NEWS FROM GLENIS WILLMOTT
Safeguarding all workers;
I am delighted that my Health and Safety Report has been successfully adopted by the European Parliament in the Strasbourg session this month. This has been my first major Report and the
issues it addresses are hugely important.
I wanted to target both accidents at work and occupational diseases. The European Agency for Safety and Health at work estimates that every year over 140,000 people in the EU die from occupational
diseases and nearly 9,000 die from work related accidents. These figures mean that every three-and-a-half minutes somebody in the European Union dies from a work-related cause. This is
unacceptable.
The target to reduce accidents at work by 25% over the next 5 years has been accepted. I want to see similar targets for reducing occupational diseases, which actually affect more people.
MEPs supported my call for EU action against musculo-skeletal disorders to deal with back pain and repetitive strain injuries. Lower back disorders affect between 60 and 90 per cent of people at
some point in their lives. There was also support for better protection of pregnant women at work.
I also called for action on the threat from carcinogens in the workplace and current legislation on this will be revised, but a clause giving high priority to crystalline silica in such a revision
was rejected. Both the Tories and Lib Dems voted against its inclusion and therefore against hundreds of thousands of workers being adequately protected from this highly dangerous substance, which
has already been classified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a class 1 carcinogen.
A majority of Euro MPs, led by Conservatives and the Liberals, also rejected a call for nanotechnologies to be monitored and potential health risks assessed.
I felt strongly that special attention should be paid to disabled workers and vulnerable groups, including migrant workers, young and ageing workers. The accident rate among temporary agency
workers is far too high. They lack training and awareness of either their rights or the risks involved in their work. My report calls for this to be tackled as a matter of urgency.
Now that the report has been adopted, the Commission will submit new legislation to the European Parliament to be voted on by MEPs.
I will be keeping the pressure on the Commission to make sure all the issues raised in my report are addressed.
Best wishes for 2008
Glenis Willmott
Fighting Cancer
My Health and Safety report highlights the dangers at work from cancer causing chemicals. I am very much involved in cancer prevention – particularly cervical cancer, where a new vaccine is
now available.
This year’s European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week which runs from 20 – 26 January will focus on raising awareness. There will be a Cervical Cancer Summit in Brussels and the final
signatures will be added to the STOP Cervical Cancer Petition. You can still sign the petition here.
I have been working on a Resolution on ‘Cancer in the EU’ which will be voted on in the Environment Committee during that week. I will be calling on the Commission to set up an EU Cancer Task
Force to collect and exchange best practices for prevention, screening and treatment and to provide leadership for improved cancer control in Europe.
I have also been working with Cancer Research UK and the European Cervical Cancer Association to highlight the strong links between obesity and cancer. World Health Organisation studies show
that obesity is the most important known avoidable cause of cancer after tobacco.
See for Yourself
The Foreign Office has launched a series of new pages on its website entitled 'See for Yourself'. They provide comprehensive information on the Treaty of Lisbon and how it will affect the UK. The Treaty is currently being carefully scrutinised
in the House of Commons.
More good news from the European Parliament
The European Parliament has proposed to convert Europol - the EU organisation that deals with criminal intelligence - into an EU agency. Establishing Europol as an agency of the European Union will
increase its accountability by giving the European Parliament democratic oversight of its activities.
MEPs have also voted on opening up Europe's consumer credit market. This will help 500 million people get better and cheaper loans. More…
Parliament has also been discussing The “EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child.” More…
Prime Minister says EU membership is good for Britain
Speaking to an audience of senior business leaders in London earlier this month, Gordon Brown said that the completion of the Lisbon Treaty means there is now an opportunity to move on to address
the challenges that matter most to Europe's citizens: stability, growth, competitiveness and jobs.
read more
Contact Glenis
Glenis Willmott MEP
Harold Wilson House
23 Barratt Lane
Attenborough
Nottingham NG9 6AD
Tel. 0115 922 9717
Fax. 0115 922 4439
http://www.labouronline.org/wib/webcreator/office@gleniswillmott.org.uk
Glenis’s team
Paddy Casswell: Political Manager
Chris Poles: Brussels Researcher
Ted Willmott: Personal Assistant
Maggie Hudson: Constituency Assistant
Elizabeth Udall: Media Officer
Kelly Tomlinson: Secretary
Alex Phillips: Stagiaire (Intern)
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