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Wednesday, 05 March 2008

Asbestos campaign launch in West Midlands

Joan Walley MP will launch UCATT postcard campaign to overturn the Law Lords decision to block compensation for victims of pleural plaques.

Ms Walley, UCATT activists and asbestos campaigners will launch the campaign outside her constituency office in Burslem.

The photo opportunity will be on:

THURSDAY 6 MARCH

JOAN WALLEY’S CONSTITUENCY OFFICE

BURSLEM ENTERPRISE CENTRE

MOORLAND ROAD

BURSLEM

STAFFS

ST6 1JN

AT 4.30pm

Sufferers of asbestos illnesses, Ms Walley and Steve Murphy regional secretary for UCATT’s Midlands Region, will be available for interview following the photocall.

Pleural plaques is scarring of the lungs caused by heavy and long term exposure to asbestos. Victims of pleural plaques have a greatly increased risk of contracting mesothelioma the fatal lung cancer.

Pleural plaque victims can experience a number of debilitating mental and physical conditions caused by their injuries. One in seven of those diagnosed with pleural plaques will develop mesothelioma. Mesothelioma kills 2,000 people a year. The number of people developing mesothelioma is set to increase in the future and is likely to peak in 2020 with 20,000 people dying from the disease. Last year 134 people died in the West Midlands from mesothelioma.

Steve Murphy UCATT’s Midlands regional secretary, said: “Many workers were forced to work with asbestos even though their bosses knew the dangers they were facing. The very least that should happen is that they should receive compensation for their injuries.”

In October last year the Law Lords ruled that pleural plaques would no longer be a compensatable illness. The decision has been widely criticised inside and outside Parliament. Campaigners have since been calling on Jack Straw the Secretary of State for Justice to introduce fresh legislation, to overturn the Law Lords ruling. It is estimated the ruling will save insurance companies over £1 billion in compensation payments.

A copy of the postcard which can be sent directly to the Ministry of Justice calling for the Law Lords decision to be overturned is available for DOWNLOAD HERE.