This equipment was donated by Thompsons solicitors The Quality of Working Life: Promoting a Healthy Agenda Wednesday 6 th February 2008

Worker representation in workplace health and safety What works and what should be done? David Walters Cardiff Work Environment Research Centre Cardiff University Institute of Employment Rights Quality of Working Life Wednesday 6 th February 2008

What this presentation is about Institute of Employment Rights Quality of Working Life Wednesday 6th February 2008 What works and what supports it - the research evidence largely based on recent analysis in the UK What does this mean for trades unions and current practice Some questions and issues for the future

Institute of Employment Rights Quality of Working Life Wednesday 6th February 2008 Statutory arrangements for representation and consultation on health and safety and performance: what works? Mainly two kinds of evidence: –Leading indicators — ‘Activities of representatives’ and management arrangements as proxy indicators of effectiveness –Trailing indicators — direct measures of performance outcomes linked to presence of joint arrangements/safety representatives/trade unions Mixed findings in the research in different countries and industries

— several different analyses of relationship between joint arrangements, trades unions and OHS performance. Contradictory findings. Walters and Nichols 2007 — revisited earlier study focusing on joint arrangements in manufacturing and OHS outcomes as measured by reported serious injuries. –Used improved econometric modeling techniques and new aggregates of variables to examine trade union mediated effects –Showed statistically significant relationship between trade union involvement in workplace joint arrangements and improved injury outcomes. Institute of Employment Rights Quality of Working Life Wednesday 6th February 2008 Latest UK evidence from WIRS/WERS

Combining quantitative and qualitative approaches Institute of Employment Rights Quality of Working Life Wednesday 6th February 2008 Looked in detail at the operation of arrangements in 15 case studies in chemicals construction and retail with wide range of size, organisation and labour relations Found confirmation of the ‘trade union effect’ among ‘preconditions’ for effectiveness of joint arrangements

What makes things work? Studies confirm the support of : Regulatory provisions for worker representation (which in the UK means trade union representation) and their surveillance by labour inspectors Management commitment to better health and safety performance and participative arrangements Workplace worker organisation prioritising OHS Support from trade unions outside workplaces, especially with information and training leading to… Well-trained and informed representatives Consultation between worker health and safety representatives and their constituencies Institute of Employment Rights Quality of Working Life Wednesday 6th February 2008

But…. Instances of the combined presence of preconditions for effectiveness relatively few Much evidence of barriers to effectiveness Institute of Employment Rights Quality of Working Life Wednesday 6th February 2008

Use of direct methods of consultation, size of establishment and union recognition Institute of Employment Rights Quality of Working Life Wednesday 6th February 2008

Size of establishment and form of consultation Institute of Employment Rights Quality of Working Life Wednesday 6th February 2008

Changes in health and safety representation methods Institute of Employment Rights Quality of Working Life Wednesday 6th February 2008

Conclusions, issues and questions Institute of Employment Rights Quality of Working Life Wednesday 6th February 2008 Traditional approaches to health and safety representation that involve trades unions are effective But The presence of these and other preconditions for effectiveness is diminishing They do not reach the majority of workplaces nor deal effectively with small workplaces, multi-employer worksites, precarious workers etc.

Conclusions, issues and questions cont…. Institute of Employment Rights Quality of Working Life Wednesday 6th February 2008 Better regulation? — Improved rights, employer duties and greater engagement from inspectors Health and safety representation and trade union organising –Small firms? –Multi-employer worksites? –Precarious workers and migrant workers? –Non-union firms?

Conclusions, issues and questions cont… Institute of Employment Rights Quality of Working Life Wednesday 6th February 2008 Implications for safety representatives and trade union responses to: –New ways of thinking in the governance of work, health, safety and well-being? –The individualisation of responsibility and marginalisation of collectivism?