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UNISON secures £27m compensation

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UNISON secures £27m compensation

UNISON has secured £27,398,985 in compensation in 2010 for members who fell victim to assaults, car crashes, and work-related illnesses and injuries. The public sector union handled 3,893 personal injury cases on behalf of members. The union's case file, which includes cases involving office, nursery, school and hospital staff, suggests a government move to relax health and safety requirements on 'low risk' office and service sector jobs is ill-advised. UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: 'A lot of these injuries could and should have been prevented. These jobs are not dangerous - nursery workers, dental technicians and dinner ladies - but, because employers have been negligent, some UNISON members have lost their health, families, confidence and careers.' He added: 'Public sector workers already face pay freezes, job and service cuts, with worse to come. They deserve to be able to do a hard day's work in a safe environment.' A UNISON dossier includes the case of a dental technician for the Cardiff & Vale NHS Trust. Brian Hay, 47, needed surgery for neck injuries that developed after he was forced to sit in an unsafe posture for long periods of time while doing intensive dental technician work. He received £7,000 in an out-of-court settlement.

UNISON news release.

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