The Socialist 12 September 2012

Build a 24-hour general strike

Build a 24-hour general strike

TUC passes general strike motion

NSSN lobby demands a 24-hour general strike

Teachers must unite against Tories

Nationalise the banks

Cabinet reshuffle

Con-Dem housing measures - in 'the thick of it'?

After the Paralympics... Stop the Con-Dems' assault on disabled

Cable attacks health and safety

'Red tape' bonfire puts workers at more risk

More bad news from media mogul Murdoch

Quebec Solidaire's electoral gains show potential for left

Honduras: Privatised cities in the global economy

We need a political voice to fight austerity

Socialist students: Fighting for education

Bristol YFJ: "We're not lazy - we're fighting back"

Global youth unemployment rises

Youth Fight for Jobs in action! Coming events

Workers' unity against brutal bosses at Cranswick Foods

East Coast train cleaners on strike

RMT assistant secretary arrested on picket line

NHS under attack - Stop the closures, stop the cuts

Bromsgrove meeting opposes A&E closure

Demo against heart unit closure in Leicester

Sheffield Socialist Party pickets strike-breaking facility

Brent Labour: Making families homeless

Young tenants to lobby Leeds council over housing crisis

The Reunion rewrites history: the Poll Tax

The shame of sexism in sport

How we stopped the racist EDL

Previous issues, etc

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Cable attacks health and safety

Derek McMillan

Con-Dem economic wizard Vince Cable has outlined his plans to ditch health and safety checks. We all know tabloid jokes about health and safety regulations.

However, we expect to buy food that won't make us ill, and to work in a safe environment. It is the "red tape" the government wants to destroy that ensures this is so.

Unsurprisingly Alex Eichmann, head of regulatory policy at the Institute of Directors, welcomes government efforts on deregulation "Excessive regulation costs time and money, both of which businesses would rather spend on developing new products, hiring staff and building up British business both here and abroad." He failed to mention what a good idea "deregulating" the banks turned out to be.

It's ABC to any union health and safety rep that if a company can maximise its profits at the expense of its employees' health and safety it will do so.

The only guarantee that employers will exercise a "duty of care" for employees is strong union organisation.

Union health and safety officers will have to take on the role which the Health and Safety Executive shamefully abandoned.

In this issue

Fight against austerity

Build a 24-hour general strike