that remotely qualifies her to speak for workers and Trade Unions! Yet here she is sitting on the HSE board representing employee interests. How on earth can that be allowed to happen, it’s a true outrage?
As a result of the appointment of Johnson and re-appointment of Baum in 2016, the three TUC candidates on the TUC Board were reduced to one!
In the UK the only organisation that is normally recognised as representing employees is the TUC and the Government has always accepted that. However no consultation with the TUC took place and they weren’t even allowed to put in a nomination because the seat wasn’t advertised – another first for this corrupt government.
The decisions not to appoint Matt Wrack and not to advertise Paul Kenny’s seat and not to replace Paul Kenny with a TUC nomination shows exactly what this terrible Tory government wants, which is a compliant board, there to administer the organisation and make sure it delivers what the government wants. It wants to suffocate any independence, any workers’ voice and any challenge to their jaundiced view. All the other so-called independent members of the HSE Board are either retired or semi-retired consultants!
The Tory government’s approach is to create a ‘complaint’ HSE board that will not challenge them on their deregulatory and cuts agenda and who will help them manage the 45 per cent cut in government funding over ten years. The board is not only getting less representative, it is becoming near invisible, with most board decisions now taken behind closed doors. In 2010, the year after the Conservative’s ousted the Labour government, ten HSE board meetings were public. But then HSE’s openness started to evaporate. By 2014, HSE was holding just eight board meetings in public. In 2015, it fell to 6. In 2016, just two HSE board meetings will be open.
The move is the latest in a series of government actions to silence the voices of working people on health and safety at work. Many of the joint industry groups that gave advice to the HSE have also been disbanded. And the right of trade unions to nominate members to the board of the Gangmaster’s Licensing Authority was recently abolished.
The government cannot appoint an employer to represent workers. It’s a blatant abuse of rules that are there to ensure a fair balance between workers and bosses. The HSE works best when employers and unions work together as equal partners, as intended by the Health and Safety at Work Act. By rejecting the consensus approach, the government is sending out a dangerous signal to bad bosses who put staff at risk by cutting corners. Along with the Trade Union Act, it’s a further attack on the ability of trade unions to protect the health and safety of working people.
This is an appalling decision which has outraged every Trade Union. The TUC is objecting in the strongest possible terms, raising the matter with the Secretary of State and the new Chair of the HSE Martin Temple.
The matter was discussed fully at last week’s TUC Union Health and Safety Specialists Committee (The Committee of Trade Union National Health and Safety Officers) subsequently the CWU Health, Safety & Environment Officer has written to both the Government and HSE protesting at Johnson’s appointment. Some Unions are currently considering legal action via a Judicial Review.
This latest move has to be seen in the context of the wider ideological attack on trade unions, including in the field of health and safety, where the Government is doing all they can to undermine and silence Unions and their Safety Reps. They already attempted this through the Trade Union Act, to reduce the time given to health and safety representatives in the public sector, even though this is a legal right and despite the irrefutable evidence that trade union health and safety representatives make workplaces much safer. However, regardless of these attacks on workers and their representatives, trade unions will continue to work and campaign for the welfare and safety of their members and unions will continue to fight to ensure that workers can go home safely at the end of the day. The best way for people to stay safe and well at work is to join a trade union so that there is a trained health and safety representative on hand when they need them.
The HSE board was set up under the Health and Safety at Work Act and has always had three employee seats and three employer seats – NOT ANY MORE.
TUC Congress Emergency Motion E6.
Following the adoption of Emergency Motion E6 at this month’s TUC Congress (supported by the CWU Delegation), on the appointment of an employer to represent workers on the board of the HSE, the TUC will be undertaking a range of political activities over the coming months aimed at getting the Government to commit to tripartism and reverse the decision.
In addition to the TUC General Secretary meeting with the Secretary of State, the TUC will be:-
seeking a meeting with the chair and other members of the DWP select committee;

briefing the opposition DWP front bench;

asking MPs to ask DWP oral Parliamentary Questions;

drafting an Early Day Motion;

preparing briefs for MPs and Peers (including the All-Party Parliamentary Group on occupational safety and health); and

requesting that MPs ask for a Westminster Hall short adjournment debate on the issue.

Parliament is currently in recess until 10th October, but preparations for these are already underway. Further details will be sent to both yourselves, and political officers, once they are finalised.
TUC Congress 2016 – Emergency motion – E6 HSE board appointment
Congress notes with deep concern and is appalled by the announcement by the government on 2 September that Susan Johnson, former Chief Executive of Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, who does not appear to have any history of worker representation, had been appointed to the executive board of the Health and Safety Executive as a representative of employees.
Congress further notes that the minister has seen fit to disregard both a convention that extends back to 1974, and the spirit and intention of the Health and Safety at Work Act, by failing to consult the TUC in making this appointment.Congress is appalled by this attack on tripartism and urgently resolves to:
i press for reassurance from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Chair of the Health and Safety Executive that the ideal of tripartism has not been abandoned and will be respected by both DWP and HSE
ii ensure that all future appointments for worker representatives will be consulted upon with the TUC before any appointments are made
iii seek to negotiate with government that the tripartite balance of the HSE executive board is restored through the appointment of two further worker representatives who actually have relevant current experience of representing workers, with those two worker seats not held by TUC nominees becoming independent board members 
iv seek the removal of Susan Johnson from the HSE board as she is not an appropriate representative of employees.
Congress demands parity on the HSE board between employers and trade unions, to ensure that workers’ health, safety and welfare interests are fully represented.
Mover: GMB

Seconder: Fire Brigades Union

Supporter: Prospect

14 September, 2016
The Hypocrisy of this Government cannot be better summed up in this instance than in the words of George Orwell who said:
All are equal, but some are more equal than others”.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
 
Email Attachments – Click to download
Attachment 1 – LTB571/16 CWU and TUC Condemns Tory Government Announcement of Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Board Appointments

Attachment 2 – HSE Board Member Appointments Announcement

Attachment 3 – Emergency Motion E6 HSE Board Appointment

Royal Mail Group – Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) Deployment Plan 2016/17 – (New/Revitalised SHE Standards planed, Engagement Campaigns & SHE Activities):

At a recent RMG/CWU National Health and Safety Strategic Involvement Meeting, the
RMG SHE Team provided an updated copy of their 2016/17 Deployment Plan. A copy is attached for the information of CWU ASRs and WSRs based in Royal Mail Group.
The key months to review will be September, October and November. The Deployment
Plan sets the SHE Initiatives and Communications programmed over the quarters 1 to 4 as well as items and topics planned to be built into the SHE Management Standards.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download
Attachment 1 – LTB570/16 Royal Mail Group – Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) Deployment Plan 2016/17

Attachment 2 – SHE Deployment Plan 2016-17

Royal Mail Group – Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 – Non-Compliant Priority Sites – Joint RMG/CWU Appeal For More First Aider Volunteers:
 

In the event of injury or sudden illness, failure to provide first aid could result in a casualty’s death. The employer should ensure that an employee who is injured or taken ill at work receives immediate attention.
 
First Aid Legal Requirements for Employers
The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 state that employers should provide adequate and appropriate equipment and enough trained first aiders to help injured or ill staff. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance leaflet ‘First Aid at Work Your Questions Answered (INDG214) is attached as a pdf file for your information. Employers are legally required to arrange for the immediate care of any staff who have an accident or become ill while they are at work. These Regulations apply to all workplaces including those with less than five employees and to the self-employed.
Employers must:
Assess first aid needs based on the hazards and risks involved in the workplace(s)

Provide appropriate equipment and enough trained first aiders to help injured or ill staff.First Aid Law Employers must assess the first aid needs based on the hazards and risks in the workplace or workplaces, to help determine how many first aiders are needed and what training they should have.

Things that must be considered are:

Completing a First Aid Risk (needs) Assessment

The Full First Aid at Work Regulations and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Guidance on first aid at work regulations is available on the HSE Website at:- http://www.hse.gov.uk/firstaid/legislation.htm

The self-employed should make appropriate first aid arrangements for their working environment (even if they work from home). If they work on a site with other self-employed people, they are each responsible for making your own first aid arrangements but may choose to make joint arrangements, subject to written agreement.

The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 state that employers should provide adequate and appropriate equipment and enough trained first aiders to help injured or ill staff. The regulations only cover first aid arrangements for employees and do not place a legal duty on employers to make first-aid provision for non-employees such as the public or children in schools [2][3]. However, HSE strongly recommends that businesses that deal with members of the public (such as shops, retail outlets, visitors, callers offices) should also consider this in their assessment of first-aid needs and that provision is made for them.

The size of the organisation – how many first aiders are needed?

The nature of the work – are the staff at risk of specific accidents or injuries?

If there are multiple sites – do they have different hazards, and how quickly can a first aider move between them (or are first aiders needed in each site or area of a site)?

If there are any staff who:

have medical conditions – is specific training needed for these?

travel, work alone or remotely – do they need a mobile phone and first aid box in case of emergency?

work in shifts or out-of-hours – what arrangements are needed for each shift?For example large, busy Construction sites, Factories, Warehouses, Logistics Depots, Processing Plants, Delivery Units would be high risk and a small Offices with no plant, equipment, machinery, workplace transport etc, would be low risk.Role of the Health and Safety Executive and Enforcement  

HSE will prosecute in cases where there is a significant risk, a disregard for established standards or persistent poor compliance with the law.

The HSE is not required to approve first aid training and qualifications, so employers are free to choose their own first aid training provider but are responsible for ensuring the quality of training provider. The HSE provides a syllabus for appropriate content on a first aid at work course, in order to maintain high standards of first aid training. The HSE also provides a ‘due diligence checklist’ to help employers select and evaluate a first aid training provider.

Royal Mail Group – Non-Compliant Priority Sites – Appeal For First Aider Volunteers:
Discussions have been taking place between the CWU, Royal Mail Group SHJE Team, HR, Learning Services and PoFAS (Postal First Aid Association) regarding the considerable shortage of First Aiders and a joint initiative to seek more volunteers and increase the provision of Training Courses and Refresher Courses.
 
Royal Mail Group’s First Aid Risk Assessment (FARA) Tool has been overhauled and updated and an exercise completed to assess all sites. This has been a considerable exercise, chasing up sites to complete the assessments and audit results.
 
The completion of the new FARA at all sites has identified a significant legal compliance gap of First Aiders and Royal Mail Group have now shared the list of priority sites in order that the CWU via Area Health and Safety Representatives (ASR’s) and Workplace Health and Safety Representatives (WSR), CWU Branch Reps and CWU Regional Health and Safety Forums can support a joint ongoing, rolling campaign to increase the number of First Aiders and so close the compliance gap.
 
Attached is a priority site list which the RMG SHE Team are focussing attention upon. There are 650 Offices listed as non-compliant and this excludes SPDOs as the campaign at this stage is concentrating on the larger units to start with DOs, MPUs, MC, LD, RDCs etc. At the start of this campaign around 300 Offices have no First Aiders at all and its estimated that RMG needs 1000 more first aiders nationally across all businesses and all Units!
 
There are three key activities that we are jointly asking CWU Representatives to give support to:
Encourage individuals to become First Aiders at these sites.

Encourage those existing First Aiders who have recently not re-qualified to do so.

Help with understanding the barriers to individuals volunteering to become First Aiders and feedback – This will then be discussed at the National RMG/CWU/Unite.CMA Joint First Aid Steering Group.For your information, in addition to the combined activity of encouraging new / existing First aiders, there will be an ‘audit’ of the FARA returns by the RMG SHE Advisors to ensure that the assessments have been completed accurately as per the SHE Standard by Office Managers and PiCs. The identified Managers have received communications directly instructing them on the need for compliance. The SHE is support the operation in achieving compliance.  

All Royal Mail Management Enquiries should be directed to James Cannon RMG SHE Policy Manager Mobile: 07587880744 Email: james.cannon@royalmail.com

RMG will provide updated lists on a regular basis to monitor progress and I thank you in advance for your support.

The priority for now is to ensure we have the minimum required First Aid presence at sites. Managers are being required to submit requests for training to:- hrsctrainingdeliveryfirstaid@royalmail.com.

Yours sincerely
 
Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 572/16 Royal Mail Group – Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 – Non-Compliant Priority Sites – Joint RMG/CWU Appeal For More First Aider Volunteers:

First Aid Priority Sites

First Aid at Work Your Questions

FINAL REMINDER – Ken McKenzie Award for Lifelong Learning 2016
Branches will be aware of the policy adopted at General Conference 2010 to present the “Ken McKenzie Award for Lifelong Learning” which is presented to a ULR (Union Learning Representative) or group of ULRs who have made a significant contribution to lifelong learning within the CWU. The award is presented each year at our CWU ULR National Networking Event. This year will follow tradition and be part of the agenda at this year’s event scheduled to be held at St. James’ Park, Newcastle over two days on the 16th and 17th November 2016. 

Last year the accolade was awarded to Darren Rowbotham (Western Counties) and as usual we received a good number of nominations of a very high quality. Darren and George White (Mount Pleasant Branch) went on to receive awards from the TUC this year.
I am now inviting applications from Branches for the 2016 Annual Ken McKenzie award for lifelong learning. The award will be made in recognition of exceptional achievements and contributions to lifelong learning by a CWU ULR or a group of CWU ULRs. Nominations can be made by Branches, Regional Learning Committees or Regional Committees by completing the attached nomination form.
Completed nominations should include a detailed précis of the nominated ULR or group of ULRs endeavours and achievements and be sent to:
Michelle Simpson, Education and Training Department, CWU, 150 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1RX or email learn@cwu.org

The closing date for nominations will be FRIDAY 7TH OCTOBER 2016.
Any queries relating to this LTB should be addressed to me via the Education and Training Department at learn@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,
 
TRISH LAVELLE

HEAD OF EDUCATION & TRAINING
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 569/16 – FINAL REMINDER – Ken McKenzie Award for Lifelong Learning 2016

CWU Disability Conference – Wednesday 12th October 2016
Branches would wish to know that the agenda for the forthcoming CWU Disability Conference being held in Leicester on Wednesday 12th October 2016 has now been published on the website and can be accessed using the link below:

Click to access disability-agenda-2016.pdf

Hard copies of the agenda will be sent to Branch addresses of everyone that has registered using the online registration system.
Credential cards for delegates/visitors and voting cards for this conference will be issued on the morning of the conference at registration.  
Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to Angela Niven by telephoning 020 8971 7256 or by post to head office or by email to conferences@cwu.org
Yours sincerely,
 
 
A P Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 568/16 – CWU Disability Conference

Disability Agenda Pad

 
Terms of Reference between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union on the National Extension of the Telephone Accident Reporting Process within the Regional Logistics MGV (7.5t) Fleet
Branches will be aware that a revised process for the reporting of Road Traffic Accidents by telephone, using the PDA, was trialed and subsequently agreed for deployment to all drivers in Delivery Offices, including Collection Drivers using a PDA. The revised process was communicated via LTB 714/15 issued by Bob Gibson, Assistant Secretary, in November 2015.
The procedure was designed to enhance the processes for reporting accidents to improve the quality of the information provided, with the aim of assisting Royal Mail in dealing with 3rd Party claims. To achieve this aim, drivers are encouraged to report accidents directly to Lex Autolease by telephone from the scene of the accident, or as soon after as it is safe and practical to do so, which we stress remains entirely at the discretion of the driver.  
At the time the deployment of the process was restricted to vehicles where drivers used PDA’s, as the CWU position was that drivers should not be expected to use their own phones to make calls.
The business have now requested that the agreed process be extended to drivers of Logistics, MGV 7.5t vehicles, which are fitted with the Microlise Telemetry Units that include a telephone capability. The department has therefore concluded discussions on the extension of the process to the MGV Fleet.
The revised process retains all of the safeguards included in the original agreement and participation by our members remains voluntary.
In light of the fact that the Microlise equipment and telephone are an integral fixture in the vehicle, the revised document includes the following paragraph, which recognises that any calls would have to be made from the vehicle and ensures that drivers are not put at risk when making a call:
We now propose to extend these arrangements further to include all drivers of 7.5t vehicles that have Microlise equipment fitted. This equipment has a telephone facility to enable the drivers to call Lex Autolease in line with the agreed process. Drivers will not be expected to make calls from their own telephone and therefore, as these calls will be made from the cab, it is imperative that they are only undertaken in circumstances where the vehicle remains safe and secure, that access is uninhibited and that the vehicle is parked and is not causing an obstruction. In this regard drivers must fully comply with any advice from Police or emergency services attending the accident.
In all other regards the processes remain identical to the existing agreement. 
The revised agreement to enable this activity is attached as Attachment 1 for the information of Branches and representatives. In addition the following supplementary documentation is also included:
Attachment 2 – WTLL RTC Reporting Changes

Attachment 3 – Advice and Guidance at the Scene of an Accident 7.5t

Attachment 4 – Call LEX from Drive Tab 7.5t

Attachment 5 – Process Chart for RTA Telephone Reporting Process 7.5t

The process for Logistics MGV 7.5t drivers will come into effect from Monday, 3rd October 2016.
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org or shayman@cwu.org quoting reference number: 202.11
 
Yours sincerely
 
Davie Robertson

Assistant Secretary
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 565/16 – Terms of Reference between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union on the National Extension of the Telephone Accident Reporting Process

Attachment 1 – TOR Extension of Telephone Reporting Process to Logistics 7.5t Fleet 23.09.16

Attachment 2 – WTLL RTC Reporting Changes

Attachment 3 – Advice and Guidance at the Scene of an Accident 7.5t

Attachment 4 – Call Lex from Drive Tab 7.5T

Attachment 5 – Process Chart for RTA Telephone Reporting Process 7.5t

CWU Black Workers Conference – Tuesday 11th October 2016
Branches would wish to know that the agenda for the forthcoming CWU Black Workers Conference being held in Leicester on Tuesday 11th October 2016 has now been published on the website and can be accessed using the link below:

Click to access black-workers-agenda-2016.pdf

Hard copies of the agenda will be sent to Branch addresses of everyone that has registered using the online registration system.
Credential cards for delegates/visitors and voting cards for this conference will be issued on the morning of the conference at registration.  
Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to Angela Niven by telephoning 020 8971 7256 or by post to head office or by email to conferences@cwu.org
Yours sincerely,
 
 
A P Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 567/16 – CWU Black Workers Conference – Tuesday 11th October 2016

Black Workers Conference Agenda Pad

The Health, Safety & Environment Department have been advised by the University of Salford about their upcoming Health and Safety Conference which is taking place17th November at Adelphi House in Manchester.
This is the third Annual Health and Safety Conference and Exhibition organised by the University of Salford and the event has a variety of expert speakers from across public, private, Trade Union and charity sectors making presentations. These include Shaun Davis, outgoing Royal Mail Group Director of Safety, Health and Wellbeing.
A wide number of topics will be covered on the day, and delegates can expect speakers to discuss challenges, successes and case studies around the interest areas as follows:-
The 2016 launched new 5-year HSE Strategy “Help Great Britain Work Well” focuses on six key strategic themes: the importance of highlighting and tackling the cost of work-related ill health; wider recognition of the business benefits of proportionate approaches to risk; simple guidance to help SMEs manage their health and safety responsibilities; ‘design-in’ effective risk management of new technology; promoting Britain’s health and safety approach worldwide.

In 2013/14 workplace injury and illness cost the UK £14.3 billion, with the majority of the financial burden falling on the individual, followed by the government and the employer. This huge cost can be reduced through more effective health and safety practices.

The 2016 HSE “Help Great Britain Work Well” strategy highlights the need to maintain the advancements made in safety practices, whilst focusing on giving health the same priority.

Further Information From:-
Eleanor Leach

Salford Professional Development

Adelphi House,

University of Salford,

Salford M3 6EN

Tel: 0161 295 0115

Email: eleanor@onecpd.co.uk
Agenda
09:00  
Registration & Refreshments  
10:00  
Opening Remarks from Chair
Carole Conroy, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Health, University of Salford
10:05  
Philip White, Chief Inspector of Construction, Health and Safety Executive  
‘Future priorities for the health and safety system in GB’
· An overview of the revised strategy for the health & safety system in GB  
· Realising the value of a world-class health and safety system  
10:50  
Shaun Davis, Group Director of Safety, Health and Wellbeing, Royal Mail Group  
· Achieving Improvement through Employee Engagement  
· Tools and techniques to engage and communicate with the workforce on health & Safety  
· Health and Wellbeing in the workplace  
11:15  
Refreshments & Networking Break  
11:35  
Tracey Ayton Harding, Head of Health and Safety (National Officer) – UNISON
· Innovation in securing, health and safety for the workplace during austerity  
· Good health and safety management makes good business sense  
· Trade union engagement is key to improving and maintaining standards  
12:00  
Becky Lee, Health, Safety & Wellbeing Manager, Staffordshire County Council
· Occupational health in the workplace  
· The Power of Wellbeing  
· 3 Key Ingredients to a Successful Wellbeing Strategy  
12:25  
Case Study
12:50  
Case Study
13:15  
Lunch & Networking  
14:15  
Case Study
14:40  
Case Study
15:05  
Steve Sumner, Health and Safety Teaching Fellow, University of Salford  
· Why manage H&S  
· What’s driving contracting out  
· How to procure safety, what to consider specify select monitor  
15:30  
Refreshments & Comfort break  
15:40  
Peter Kelly, Psychologist, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work  
· Discuss the psychosocial Risk campaign of EU OSHA  
· How psycho social issues remain important area for EU  
· Future direction of psycho social issues in a European context  
16:05  
Emma Mamo, Head of Workplace Wellbeing – Mind  
· Encouraging employers to produce an effective mental health strategy in the workplace  
· The skills required for a changing working environment  
· Overcoming the stigma to provide a supportive working culture  
16:30  
Closing Remarks from Chair
Carole Conroy, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Health, University of Salford
16:35  
Close of Conference
Bookings are made online at:- http://onecpd-booking.salford.ac.uk/#/code/TC001204
The cost of the Conference is £225 plus VAT.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download
Attachment 1 – LTB566/16 University of Salford/ONECPD – Third Annual – Future of Health and Safety Conference

EU REFERENDUM – CWU POSITION POST BREXIT 
Following the decision to leave the European Union, the NEC has discussed how the political and economic consequences of Brexit may impact upon CWU members and all working people.  
This is an ongoing debate and one which the trade union movement needs to be at the very forefront of if we are to influence future negotiations. The NEC, in respecting the decision of the Referendum, believes that the primary focus of the labour movement must be to unite around the core issues that affect our members’ everyday lives; from the world of work, to housing, living standards and health and public services. 
As part of this debate, the TUC Executive recently produced a paper entitled “Working people must not pay the price for the vote to leave”. The CWU NEC endorsed the general direction of this document and accepted that it was a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate. 
In addition, at the 2016 TUC Congress in Brighton last week, Composite Motion 1 detailed the post-Brexit policies which were adopted by the TUC in their campaign to protect and defend workers’ rights. The CWU formed part of the composite motion having submitted an amendment instructing the General Council to also protect pensioners’ rights by fighting to retain the ‘triple lock’ on the state pension. 
A crucial area the NEC agreed to focus on as part of our post-Brexit position, is to counter the unacceptable rise in race-related crimes and abuse which appear to be directly linked to the referendum campaign. The issue of immigration featured highly in the EU leave campaign – and it is the negative way this was portrayed which many believe has now lead to the upsurge in cases of hate crime. 
The threats and abuse have not been limited to EU nationals living in the UK but also towards non-EU nationals and British-born Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) people. Figures indicate that within a month of the referendum there had been more than 6,000 reports of hate crime made to the police. There have also been more serious incidents of violence which have recently been reported in the media. 
We have received a number of reports from CWU representatives of unacceptable comments being made in some of our own workplaces and the union is taking all necessary steps to investigate these matters and if required take appropriate action. 
In discussing this issue, the NEC has agreed we must again make clear to our branches, reps and members that the CWU will not, under any circumstances, tolerate any form of racial abuse, harassment or race-hate incidents against our members. To strengthen the union’s position, we have attached a workplace notice setting out CWU values and we would ask branches to immediately distribute this to all representatives and all workplaces. 
Additionally, the TUC has also issued information to support union reps combat racist abuse in the workplace and this is attached for your information. 
Finally, branches should continue to publicise details of the CWU Bullying and Harassment helpline number 0800 090 2303 http://www.cwu.org/departments-services/equal-opportunities/bullying-harassment/ – and contact the Equal Opportunities Department equalopportunities@cwu.org to advise of any specific incidents you would wish to report to us for our information or further investigation. 
Any enquires on this LTB should be addressed to the General Secretary’s Office at gsoffice@cwu.org. 
Yours sincerely,
 
Dave Ward

General Secretary
Email Attachments – Click to download
ATTACHMENT 1 – LTB 563/16 – EU REFERENDUM – CWU POSITION POST BREXIT

ATTACHMENT 2 – WORKING PEOPLE MUST NOT PAY THE PRICE (TUC)

ATTACHMENT 3 – COMBATTING RACIST ABUSE (TUC)

ATTACHMENT 4 – CWU ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY