Bar,
pub, club and catering staff of the Transport and General Workers’ Union have
today voted in favour of an outright ban on smoking in their workplaces.
The
vote comes amid mounting concerns of the failure of existing legislation to
protect workers and the public from the potentially fatal impact of passive
smoking.
Brian
Revell, T&G national organiser for food and agriculture, said it was
unacceptable that union members working in the leisure industry continued to be
confronted by smoky environments, which could damage their health.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
"The
feedback from our members working in bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants is that
smoking in their workplaces is as prevalent as ever and a ban is now
necessary," he said. "The Government is right to consider a ban and
the T&G expects it to take a firm position in the interests of public
health."
