100 likes | 268 Views
Organising Around Health and Safety. Dan Shears GMB National Health and Safety Dept. 13 th July 2010. GMB. General Trade Union Currently over 610,000 members Just over 50% work in the public sector Nine Regions 3 Sections. The GMB Approach.
E N D
Organising Around Health and Safety Dan Shears GMB National Health and Safety Dept. 13th July 2010
GMB • General Trade Union • Currently over 610,000 members • Just over 50% work in the public sector • Nine Regions • 3 Sections
The GMB Approach • GMB@work strategy sees the workplace reps as the best qualified to represent members at local level… • … and places the rep at the heart of union activity in the workplace. • General Secretary Paul Kenny instigated the annual Daniel Dennis H&S Representative of the Year award at annual GMB Congress
Organising Tools GMB Publications “ Using H&S as an organising tool” (2006) Other dedicated H&S publications dedicated to sectoral interests, Retail, Waste, Schools, Care Homes
Making it happen… Real case studies of GMB Safety Reps in action: • ASDA – Northern region rep who pushes H&S on the Agenda in Asda stores • Worcester County Council – Birmingham region rep who ensured physical attacks were taken seriously by employer ion lone working
Making it happen… • North West region rep in Court services who ensured regular cleaning and maintenance of vehicles • Southern Region rep who helped establish national H&S committee and examined strategy for lone security guards in G4S
Making it happen… • Midland rep who used English language courses to inform migrant workers on safety issues • Birmingham rep who used an assault on one of his members to initiate campaign on redesigning the working environment in CVIT
Making it happen… • Southern region rep who used the “Safeguard” campaign against security officer attacks to get better H&S and sick pay • London region rep who used Workers Memorial Day to organise in ASDA
Key Points • All of these examples have much in common- principally dedicated reps using workplace H&S problems to demonstrate the importance of trade union membership and growth. • GMB training emphasises the importance of the SRSC regulations – these reps do the hard part – putting them into action!
Now it’s over to you… • Thank You for your time • Any Comments or Questions? • For more info: daniel.shears@gmb.org.uk