15 October, 2007The international mission aims to bring about health and safety improvements for Indian ship breaking workers.
UK: A delegation of Indian trade unions, including the Steel, Metal and Engineering Workers Federation (SMEWFI), will travel to the UK to meet with union officials from the GMB and tour a local shipyard.
The mission, organised by the GMB, is an effort to improve health and safety standards in Indian ship breaking yards by providing the opportunity for Indian union leaders representing ship breaking workers to learn more about best practices standards in shipyards in other parts of the world.
Shipyards in India are notorious for being unregulated and lacking even the most basic health and safety protections for the workers. There, it is common practice for men, women and children to dismantle equipment by hand, often in bare feet, exposing themselves to a number of toxic materials, including lead, mercury and asbestos.
The delegation will visit the A&P Tyne yard in Hebburn and discuss health and safety procedures the company follows when repairing and refitting ships on the Tyne. Yards in the UK follow strict regulations to protect workers, the environment and the surrounding community.
"A&P Tyne has decades of experience working in the shipbuilding industry and with input from GMB safety representatives its health and safety record is outstanding. The yard provides the perfect showcase for our Indian colleagues to see best practices," said Tom Brennan, regional secretary for the GMB. "This visit will equip our Indian colleagues with useful knowledge to go back to the Indian Government and employers to fight for better working conditions," Brennan added.
The delegation will also meet with Ian McFall from the trade union law firm Thompsons Solicitors to discuss the dangers of asbestos exposure, the devastating effect this has had on communities in the North East, and the need for prevention and compensation.
GMB and SMEWFI are both affiliates of the International Metalworkers' Federation.