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Asbestos Activists Take Campaign To Cabinet Ministers’ Constituencies
Tomorrow (July 18) members of construction union UCATT and other asbestos activists will take their campaign for justice for pleural plaque sufferers directly to the seats of two prominent Cabinet ministers.
The two constituencies being targeted are the Barrow-in-Furness seat of Business Secretary John Hutton, which has the highest rate of asbestos deaths in England and the South Shields constituency of Foreign Secretary David Miliband, which has the fourth highest number of asbestos related deaths in the United Kingdom.
The campaigners are disappointed that a recently published consultation paper on pleural plaques has said that the Government “is not minded” to overturn a Law Lords decision last October to deny pleural plaques victims compensation for their injuries.
UCATT campaigners will be in:
KING STREET
SOUTH SHIELDS
FROM 9.30am to 12pm
A separate group of UCATT activists will congregate in:
SPIRIT OF BARROW STATUE
DALTON ROAD
BARROW
11.45 onwards
Pleural plaques are scarring of the lung caused by heavy and prolonged exposure to asbestos. The scars become visible on x rays following calcification. Pleural plaques cause limited physical symptoms, however victims suffer severe mental distress. Pleural plaques sufferers have a greatly increased chance of contracting the incurable lung disease mesothelioma.
Compensation for pleural plaques is a relatively low financial amount. However if a pleural plaque victim then develops the fatal lung cancer mesothelioma, the relevant insurers will have already been identified, meaning that compensation will be paid in a victim’s lifetime. If the insurers have not already been identified this is unlikely to occur.
Last October the Law Lords overturned over 20 years of common law and ruled that pleural plaques should no longer be a compensational illness. Their decision is understood to be worth £1.4 billion to the insurance industry.
Since that judgement asbestos campaigners led by UCATT have been attempting to get the Government to overturn the House of Lords decision. UCATT organised a highly successful postcard campaign, with thousands of people writing to the Ministry of Justice to get the ban overturned.
Last Wednesday (July 9) the Government released a consultation document on pleural plaques. While UCATT was pleased that the Government was actively considering the issue, they were disappointed that the document says the “Government is not minded” to overturn the Law Lords decision. This potentially places the Government at odds with the Scottish Parliament, who have already brought forward a Bill to overturn the Law Lords judgement. UCATT fears that a postcode lottery could be created with pleural plaque victims in Scotland receiving full compensation, while those in England are given less recompense.
Rather than overturn the Law Lords the Government appears inclined to create a scheme for asbestos victims. Such a scheme would not identify liability and the most severe cases would not receive adequate recompense.
Alan Ritchie, general secretary of UCATT, said: “While I welcome that the Government is seriously examining this issue, it would be unfair and intolerable if pleural plaque victims north of the border received compensation, while those in England did not.”
The demonstrations in the Cabinet minister’s home constituencies, is likely to be just the first part of the union’s campaign to get the law Lords decision overturned in England and Wales. The seats of other Cabinet ministers are expected to be targeted before the consultation ends in October.
Last year other 2,000 people died of mesothelioma the figure is set to increase further in future.
For Further information on the South Shields activity contact Barckley Sumner on 0780 2329235 or John Scott or 0789 4414615
Or for Barrow contact Jim Kennedy on 07894414606 or George Guy or 0789 4414625
Activists will be available for interview and photocall
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Asbestos Activists Take Campaign To David Miliband’s Constituency
Members of construction union UCATT will this week extend their campaign to win justice for victims of pleural plaques by campaigning in the South Shields constituency of foreign secretary David Miliband.
South Shields has the highest number of asbestos deaths in the northeast and the fourth highest number in the United Kingdom. Many deaths were traditionally associated with shipbuilding and other heavy industries. Construction workers are now at greatest risk from asbestos, due to the material’s heavy usage in buildings.
UCATT campaigners will be in:
KING STREET
SOUTH SHIELDS
From 9.30am to 12pm
Pleural plaques are scarring of the lung caused by heavy and prolonged exposure to asbestos. The scars become visible on x rays following calcification. Pleural plaques cause limited physical symptoms, however victims suffer severe mental distress. Pleural plaques sufferers have a greatly increased chance of contracting the incurable lung disease mesothelioma.
Compensation for pleural plaques is a relatively low financial amount. However if a pleural plaque victim then develops the fatal lung cancer mesothelioma, the relevant insurers will have already been identified, meaning that compensation will be paid in a victim’s lifetime. If the insurers have not already been identified this is unlikely to occur.
Last October the Law Lords overturned over 20 years of common law and ruled that pleural plaques should no longer be a compensational illness. Their decision is understood to be worth £1.4 billion to the insurance industry.
Since that judgement asbestos campaigners led by UCATT have been attempting to get the Government to overturn the House of Lords decision. UCATT organised a highly successful postcard campaign, with thousands of people writing to the Ministry of Justice to get the ban overturned.
Last Wednesday (July 9) the Government released a consultation document on pleural plaques. While UCATT was pleased that the Government was actively considering the issue, they were disappointed that the document says the “Government is not minded” to overturn the Law Lords decision. This potentially places the Government at odds with the Scottish Parliament, who have already brought forward a Bill to overturn the Law Lords judgement. UCATT fears that a postcode lottery could be created with pleural plaque victims in Scotland receiving full compensation, while those in England are given less recompense.
Rather than overturn the Law Lords the Government appears inclined to create a scheme for asbestos victims. Such a scheme would not identify liability and the most severe cases would not receive adequate recompense.
In an attempt to place further pressure on the Government to overturn the Law Lords ruling, UCATT have decided to campaign in the seats of Cabinet Ministers where there is a high level of asbestos illness. On July 18 UCATT will be targeting the seats of David Milliband and also the Barrow-in-Furness constituency of business secretary John Hutton.
Alan Ritchie, general secretary of UCATT, said: “While I welcome that the Government is seriously examining this issue, it would be unfair and intolerable if pleural plaque victims north of the border received compensation, while those in England did not.”
Last year other 2,000 people died of mesothelioma the figure is set to increase further in future.
For Further information contact Barckley Sumner on 0780 2329235 or John Scott on 0789 4414615
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UCATT Slams Grasping Sub-Contractor In Newcastle Hospital Dispute
Construction union UCATT have slammed ceiling company Pan Interiors after they carried out threats to terminate workers' contracts and replace them with migrant workers on lower wages.
The workers concerned have been working for Pan Interiors on the multi million pound Royal Victoria Hospital in Newcastle.
Last week workers received letters informing them that they were being given one week’s notice that their contracts were being terminated.
When UCATT contacted the company’s managing director Peter Fernberg, they were told that the workers would have their contracts terminated if they did not agree to a pay cut, he was preparing to replace them with migrant workers and the reason was to reduce labour costs.
UCATT had hoped that the company had agreed to delay the terminations while talks proceeded but at least half the workers on site received letters on Saturday (21 June) that they were being dismissed with immediate effect.
Alan Ritchie, general secretary of UCATT, said: “The actions of this company are despicable. They are prepared to jettison their dedicated workers and quite openly exploit migrant workers, in order to save a few pounds. I hope the companies director’s can sleep at night.”
UCATT are now speaking directly to the main contractor Laing O’Rourke and the client in a attempt to force the company to reinstate the workers, or that Pan Interiors are removed from the site.
Mr Ritchie, added: “Construction companies have got to learn it is wrong to exploit vulnerable migrant workers and they will not get away with this on public sector contracts.”
For Further information contact Barckley Sumner on 0780 2329235
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Donation Funds UCATT Northern Region’s Health and Safety Award
A donation given to the union by the widow of a former UCATT member has been used to fund a prestigious health and safety award.
Mrs C King received a legal aid payment on behalf of her late husband Andrew who sadly died of mesothelioma
Mrs King donated part of the settlement to UCATT’s Northern Region.
The region decided that the donation should be used to pay for the region’s health and safety award.
The health and safety award is given to the region’s Safety Rep of the year.
This year UCATT Northern Region have given the award to Brother Bob Wilson in recognition of his committed work on health and safety.