Guardians of Workers' Bodies? Trade Unions and the History of Occupational Health and Safety

Abstract:Critically assessing the role and influence of trade unions on occupational health and safety (OHS), and tracing their contribution to OHS discourse, is here examined through the lens of history in Britain positioned relative to international experience. The idea of trade union neglect of OHS is challenged through study of the historic role of trade unions and the more recent experience (since the 1970s) of unions' growing interest in OHS whilst simultaneously experiencing a sharp decline in membership and the adverse impact of this disempowerment on OHS standards. Acknowledging the politics of gender shows British unions neglected occupational health and embodiment issues that impacted upon women as workers. Robust and compelling evidence from the mid-twentieth century–that unions were a powerful countervailing force to workplace dangers, as key sentinels shielding workers' bodies–is followed by evidence of increasing occupational illnesses in the period of union decline and precarious work from c. 1980. The article urges more critical reflection on trade unions as actors and as a voice in the OHS discourse.

[1]  J Benach,et al.  Precarious employment: understanding an emerging social determinant of health. , 2014, Annual review of public health.

[2]  A. Mcivor.  Germs at work: establishing tuberculosis as an occupational disease in Britain, c1900-1951 , 2012 .

[3]  Vicky Long.  The Rise and Fall of the Healthy Factory , 2011 .

[4]  C. Soskolne,et al.  The Case for a Global Ban on Asbestos , 2010, Environmental health perspectives.

[5]  G. Markowitz.  Arthur McIvor and Ronald Johnston. Miners' Lung: A History of Dust Disease in British Coal Mining , 2008 .

[6]  Clive Smallman,et al.  The contemporary British workplace: a safer and healthier place? , 2006 .

[7]  Peter L. Smith.  Book Review: review of the book by Madeleine Bunting: Willing Slaves: How the Overwork Culture is Ruining our Lives , 2005 .

[8]  A. Davies.  Trade union membership , 2004 .

[9]  C. Baldry,et al.  `A Unique Working Environment': Health, Sickness and Absence Management in UK Call Centres , 2003 .

[10]  Michael Fitzpatrick,et al.  Work Stress: The Making of a Modern Epidemic , 2002 .

[11]  David Parry,et al.  Out of the Ashes?: The Social Impact of Industrial Contraction and Regeneration on Britain's Mining Communities , 2002 .

[12]  W. Kenefick,et al.  "Rebellious and Contrary": The Glasgow Dockers, 1853-1932 , 2002 .

[13]  B. Burchell,et al.  Job insecurity and work intensification: The effects on health and well-being , 2001 .

[14]  P. Bohle,et al.  Managing Occupational Health and Safety: A Multidisciplinary Approach , 2000 .

[15]  Emma Hollywood,et al.  Life After Mining: Hidden Unemployment and Changing Patterns of Economic Activity amongst Miners in England and Wales, 1981-1991 , 1999 .

[16]  Pierella Paci,et al.  Unions, Safety Committees and Workplace Injuries , 1995 .

[17]  V. Rush,et al.  Asbestos , 1896, The Lancet.

[18]  John Rae,et al.  The Trades Union Congress , 1892 .