dan shears ([email protected]) uk national work-stress...
TRANSCRIPT
Dan Shears ([email protected])UK National Work-Stress Network24th November 2018
}Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leavethe European Union?
} 23rd June 2016
} Britain leaves the EU on Friday 29th March 2019 (ish…)
} No longer bound by EU Regulations, Directives or European Courts (unless Soft Brexit keeps us in!)
} Most (not all) UK H&S law since 1989 Framework Directive derives from the EU.
} Will be adopted into UK Law under European Union (Withdrawal) Bill
} BUT…
} Until we leave (and through transition), UK government and devolved administrations are bound by EU legislation
} This is enforceable through the European Courts} This has been a ‘safety net’ since 1973, with specific H&S
detail from the 1989 Framework Directive, which gives the 1992 ‘Six Pack’ on and so on…
} Effectively, minimum standards set on a range of hazards/issues – Working Time, PPE etc
} H&S Regulation to be ‘copied over’ via European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (Brexit Day +1)
} Even if the regulations are just cut and pasted, there are no guarantees that they will stay that way (Brexit Day +2...)
} Parliamentary sovereignty means the Government of the day can repeal regulations as they see fit, with no fall back of challenge at EU level – once they’re gone, they’re gone.
} So the immediate threat is the Working Time Regs, PPE Regs, Work at Height regs, DSE Regs, anything that costs money…
} All justified by the need to make the UK more competitive in the new internationalsettlement we find ourselves in.
} In 2018, more than half of UK shares were owned by foreign investors
} EU companies own large shares in UK utilities, telecoms, food and drink – what happens if they reduce investment?
} Many other large businesses are owned by BRIC/US investors – Tata, Kraft – who will move production overseas to reduce cost
} UK may lose industries – or may have to start manufacturing from scratch, with risks this brings
} Not being in the EU means a lot of EU nationals living here will go elsewhere – many have already gone (nurses!!!)
} This will make existing skills shortages even worse –construction and agriculture – the most dangerous sectors – likely to be hardest hit.
} This places new and vulnerable workers into these sectors at the most dangerous time
} There will be fewer people to do the same, if not more, work. The implications for stress are enormous with austerity still ongoing
} The provision of essential NHS and care services likely falls over without migrant workers
} The economy will take a hit – did we vote for worse living standards?
} This may increase the risk of violence towards public sector workers as frustration increases
} Shortages will likely be filled with workers sourced from states with different cultural understanding and expectation of risk – Brazil, India, China…
} Austerity policy since 2010 had already caused endemic issues with stress in the workplace.
} HSE’s 2017/18 statistics confirm this:} 595,000 workers suffering from work-related stress, depression or
anxiety (new or long-standing) in 2017/18 } The number of new cases was 239,000, an incidence rate of 720 per
100,000 workers.} 15.4 million working days lost due to work-related stress, depression
or anxiety. } Stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 44% of all work-related ill
health cases and 57% of all working days lost due to ill health.} Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS)
} Increased workload as more colleagues leave and are not replaced – across the board
} Fear of long-term employment prospects if working for multinationals, where UK exit is a risk
} Fear of continued pay suppression and lack of career progression in the public sector
} Wider societal issues:◦ Rising cost of living likely to explode post-Brexit (esp food)◦ Inability to afford housing for young likely to continue – mortgage
unavailabilty◦ House price drop likely for homeowners
} All of this is ultimately due to a lack of control – all of these decisions are taken without the individual’s consent, leaving them powerless:
} CHANGE – RADICALLY UP} DEMAND – DRASTICALLY INCREASED} CONTROL – TAKEN AWAY} RELATIONSHIPS – DAMAGED BY THE NEW REALITY} SUPPORT – REDUCED BY CUTS} ROLE – INCREASINGLY STRETCHED AND UNCERTAIN
} Bear in mind that whatever the outcome, there are going to be some very unhappy people out there:◦ Remain – Not the Will of the People◦ Soft Brexit – Not the clean break we were promised◦ Hard Brexit – Where’s the £350M for the NHS?
} In every scenario, there will be groups that feel lied to and only now realise it.◦ That will drive increasing anger, lack of respect for authority and
ultimately justification for increased aggression and violence
} Use our rights – especially the 1977 Safety Rep Safety Committee Regulations
} Ensure than stress risk assessments are in place, are up to date and are reviewed when staffing levels change◦ Use the Healthy Working Lives Scotland model if possible.
} Make sure that inspections are done, and visibly so◦ Colleagues more likely to discuss issues with you than with
management, especially if you’re making a difference} Consider gender-specific issues – see Womens’ H&S Guides:◦ Period Poverty◦ Flexible Working
} Make sure that violence risk assessments are in place ◦ Adequate staffing is present to provide the service, especially if public
facing◦ Never accept that violence is simply part of the job, or that it simply
‘happens’ and cannot be managed
} Ensure that all cases of work-related stress, and all violent or aggressive incidents are recorded and reported◦ This is crucial to allow for trends and hotspots to be identified and
challenged.
} We have to shift the debate – talk in terms of ‘protections’, not ‘regulations’; share the TUC briefings
} Make sure that the awful consequences of Grenfell remain in the public eye and mind – this is the way to fight the deregulatory pressure that is coming
} VOTE LABOUR (OR YOUR PROGRESSIVE PARTY OF CHOICE)! We will need a progressive left Government for at least 10-15 years to ensure that the protections we have can’t be eliminated in Parliament
} Agitate, Educate and Organise – and START NOW!