A new campaign to tackle work-related rights within the construction industry is launched this month (November), as experts say they fear ‘workers’ rights are being dismissed’.
‘Rights on Site’, from National Accident Helpline, aims to address the treatment of construction workers should they have an accident at work, ‘or face any unfair treatment’. The personal injury advice specialist says it will ‘highlight the need for a change in culture, and enable workers to get the justice they deserve’. It said: “An online poll conducted to understand the culture around making personal injury claims found 42% of British male workers said that the prospect of getting justice would be an influential factor in making their decision.”
As well as addressing the injustices, the campaign will explore ‘blacklisting’ – ‘a secret vetting system applied by some construction firms’. Despite the Employment Regulations Act 1999 (Blacklists) Regulations 2010 making blacklisting in relation to trade union activity illegal in the UK, National Accident Helpline says the fear of being blacklisted is still prevalent today, and is preventing workers from making personal injury claims.
Jonathan White, Legal and Compliance director at National Accident Helpline, said: “No one should ever feel bullied or shamed into not coming forward about any unfair treatment or injustice they’ve experienced on the job – it’s a matter of doing the right thing. Ultimately, we go to work to earn a living, and if that job for some unfortunate reason results in an injury through no fault of our own, we are entitled to carry on living our lives without worrying about bills or supporting our family.
“We believe that ‘Rights on Site’ will help right many wrongs that construction industry workers currently face. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing thoughts from the workers themselves who have witnessed this first-hand.”
