Congres Demands 'Jail Time' For Employers who Endanger Workers

27 Apr 2009

Note - Workers' Memorial Day, April 28

Congress Demands 'Jail Time' For Employers Who Endanger Workers

 

Government should ring fence resources to mark Workers' Memorial Day

Congress today (April 27) called for tougher penalties for breaches of health and safety laws, including 'jail time' for employers who endanger the lives of workers through negligent or reckless practices.

Speaking at a conference to mark Workers' Memorial Day - the international day of remembrance for all those killed or injured at work - Congress official Esther Lynch said: "We are calling for stronger, dissuasive penalties so that Boards and Boards of Directors are not tempted to cut corners on safety. There is a need to legislate for stronger penalties for employers who violate the law, including criminal penalties and jail time for employers who put workers in danger."

Workers Memorial Day is marked every year on April 28 and is recognised as a national day in the United States, Canada, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Brazil and other countries in Latin America and Asia.

Ms Lynch also called on the Government to mark Workers' Memorial Day by ensuring that health and safety funding did not become a victim of the financial crisis.

"It would be fitting way to mark Workers' Memorial Day if the newly-appointed Minister for Labour Affairs, Dara Calleary TD, committed publicly to ringfencing existing health & safety resources and protecting them from any cutbacks, as a first step in building a new regime of safety, enforcement and compliance.

"As matters stand, Ireland has amongst the lowest EU spend on workers' health and safety, so there is no certainly no room for cutbacks. We need to improve our health and safety practices, including how we count and report work-related deaths and illnesses," Ms Lynch concluded.

 

ends

 

Irish Congress of Trade Unions,

32 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

Tel: (01) 889 7799; m 087 9174171