1. A Trade Union Approach to OSH action: Union Intervention Methodology
20/09/2018
Aitana Garí Pérez

2. Workers participation in occupational health and safety
Two ways for worker involvement:
Safety representatives
OSH Committees
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3. Safety Representatives
Which subjects are we addressing today?
Safety Representatives role
Union intervention methodology in OSH
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4. Safety Representatives tools
Head: think of solutions
Ear: listen to the worker
Eye: watch to work contions
Mouth: argue the proposals
Stomach: persist in strategies
Hands: get support
Feet: walk throuth the work posts
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5. Safety Representatives role
Something else than to report to the Labour Inspectorate
The Super Safety Rep:
identify risks
evaluate the importance of the problems
contrast workers opinions with the other parties
inform the workers
suggest solutions
involve their co-workers
negotiate with the company
make a follow up
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6. Safety Representatives role
The Safety Rep is not responsible for the workers health and security…
the company is responsible for the workers health and security.
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7. Safety Representatives role
Safety Rep as a prevention motivator
Their most important function is to get the prevention agents´ involved in risk prevention, ensuring that:
management fulfils their prevention duty,
workers participate in the prevention activities
technicians advisers share the risk assessment and look for solutions for the problems
with the workers
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8. Planning an OSH union intervention
About the James´ case
Can you tell which measures or action he has taken?
What advantages do you think has to thinking and planning in advance?
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9. Planning an OSH union intervention
The method is a way to get somewhere
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10. Planning an OSH union intervention
Alice: Which way should I take?
Rabbit: It depends where you want to go.
Alice: I am going nowhere
Rabbit: In that case it does not matter which way you choose.
Alice in Wonderland
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11. Planning an OSH union intervention
The moral:
Without a clear objective the methodological options are a waste of time.
The objective (where we want to go) determines the method (which way we take) and the techniques (which tools are available?)
The same journey can be traveled with different vehicles depending on the final destination, the available options, the resources, the weather, etc.
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12. Union intervention methodology in occupational health
The three necessary things:
To know the reality well: the facts, the OSH problems…
To involve the interested parties
Offer solutions
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13. Union intervention methodology in occupational health
Operative and natural sequence:
Define the problem
Speak with the affected
Gather information
Inspect the workplace
Involve the workers
Propose solutions
Negotiate
Do a follow up
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14. Union intervention methodology in occupational health
Define the problem
To approach an occupational health problem in a systematic way first we have to define the problem: what it is and what are the surrounding circumstances.
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15. Union intervention methodology in occupational health
Speak with the affected
The workers themselves know the problem and have the right to speak in the first person about what happens to them and to be assured that their points of view are taken into account.
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16. Union intervention methodology in occupational health
Gather information
We have to obtain the necessary information to have an idea of the problem dimensions. Also we have to gather the technical or legal information to request advice outside of the company.
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17. Union intervention methodology in occupational health
Inspect the workplace
A visit to the work place allows us to check in the workplace the specific conditions in which the risks are generated.
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18. Union intervention methodology in occupational health
Involve the workers
We have to involve the workers at every moment or stage, informing them of all the findings and getting them interested in the problem and ensuring they approve of the solutions proposed.
altogether can go far
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19. Union intervention methodology in occupational health
Propose solutions
With all the obtained information we are able to propose measures to resolve the problem.
different alternatives…
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20. Union intervention methodology in occupational health
Negotiate
Prevention always ends up being a negotiating subject and will be result from the commitment reached. And that’s why it is essential to prepare properly with good arguments and as much supporting documentation as possible.
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21. Union intervention methodology in occupational health
Do a follow up
It is important to raise the problems, propose improvements and to reach an agreement on the measures, and ensure they are put into practice and give positive results. Deadlines have to be observed, then check the implementation of the measures and control their efficiency.
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22. Union intervention methodology in occupational health
… and what do we need as union members to apply this intervention methodolody?
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