Hazards 2003 at the London School of Economics

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The programme for Hazards 2003 is starting to take shape.

Firstly we hope Nick Brown the safety minister will take up our invitation to be questioned about the lack of progress on safety reps rights and on corporate killing legislation. Although a number of manslaughter cases against owners of small firms are due to be heard in the next few months, there is still no legal framework to ensure directors of major companies pay the penalty for killing workers and no parliamentary slot for such a bill.

Secondly, the conference organisers have agreed themes for four major debates to take place on Saturday afternoon, which will be led by safety representatives and campaigners who have made a major contribution at grass roots level. These meetings will cover:

• Fighting privatisation: looking in particular at London Underground, the railways, local authorities, the NHS and post office experiences; and how we strengthen the safety case to prevent privatisation, and use safety arguments to bring services back into public ownership.
• Campaigning and organising in non-unionised and casualised sectors: using the experience of the Hazards Centres around the country targeted at black, minority ethnic and refugee community organisations, including London Hazards Centre’s own work.
• The environment: respecting the Earth: picking up some strong themes from "Visions for a Healthier Planet" and developing strong links between workplaces and communities.
• Workers rights: safety reps need extra rights, in addition other issues impact on the ability to organise on safety. The right to strike, to take solidarity action, automatic reinstatement for unfair dismissal, and trade union recognition are needed to create a framework for real improvements on safety.

Thirdly, as usual there will be a choice of some 40 workshop topics including construction safety, young workers, asbestos, pesticides, work-life balance, the working time directive, sickness monitoring procedures, occupational cancer, death at work, stress, violence, musculo-skeletal injuries.

The Conference takes place on 5-7 September at the London School of Economics with accommodation at Bankside Halls of Residence behind Tate Modern. Both venues are accessible for people in wheelchairs. Childcare will be provided. The fee will be £185 per delegate for the whole conference and £85 per day.

Please ask your union to sponsor this event. Information from www.lhc.org.uk or 020 7794 5999.

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