Two recent court cases in Glasgow have highlighted weaknesses in the protection offered to employees. As the family of one of the victims' asks: Who says hard work never killed anyone?
GMMC Banner at Glasgow Sheriff Court
GMMC Banner at Glasgow Sheriff Court
GMMC Campaign Sticker
The case that attracted the most attention was the "Stockline Plastics" case. In 2004 the factory owned by ICL Plastics Ltd in a residential area of Maryhill, exploded and the building collapsed. 9 workers were killed, others seriously injured and thecommunity as whole were left shocked by the rubble next to the supermarkets.
The factory owners, ICL Plastics Ltd and ICL Tech Ltd finally admitted their guilt in court, not to charges related to causing death but to breaches of Health & Safety. At a later court date the scale of the fine was annouced. For negligence causing the deaths of 9 people, Lord Brodie fined them each £200,000. He had previously stated that he didn't want to set the fine at a level that would force the companies into bankruptcy.
The derisory level of the fine is especially stark when looked at in the context of salary levels. If the dead workers were being paid the average £20,000 then the fine has worked out cheaper for the employers than 3 years salary would have been. The judge's claim that "the companies apparently have a good safety record (...) going back to the 1960’s" was contradicted a week later by a Strathclyde University report into the factory's Health & Safety culture.[1]
The case of Graham Meldrum has received less attention. Contracted as a driver at Allied Bakeries in the north of the city, he was killed in a workplace incident on the 12th of July 2005. Two years later, his family and friends are campaigning for justice. Around 20 supporters gathered at the Sheriff Court on Thursday 30th August, where the employers were due in court once again. Over 100 balloons were set to be released, representing the length of time the family has been waiting for justice.
"Both companies have already been in court on 5th July and on 2nd Aug 2007 to make their plea and on both occasions they were granted extentions - no consideration being given to the trauma suffered over and over again by his family and friends."
The case, and the family's fight for justice, continues.
[1] For more see
http://libcom.org/news/independent-report-icl-plastics-disaster-finds-health-safety-regime-dangerously-dysfunctional-02092007
The factory owners, ICL Plastics Ltd and ICL Tech Ltd finally admitted their guilt in court, not to charges related to causing death but to breaches of Health & Safety. At a later court date the scale of the fine was annouced. For negligence causing the deaths of 9 people, Lord Brodie fined them each £200,000. He had previously stated that he didn't want to set the fine at a level that would force the companies into bankruptcy.
The derisory level of the fine is especially stark when looked at in the context of salary levels. If the dead workers were being paid the average £20,000 then the fine has worked out cheaper for the employers than 3 years salary would have been. The judge's claim that "the companies apparently have a good safety record (...) going back to the 1960’s" was contradicted a week later by a Strathclyde University report into the factory's Health & Safety culture.[1]
The case of Graham Meldrum has received less attention. Contracted as a driver at Allied Bakeries in the north of the city, he was killed in a workplace incident on the 12th of July 2005. Two years later, his family and friends are campaigning for justice. Around 20 supporters gathered at the Sheriff Court on Thursday 30th August, where the employers were due in court once again. Over 100 balloons were set to be released, representing the length of time the family has been waiting for justice.
"Both companies have already been in court on 5th July and on 2nd Aug 2007 to make their plea and on both occasions they were granted extentions - no consideration being given to the trauma suffered over and over again by his family and friends."
The case, and the family's fight for justice, continues.
[1] For more see
http://libcom.org/news/independent-report-icl-plastics-disaster-finds-health-safety-regime-dangerously-dysfunctional-02092007
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