The Protection of Workers (Scotland) Bill was defeated in the Scottish Parliament today by 75 votes to 42. Thanks to all those who sents emails to their MSPs to ask them to vote for the Bill, which was promoted by Hugh Henry MSP and supported by UNISON along with other unions and the STUC.
See reports on BBC News and STV News.
Also see UNISON Scotland Health & Safety campaign page on the Bill at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/safety/protectionofworkers/ for more info including briefings and press releases.
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Showing posts with label Violence at work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Violence at work. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
UNISON Scotland urges MSPs to support Protection of Workers Bill
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
UNISON Scotland has called on MSPs not to turn their backs on those who face violence at work, and to support a Bill to protect them.
MSPs will debate the Protection of Workers (Scotland) Bill at stage one in Parliament today (Wednesday, December 22) and will decide whether or not the Bill should proceed to stage two.
Violent incidents at work are a major problem in Scotland. UNISON Scotland’s annual Violence at Work survey highlighted more than 30,000 recorded incidents in the public sector last year alone. However, as not all violent incidents are reported, this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Last month, the Economy Energy and Tourism Committee recommended that Parliament should oppose the Bill, claiming it would not extend the protection currently available to workers under the common law. But, as the committee recognised, there is no statistical evidence that this approach works. UNISON believes incidents involving uniformed staff may be taken more seriously than the lower level – but just as traumatic – incidents which involve thousands of our members and fall below the radar of current criminal law provisions.
UNISON believes legislation is only part of the solution and must go hand-in-hand with public awareness campaigns, workplace measures and criminal legislation.
Dave Watson, UNISON’s Scottish Organiser, said: “Each year, thousands of dedicated staff providing vital services in our communities are being assaulted at work. These people deserve stronger legal protection and better protective measures and MSPs can not turn their backs on these workers.
“While legislation on its own is not enough, it is part of the solution and sends a clear message that violence against workers is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our society. We therefore urge MSPs to take this matter seriously and to support this Bill to protect workers from violence.”
ends
Notes to editors
1. Click here to view UNISON’s Violence at Work Survey (PDF)
2. For further details on the Bill visit www.unison-scotland.org.uk/safety/index.html
For further information contact:
Dave Watson, Scottish Organiser, on 07958 122 409
Trisha Hamilton, Communications Officer, on 0141 342 2877 / 07939 478 461
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UNISON Scotland has called on MSPs not to turn their backs on those who face violence at work, and to support a Bill to protect them.
MSPs will debate the Protection of Workers (Scotland) Bill at stage one in Parliament today (Wednesday, December 22) and will decide whether or not the Bill should proceed to stage two.
Violent incidents at work are a major problem in Scotland. UNISON Scotland’s annual Violence at Work survey highlighted more than 30,000 recorded incidents in the public sector last year alone. However, as not all violent incidents are reported, this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Last month, the Economy Energy and Tourism Committee recommended that Parliament should oppose the Bill, claiming it would not extend the protection currently available to workers under the common law. But, as the committee recognised, there is no statistical evidence that this approach works. UNISON believes incidents involving uniformed staff may be taken more seriously than the lower level – but just as traumatic – incidents which involve thousands of our members and fall below the radar of current criminal law provisions.
UNISON believes legislation is only part of the solution and must go hand-in-hand with public awareness campaigns, workplace measures and criminal legislation.
Dave Watson, UNISON’s Scottish Organiser, said: “Each year, thousands of dedicated staff providing vital services in our communities are being assaulted at work. These people deserve stronger legal protection and better protective measures and MSPs can not turn their backs on these workers.
“While legislation on its own is not enough, it is part of the solution and sends a clear message that violence against workers is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our society. We therefore urge MSPs to take this matter seriously and to support this Bill to protect workers from violence.”
ends
Notes to editors
1. Click here to view UNISON’s Violence at Work Survey (PDF)
2. For further details on the Bill visit www.unison-scotland.org.uk/safety/index.html
For further information contact:
Dave Watson, Scottish Organiser, on 07958 122 409
Trisha Hamilton, Communications Officer, on 0141 342 2877 / 07939 478 461
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Monday, December 20, 2010
Take action now! Email your MSPs to support Protection of Workers Bill
Latest: Protection of Workers (Scotland) Bill will be debated on Wed 22 Dec 2010...
Click here to take action now! Email all of your MSPs for support
It's not part of the job - end violence against workers
UNISON Scotland wants to end violent attacks on public service workers
UNISON Scotland, along with other unions and the STUC, has supported Hugh Henry, Labour MSP for Paisley South, in promoting the Protection of Workers (Scotland) Bill. This will make it an offence for anyone to assault a public service worker carrying out their job or because of the job they do.
The Bill's first stage debate was expected to be in January 2011 but has been brought forward to Wednesday 22 December 2010 - this Wednesday - in the Scottish Parliament.
You can help by urging your MSPs (including your regional list MSPs) to support the Bill.
Send emails - click here
.
Click here to take action now! Email all of your MSPs for support
UNISON Scotland wants to end violent attacks on public service workers
UNISON Scotland, along with other unions and the STUC, has supported Hugh Henry, Labour MSP for Paisley South, in promoting the Protection of Workers (Scotland) Bill. This will make it an offence for anyone to assault a public service worker carrying out their job or because of the job they do.
The Bill's first stage debate was expected to be in January 2011 but has been brought forward to Wednesday 22 December 2010 - this Wednesday - in the Scottish Parliament.
You can help by urging your MSPs (including your regional list MSPs) to support the Bill.
Send emails - click here
.
Friday, November 26, 2010
MSPs Failing to protect workers from violence says UNISON
UNISON Scotland today responded angrily to the announcement by the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee (EET) that they will recommend to the Parliament that the general principles of the Protection of Workers Bill are not agreed to.
UNISON Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said:
“The nearly 30,000 public service workers subjected to recorded violent incidents last year will today feel badly let down by the majority of MSPs on the committee who reached this decision. They will be joined by many thousands of other workers subjected to violence in the workplace who need Parliament to take action to protect them.”
“UNISON has always accepted that legislation is only part of the solution. But to argue that the current criminal law is adequate, when the prosecution authorities don’t even keep statistics, is a less than adequate response.”
UNISON Scotland welcomes the recommendations urging the prosecution authorities to take this issue more seriously, introduce new guidelines and to collect proper data. However, this has been identified as an issue over many years and little has happened. Meanwhile every year more workers are assaulted.
UNISON Scotland will be calling on MSP’s to reject this recommendation and approve the general principles of the Bill when it is debated in the chamber early next year.
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UNISON Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said:
“The nearly 30,000 public service workers subjected to recorded violent incidents last year will today feel badly let down by the majority of MSPs on the committee who reached this decision. They will be joined by many thousands of other workers subjected to violence in the workplace who need Parliament to take action to protect them.”
“UNISON has always accepted that legislation is only part of the solution. But to argue that the current criminal law is adequate, when the prosecution authorities don’t even keep statistics, is a less than adequate response.”
UNISON Scotland welcomes the recommendations urging the prosecution authorities to take this issue more seriously, introduce new guidelines and to collect proper data. However, this has been identified as an issue over many years and little has happened. Meanwhile every year more workers are assaulted.
UNISON Scotland will be calling on MSP’s to reject this recommendation and approve the general principles of the Bill when it is debated in the chamber early next year.
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