Scottish Emergency Workers legislation delivers

Since the Scottish Emergency Workers Act became law in May this year 26 assault charges have been brought to court.

The first of these is thought to be a woman prosecuted in Selkirk for obstructing a nurse and shouting abuse at Borders General Hospital staff. She was jailed for six months.

Dave Watson, Scottish Organiser for Policy, said, "These prosecutions show how right UNISON was to press for the Emergency Workers Bill to become law.

"When other organisations were decrying it as worthless - we argued it was a step forward. We were right - not only are prosecutions going up, but the number of assaults - on ambulance workers for example - have gone down."

UNISON argues that the legislation should be extended to cover all public service workers. The early success of the partial cover so far provided strengthens the argument that all members working with the public should have this protection.

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