Another potential problem with the SEA is the appointment of Employee Health and Safety Representatives. Like any workplace issue, a strong, organised workforce who are prepared to take action to force management to act is essential. Health and safety has normally most effectively been dealt with within union organisational structures, so that all workers have the information they need and can act on it collectively as they see fit. Without union organisation, health and safety is better as part of a general strategy of building organisation and confidence. And it is an issue that can provide a focus around which a group of workers can act together and rapidly gain a bit of collective confidence.
Reality is often different.
Like any other workplace issue organisational strength is a basic requirement both to prevent victimisation of reps and to push management to make improvements over specific issues. Ideally, reps should get an office, access to telephone and fax, time off with pay to attend union training, and use of a suitable room for meeting with and reporting back to members. If there are no clear management-run structures to deal with health and safety, this makes things a lot clearer. And if workers, recognise that they are the ones who can identify problems and can force change, then confidence can be gathered around the health and safety issue. Whether you are in a recognised union or not, the first step for dealing with a health and safety issue is to establish what the problem is and how it is affecting workers.