The campaign group Families Against Corporate Killers (FACK) will be holding a Scottish launch on Tuesday 17th April during the STUC Congress. FACK was launched in June 2006 by a group of families who are justifiably angry and annoyed at employers who kill their workers with little possibility of being held to account.
FACK also recognises that not all deaths occurring as a result of corporate failure occur in the workplace, having families in the group who have lost children in appalling circumstances that should not have allowed to happen.
The group are already committed to working with trade unions and the Hazards Campaign Group and the STUC welcomes the decision taken by FACK to come to the STUC to launch FACK in Scotland and are committed to assisting the group in the future.
Dorothy Wright, FACK campaign members said
‘It is a government’s primary duty to protect it’s citizens’ lives, that we were told was why we went to war in Iraq and why we need to replace Trident .Why then is government so reluctant and failing so miserably in protecting citizens’ lives from rogue companies who kill 1700 people every single year in work related incidents, my son being one of the victims?
New laws have been announced to enable negligent pet owners to be jailed for ill treating animals, surely humans deserve at least the same respect?
FACK has united bereaved relatives in campaigning for changes in the law and the horrendous treatment meted out to grieving relatives .We hope that Scottish families will swell our numbers to become an army to lobby at Edinburgh and our voice become so loud that MSPs will have to listen, and to act’
STUC General Secretary, Grahame Smith added
“In Scotland far too many workers and citizens lose their lives in accident that need not have the catastrophic circumstances they do.
However, not one individual company or director in Scotland has been convicted of corporate homicide, an appalling indictment on our Scottish justice system, that is not much better in England and Wales”.
“We will support FACK in their campaign and work with them to lobby the Scottish Parliament to seek improvement in the way that the system deals with prosecutions”.
Hilda Palmer from Greater Manchester Hazards Centre who helped to set up FACK said
“Over the years we have worked with many families of people killed in incidents at work, most of which should never have happened if proper health and safety procedures and management had been in place.
We set up FACK to bring families together and create a loud national voice which we are using to lobby ministers, government and MPs and demand the changes to laws and for the stringent enforcement of health and safety that any civilised country would have but which current government is downgrading. FACK now wants to provide the same support to bereaved families in Scotland and work with the STUC to petition and lobby the Scottish Parliament and seek justice for Scottish families”.
ENDS
For further information contact Ian Tasker 141 337 8100
More information on Families Against Corporate Killers