UCATT Northern
 UCATT Northern Region Seymour House |
News Archive
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Increase in Construction Deaths in the North East
Research undertaken by construction union UCATT has revealed that there was a sharp increase in construction deaths in the North East last year.
In total four construction workers were killed in the region in 2008/9. In the previous reporting year 2007/8 year there were no reported fatalities in the North East. The increase in deaths in the North East is of particular concern as the overall number of construction fatalities significantly declined last year.
The number of construction deaths in the United Kingdom fell from 72 in 2007/8 to 53 in 2008/9, a decrease of 26 per cent. The decline was principally due to the recession, which has led to a steep drop in construction output and resulted in a large number of construction workers being laid off.
Construction remains the most dangerous industry in Britain. The industry is highly casualised. Many workers do not have contracts of employment, regularly move between employers and/or are bogusly self-employed. In recent years there has been a substantial increase in the number of workers being supplied to construction companies through employment agencies and gangmasters.
John Scott, Regional Secretary for UCATT’s Northern Region, said: “The rise in deaths in the North East is of great concern, particularly as in recent years the region has enjoyed a better safety record than the rest of the country. Each one of these deaths is an individual tragedy. Everyone involved in construction in the North East must prioritise safety in order to ensure that this rise in deaths is never repeated.”
Further analysis of the national data on fatalities shows that the most likely cause of death remains falls. In 2008/9 there were 21 deaths caused by falls, 40% of all deaths. The second highest number of deaths were caused by people being hit by a moving or falling object, this accounted for 5 deaths, 9% of the overall total.
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Last Chance to Book a Place at Asbestos Awareness Conference on Tuesday 24th November
The Northeast Asbestos Support and Awareness Group are running a free one day conference on Tuesday 24th November aimed at trade union representatives and others with a view to developing awareness and increasing knowledge about the legacy of asbestos and how to obtain compensation and benefits.
Date: Tuesday 24th November 2009
Time: 10am - 3:15pm
Venue: Irwin Mitchell, Gainsborough House, 30-40 Grey Street,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6AE
Program:
10:00am Registration and Coffee
10:15am Introduction
10:20am Asbestos: Uses and the development of knowledge of the risk to health
10:45am Asbestos Related Conditions, latency and other medical issues
11:15am Coffee
11:30am Pneumoconiosis Workers Compensation Act and Diffuse Mesothelioma Schemes
12:00pm DWP Benefits for asbestos related disease
1:00pm Lunch
1:30pm Common law compensation for asbestos related disease; basis of liability, causation, apportionment and claims handling issues
3:00pm Questions
3:15pm Close
For further information or to book contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel: 0191 279 0143
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Save Our Steel March 18th July 2009
Up to 5,000 people marched in support and protested at the news of the consortium pulling out of a ten year deal that would cut 2000 jobs at Corus Steel Plant, Redcar.
UCATT supported this demonstration together other trade unions and the Northern Regional banner was displayed, as was the Crook branch banner.
Members from the Crook branch namely Bro Dave Ayre, Bro Reuban Barker and Bro Ray Sanders (Regional Council member) attended along with Bro Jim French (ex Regional Secretary) and also Bro Wilf Flynn Northern Region E C member.
Bro John Cosgrove, UCATT Regional Organiser addressed the march from the platform and expressed UCATT's support for the demonstration as the closure of the Corus Steel Plant would effect many construction workers who are currently employed there.
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Report On Northern Region TUC AGM
From Wilf Flynn Executive Council Member For The Northern Region
The Annual General Meeting of the Northern Region TUC 16/17th May 2009 was held against the backdrop of the credit crunch and the scandal around MPs expenses.
Nick Brown MP Labour’s Chief Whip stated having been in Parliament some 30 years he was ashamed of some of his comrades’ expenses.
UCATT Delegates Willie Whalen, Wilf Flynn, Ray Sanderson, & John Scott (UCATT regional secretary) stayed focused on the issues of Gangmasters, Directors Duties, Bogus Self Employment, Health & Safety, Workplace Compensation, Housing, Pensions, and Apprentices, which are of concern to UCATT.
On a number of issues UCATT drew parallels from the current situation in the construction industry in the private sector and how bogus self-employment would bring the worst examples into the public sector. I pointed out there is no inevitability that terms and conditions should decline and stated union organisation is the best way to defend our members.
Ray Sanderson moving a resolution on Company Directors, said only when Company Directors faced a real prospect of jail, if a worker died, would some take health & safety seriously.
Willie Whalen spoke on the threat from the BNP.
The Regional Director of the Learning and Skills North East made it clear future Union Learn funding requests would need to show a large element of basic skills training. He stated Government are more directing that there are still large numbers in the workforce with basic skills issues, and they are being left behind in the move to upskilling. This is something UCATT Northern Region have often said, we are educating the educated, and missing those with numeracy and reading issues.
UCATT paid tribute to the work Jack Jones for the labour movement, but specifically his role on behalf of Pensioners, also to Alan Walters of Defend Council Housing who’s campaigning life was cut short at 51.
Alan Meeks UCATT Convenor at Gentoo formally (Sunderland Council/Sunderland Housing Group) received the Health & Safety Rep of the Year award.
John Scott UCATT Regional Secretary was re-elected to the Executive Committee of the Northern Region TUC.