Union-backed safety partnership projects win government funding

Seven health and safety projects involving unions have received funding from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Partnership Fund. The Partnership Fund "provides support for companies to develop partnerships between employees and employers, improve communications and solve cultural and business problems in the workplace."

The "magnificent seven" as they have been dubbed by the TUC, are:

* Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and the GMB general union for a project to increase asbestos awareness;

* TUC North West (public services unions UNISON and PCS, shopworkers' union Usdaw, manufacturing union Amicus, and communication workers' union CWU) and Liverpool Occupational Health Partnership where employers and Liverpool City Council are looking at call centre safety;

* Barnsley District General Hospital and Unison seeking to tackle bullying and harassment; and

* Boston Borough Council, GMB and Unison aiming to identify causes of stress and reduce its impact.

The other three projects are wider but include health and safety issues. They are:

* British Footwear Association and KFAT footwear and textiles union "Working smarter, not harder" ;

* AMEY Rail and the RMT transport union project seeking a "culture change" at work; and

* Leeds University Business School and Amicus "Sustaining partnership in an environment of uncertainty".

The full list of partnership projects can be viewed at www.dti.gov.uk/partnershipfund/success4.htm