NUM s Presentation. The NUM then gave a presentation. He spoke, from the point of view of the miners, about the misdiagnoses of miners illnesses in the past and the cynicism of the mining companies. He pointed out that current legislation prevents workers families from suing the mining companies and called for the legislation to be tightened. Workers health surveillance programmes were initiated by the NUM, not the mine companies, consequently there are far fewer recorded cases of asbestos-related diseases before the early 1980s c.f. from 1985 to date.
Current legislation prevents workers families suing the companies.
NUM called for this legislation to be tightened up. Wasn t sure where the responsibility for worker compensation lay given that Everite had been a listed company and then was bought by Group 5. NUM suspected the companies of trying to wriggle out of this responsibility. Said that it was repeating many of the things that it had said at the Summit in 98, making the point that not a lot of progress has been made. In the discussion BG was able to assure the NUM that when Group 5 bought Everite it took on all Everite s responsibilities.