All the union news that's fit to blog...
As the UK prepares for yet another heatwave, Unite is encouraging members to get involved with its “Beat the Heat” campaign and join the call for a legal maximum working temperature. Workers in all sectors are feeling the heat as climate breakdown supercharges extreme weather and fuels record breaking temperatures. Bus drivers have been campaigning […]
The post Beat the Heat appeared first on Unite Live.
A belated but sincere thank you to the A&E staff at Newham General for treating me with kindness and respect during a visit two weeks ago. I had managed to injure myself in a particularly foolish way: having a fight with a jammed rod while tr…Read more…
Unite is urging workers to stay safe in the sun, and the second heatwave of the year is forecast to bring brutal temperatures across the UK. With workers once again melting under heatwave conditions the call for a national maximum working temperature for workers continues to grow. The extreme weather warning has been issued across […]
The post Heatwave alert appeared first on Unite Live.
As the UK swelters under the first heatwave of the year, bringing record breaking May temperatures, the call for a national maximum working temperature for workers continues to grow. Last week (May 20) the Climate Change Committee (CCC) published a report warning that UK temperatures are increasing faster than the global average, and called on […]
The post Extreme heat warning appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite Health & Safety reps gathered in Birmingham on Tuesday (17 Feb) for the second Unite National Health and Safety Conference. Over 200 delegates and speakers packed out the conference room to hear presentations from Unite officers, industry experts and NGOs along with a rousing speech from Unite general secretary Sharon Graham. The day was […]
The post Safety reps gather in Birmingham appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite Health & Safety reps gathered in Birmingham on Tuesday (17 Feb) for the second Unite National Health and Safety Conference. Over 200 delegates and speakers packed out the conference room to hear presentations from Unite officers, industry experts and NGOs along with a rousing speech from Unite general secretary Sharon Graham. The day was […]
The post Safety reps gather in Birmingham appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite members are being urged to put safety first as Storm Goretti brings yellow and amber weather warnings to large parts of the UK. The Met Office has given multiple warnings for snow and ice, wind and rain from today (8 Jan) til Friday, with some highlighting a “danger to life”. In conditions like this […]
The post Staying safe in the storm appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite reps at Hinkley Point C have spoken about the vital role of Health and Safety reps in the workplace in a new video from Unite South West. The film hears from Unite reps Sam Thomas and Maria Boyle and focuses on the toll that working away from home and family for long periods of […]
The post Mental Health Day at Hinkley Point C appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite is backing International Men’s Day today (November 19) and encouraging men to today, and every day, take action to look after their own physical and mental health. International Men’s Day is an annual event that celebrates worldwide the positive value men bring to the world, their families and communities. Organisers aim to highlight positive […]
The post Men’s Day awareness appeared first on Unite Live.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have published a new joint report and guidance highlighting the growing global health challenges posed by extreme heat on workers. The report comes at a time when the UK has experienced four heatwaves in one summer and unions, including Unite, have been renewing calls […]
The post Time to change the law! appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite has launched a new campaign this week highlighting the issues workers face regarding musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), and calling on the Government and employers to play their part in keeping workers safe from the life changing effects that MSD can have. Unite’s campaign is calling for: Unite National Health and Safety AdvisorLuke Collins said, “Musculoskeletal […]
The post Fight for your health! appeared first on Unite Live.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has adopted a landmark Convention on Biological Hazards in the Working Environment, with Unite’s Rob Miguel at the heart of negotiations. The 113th International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva wrapped up on June 13 with the adoption of the first-ever international labour standards aimed at preventing exposure to, and protecting […]
The post A Win for Workers appeared first on Unite Live.
Motion 44 on improving female-specific workwear standards, recognised that “women across various industries face significant challenges,” because of “the lack of the properly designed workwear that accommodates their specific needs.” And by wearing this inappropriate, impractical workwear their comfort and moreover their safety is compromised. Serenity Baskett from the South West region moved the motion, […]
The post Better workwear for women call appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite delegates were queuing up to take part in a debate on extreme weather in the workplace, with contributors all having a personal story to share about their employer’s negligence in storms and heatwaves. Moving the composite on Monday (July 7) was Unite delegate Justin Clarke of the Republic of Ireland (ROI). He explained how […]
The post Extreme weather safety call appeared first on Unite Live.
In the week 14 – 20 July, @The_TUC is inviting union health and safety reps to check their workplace temperatures.
Help organise for safer, cooler workplaces!Sign up now for our week of action, 14-20 July:
https://tuc.org.uk/news/workplace-tempe…Read more…
With the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issuing a four-day heat health alert to most of England Unite is warning workers to take care, and talk to their union reps if employers do not put in place measures to protect them from the worst of the heatwave. Temperatures are predicted to reach 32C, and the […]
The post Phew! What a scorcher! appeared first on Unite Live.
Each day throughout the holiday season, UniteLive will feature one of our twelve stories of the year. On the fourth day of Christmas, UniteLive highlights the action the union is taking to tackle the dangers of extreme weather in the workplace. As Britain braces itself for the hottest day of the year later this week, […]
The post UniteLive’s 12 days of Xmas – Storm warning appeared first on Unite Live.
In September 2018, during Storm Ali, Unite member and engineer Matthew Campbell was killed by a falling tree after being sent to work in Slieve Gullion Forest Park. In January of this year, two-thirds of Unite members who had to work outdoors during Storm Éowyn did not feel that their employer had taken all reasonable […]
The post “Climate leave” needed appeared first on Unite Live.
High temperatures are a major problem in the workplace, especially during summer. Excessive heat can cause dizziness, fainting, and heat cramps, posing serious health risks. Workers in outdoor sites, warehouses, and kitchens are particularly vuln…Read more…
Construction workers and activists gathered at the Building Worker statue at Tower Hill in central London this Monday (April 28) for an International Workers Memorial Day commemoration. The annual Unite event is sadly still as relevant this year as ever, with the latest statistics showing that construction is the most dangerous sector to have a […]
The post Solidarity at Tower Hill appeared first on Unite Live.