Workers’ health and safety representatives: more than one decade of successful activity Thousands of health and safety reps (175,000 in Spain) 80% companies of > 50 employees have health and safety committees Increasing demand of participative approach for health and safety management both at regulatory and workplace levels More participation of the labor inspection and health an safety professionals Clear evidence of improvement in health at safety when health and safety reps in companies act with union support What did unions achieve? (1) Being recognized as an essential social partner in the development of health and safety policies. Promoting changes in the regulatory framework on health and safety especially regarding certain sectors, processes and risks Improvement of working conditions and occupational health an safety: Significant reduction of work-related injuries (accidents) Promotion of union action to address psychosocial risks Making visible ergonomic and hygienic risks More and better workers’ training Active workers’ involvement in companies EFFECTS OF THE FINANCIAL CRISIS ON OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH Authors: Rodrigo F, García AM, López-Jacob MJ. Presenter: Jose Aureliano Martin Segura ISTAS CC.OO. (Trade Union Institute of Work, Environment and Health) SPAIN Indirect achievements include: Improvement of salaries and other working conditions Improvement of individual and collective rights Valuing occupational health and safety in trade union organizations Inclusion of health and safety in collective bargains Strategic alliances with technical/scientific communities to gain expertise, develop methodologies and tools for union action, and to support social and union intervention. But recent financial crisis and subsequent conservative policies lead to (1) Increase of unemployment and job insecurity: negative effects on health. Cutbacks in public spending: less resources for preventive activity, including for surveillance and control. Attacks on labor rights. Easier and cheaper layoffs. Workers’ increased concern and less capability to demand their rights. Shrinking salaries and pensions Intensification/reorganization and restructuring of labor Limitations to migrant workers and increase of illegal labor: more underground jobs, sweatshops, no labor rights, lack of enforcement and inspection on these workers: the most vulnerable labor community What did unions achieve? (2) Weaker unions: less preventive activity in companies, especially those that imply specific expenses for the company (training, health surveillance, risk elimination) Increased difficulties for unions to address occupational risks. Workers’ primary concern is to keep their jobs at any cost) Weakening of public health and safety policies. Less economic and human resources, but also lack of political will to implement health and safety provisions Challenges to health and safety activity in the current economic circumstances Decrease in union presence, especially in small and medium size companies Less surveillance and control of companies by labor inspectors Downsizing (i.e. less hygienists, ergonomists and psychologists) in occupational health services Particularly vulnerable groups become even more vulnerable (women, younger workers, migrant workers, people involved in informal economic activity, non- qualified blue collar workers, etc.) Decreased attention to psychosocial and ergonomic risks which are not directly related to safety (safety risks are more visible and labor inspectors tend to focus more on them) But recent financial crisis and subsequent conservative policies lead to (2) Creating union networks on specific topics and sectors to increase unions’ health and safety capability (socialization of experiences, good practices, collective action, support to weaker groups) Encouraging sector and regional safety reps to take action (especially in small companies) Demanding action and funding from public authorities for advisory and technical support to health and safety in smaller companies Focusing on work-related diseases and disabilities, and their social, economic and labor consequences for the country Providing solutions to specific problems in companies through simplified participative methods of intervention Rendering visible the effects of layoffs and dismissals on workers health and wellbeing and demanding preventive or compensatory measures Promoting preventive intervention plans for the most vulnerable collectives of workers Increasing and reinforcing connections with technical and scientific communities What to do?