Posted By Peter Lee Martin, What do you mean by "the negative issues of unions". I was a Trade Union Health and Safety Representative in my former job I had a good working relationship with the Safety Manager we implemented many positive changes for the workplace, I even won an award for my innovation! They also sponsored my NEBOSH Certificate and Diploma. I am now a full time Health and Safety Officer, I wouldnt say that was negative would you?

Posted By Tony Clark Ostas in Southam provide good quality training give Craig Gibbs a call on 01926 813356

Posted By Martin Taylor We are in the North East but given we could be looking at a significant number it could be economic to provide a dedicated course with travelling trainer

Posted By Robert S Woods It will cost you a fortune to get similar training to that provided by the trade unions. They run a year long course which enables you to apply for TechSP status (obviously not for long). The weakness in the union safety education is that they tell you what your management should be doing not how you should do it. Of course this will all change when they give me a job in a TU studies centre. Bob

Posted By fats van den raad Peter Lee I too have come into the job from a TU background as safety rep and shop steward, attended TU safety courses, etc. My personal view was that the TU courses was heavily emphasising the Employers duties while barely mentioning the employees duties. There was no doubt left by looking at the course content that you were on a TU course. I too had a very good relationship with my safety adviser at the time, as well as with the operations manager, but this relationship was built up despite the local TU's very negative opinion. As a matter of fact, I resigned as shop steward because I personally could not reconsile my role as safety rep with what I was expected to do (by local TU) as shop steward. I have no doubt that the TU's on a national level have safety very close at heart and see safety improvements as a job to be done in full co-operation with management, and I also have no doubt that in some places this view is held by local branches as well, but I am equally sure, as from my own experiences, that very often the local TU have a very different agenda and as such do not hesitate to use safety as a tool to try and settle local disputes. This has a very negative influence, so may be talking about the negative influence of TU's is not so far off the mark.