Três em um. Notícias do movimento sindical de trabalhadores europeus
1. Escândalo em contratos "zero-horas"
2. UBER em Londres, UK: licença não renovada
3. Trabalho em turnos, estresseno trabalho e suicídio de enfermeiras(os)
‘Scandal’ of 30,000 NHS zero hours contracts
At least 30,000 NHS workers in the UK are employed on zero hours contracts, a new GMB analysis of official figures has revealed. The union says the worsening situation has created a “pressured, demoralised and casualised workforce”. It warns the true number zero hours workers is likely to be higher as the statistics may not include outsourced workers, or workers employed through controversial ‘wholly owned subsidiary’ companies that are not bound by nationally agreed employment standards. The number of NHS workers who report being employed on a zero hours contract has increased fourfold since 2013, the analysis shows, much faster than the increase in the wider economy. Rehana Azam, GMB national secretary for public services, said: “The NHS is under enormous pressure and cuts and privatisation are linked to a rise in so-called ‘gig economy’ working.” She added: “At the end of the day, a pressured, demoralised and casualised workforce will end up impacting on patient care. Zero hours contracts have no place in the NHS or elsewhere - and these figures may represent the tip of the iceberg. Our investigation makes it clear that this is not about bank working, it is about exploitation. We need a new system that preserves some degree of flexibility while ending contracts that do not.” A TUC analysis this year found working hours for those on zero hours contracts are more likely to be anti-social and “unhealthy” (Risks 885). It revealed zero hours workers are twice as likely as those on fixed-hours contracts to be working night shifts, and also twice as likely to be working seven days a week. Night working has been shown to increase long-term health impacts, such as heart disease, shortened life expectancy and an increased risk of cancer.
GMB news release.
Sign the petition calling on the government to ban zero hours contracts.
Unions welcome London’s ban on ‘unfit’ Uber
Uber will not be granted a new licence to operate in London after repeated safety failures, Transport for London (TfL) has said. In a decision welcomed by unions, the regulator said the taxi app was not “fit and proper” to be a licence holder, despite having made a number of positive changes to its operations. Uber initially lost its licence in 2017 but was granted two extensions (Risks 917), the most recent of which has just expired. The firm said it will appeal and can continue to operate during that process. Welcoming the TfL decision, Steve Garelick, a regional officer with the union GMB, said: “As a result of sustained pressure from drivers and the public, Uber has suffered yet another defeat – losing its licence to operate in London.” In December 2018, GMB secured a major legal victory when the Supreme Court ruled tens of thousands of drivers working for the cab firm were employees entitled to the minimum wage, holiday pay, sick pay and other employment rights (Risks 880). Jim Kelly, chair of Unite’s London and Eastern cab section, also welcomed the TfL decision “as there remains fundamental problems in the way the company operates, particularly issues around passenger safety.” He added: “All the taxi trade wants is a level playing field. Uber’s DNA is about driving down standards and creating a race to the bottom which is not in the best interests of professional drivers or customers.” Kelly said: “In order to protect the public and to ensure standards are maintained it is essential that TfL follows this decision with stricter licencing of private hire operators and apps. This is the only way that public safety and confidence in the service can be maintained and the pay and conditions of professional drivers can be preserved.”
TfL news release. Unite news release. GMB news release. BBC News Online.
Shifts and job stress linked to nurse’s suicide
A dedicated NHS nurse who had ‘nightmares about work’ killed herself after the stress of working 12-hour shifts left her unable to lead a normal life, an inquest has heard. Leona Goddard, 35, struggled to have a social life after being burdened with unpredictable work hours and extra responsibilities at Prestwich Hospital in Manchester. Although her work colleagues rated her as ‘outstanding’ Miss Goddard, a nursing manager who worked in a mental health unit, had developed low self-esteem due to the long hours. On 3 October last year, just six months after she got a promotion, Miss Goddard was found hanged at her family home. She left a hand-written note across two pages of A4 paper detailing her “negative feelings, a downward spiral and feelings of self-loathing.” A doctor’s report read to the hearing said Miss Goddard had been to see her GP in the weeks leading up to her death. She said she felt ‘unsupported’ and ‘had nightmares about work’ and was offered anti-depressants but she refused saying if work “got sorted out she would feel better.” Recording a conclusion of suicide, coroner Angharad Davis said: “Leona worked as a nurse in alcohol rehabilitation and recently been promoted to team manager. Colleagues describe her as a bright, clever, caring nurse but it clear from the evidence that the job role was causing Leona stress because of the difficulties working and the stress of the job itself. Also, Leona did not share the same views of herself as the colleagues had of her. They thought she was very capable and deserving of that promotion whilst Leona had been suffering stress about her work for some time and was signed off for work for a few weeks.” The coroner concluded: “Having considered all the evidence read and heard it seems that Leona was under a great deal of stress going on for a long time. She had very low self-esteem and did not recognise in herself the person that everybody else saw.” In another November inquest, Plymouth senior coroner Ian Arrow concluded Adam Reed took his own life. The inquest heard Mr Reed's partner Jason Boddy had received a call from him at around 3.40pm on the afternoon of 29 May this year, saying that he had had a “bad day at work” at Smart Estate Agents Torbay branch and that “it wasn't the end of the world but the end of Smart.” Mr Boddy found his partner hanged in their home later that day.
Manchester Evening News. The Mirror. Daily Mail. Plymouth Herald.
More on work-related suicides. Work and suicide: A TUC guide to prevention for trade union activists . ‘Don’t despair’ pin-up-at-work suicide prevent poster.d
ACTION! Use the Hazards e-postcard to tell the HSE to inspect for work-related suicide risks and to investigate and require the reporting of suicides suspected to be work-related. www.hazards.org/hsesuicide
- Efetue login ou registre-se para postar comentários
