The
TUC is lobbying MPs to bring forward legislation which enacts a new law of
‘corporate killing’.
The
legislation was a manifesto commitment of the Labour Party and the TUC is
calling on the Government to impose safety duties on company directors.
The
legislation would mean changes to health and safety law, the abolition of Crown
immunity and an increase in the level of fines the courts can impose on
convicted companies.
The
TUC is also urging the Government to increase the number of health and safety
inspectors and has launched the campaign with a meeting between MPs and the
families of people killed at work.
John
Monks, general secretary at the TUC, said that a general consensus on the need
for tougher laws should be turned into practical legislation:
"We
are concerned at the delay in bringing this legislation before Parliament.
Sometimes the human side of these terrible tragedies isn’t fully realised, and
that’s why we and the Centre for Corporate Accountability are bringing MPs and
bereaved families together – to help persuade MPs that action is needed
now," he said.
