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Date: 26 November 2010
MSPs Failing to protect workers from violence says UNISON
UNISON Scotland today responded angrily to the announcement by
the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee (EET) that they will
recommend to the Parliament that the general principles of the
Protection of Workers Bill are not agreed to.
UNISON Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said: “The nearly 30,000
public service workers subjected to recorded violent incidents
last year will today feel badly let down by the majority of MSPs
on the committee who reached this decision. They will be joined
by many thousands of other workers subjected to violence in the
workplace who need Parliament to take action to protect them.”
“UNISON has always accepted that legislation is only part of
the solution. But to argue that the current criminal law is adequate,
when the prosecution authorities don’t even keep statistics, is
a less than adequate response.”
UNISON Scotland welcomes the recommendations urging the prosecution
authorities to take this issue more seriously, introduce new guidelines
and to collect proper data. However, this has been identified
as an issue over many years and little has happened. Meanwhile
every year more workers are assaulted.
UNISON Scotland will be calling on MSP’s to reject this recommendation
and approve the general principles of the Bill when it is debated
in the chamber early next year.
ENDS
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