Workers Memorial Day. London, 28th April 2005

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London's Mayor says he'll boot dangerous firms off GLA contracts

Workers Memorial Day (WMD) was a resounding success nationally, internationally and especially in London this year.

A very well attended protest march organised by the Construction Safety Campaign (CSC) marched from the Tate Modern to the headquarters of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and then on to the Mayor's HQ, the Greater London Authority (GLA) offices by Tower Bridge. Marchers carried a coffin to remind us of those who had lost their lives over the years and banners blew in the wind.

On the way to the HSE the march stopped at the massive Bovis Bankside development and invited workers to stop work and join in a minutes silence to remember the dead. Approximately 100 workers came off the job while many more watched from the scaffold and a sombre and respectful minute's silence was held.

Union members and officials at the HSE came to meet the marchers where speakers called for more government safety inspectors and stronger enforcement of safety laws.

At the GLA a number of trade union speakers made some very relevant points but it was what London's Mayor, Ken Livingstone, said that gave promises to concerns. Following a speaker from Prospect who called for more enforcement officers, a stronger enforcement regime, stronger punishments in the courts and a safety rep in every workplace in London the Mayor said "I couldn't agree more!" He then went on to point out the GLA along with the Deputy PM's Office will be dealing with billions of pounds of construction projects in the coming years and promised dangerous contractors would be thrown off those contracts.

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