Teachers' union wins illness and bullying compensation

Teachers' union NASUWT has secured a £200,000 payout from Cardiff City Council for woodwork teacher, Eric McCreery.

McCreery suffered from chronic allergic rhinitis and mild occupational asthma as a result of exposure to wood dust in workshops at Llanishen High School. The symptoms became noticeable soon after he started work in 1987. McCreery repeatedly complained about excessive dust until forced to leave work 10 years' later.

The NASUWT says that it receives a steady flow of cases concerning conditions in workshops and urges all its members operating in workshops to contact their safety reps to undertake a risk assessment.

In another recent case the union secured £100,000 for teacher Christine Browell for the long period of bullying she suffered at the hands of her headteacher. The employer, Northumberland County Council, paid up but refused to admit liability on the grounds that Browell never invoked the formal grievance procedure.

The Labour Research Department has just produced a new 48-page guide on dealing with bullying and harassment at work. Single copies cost £3.50 but there are large discounts for bulk orders. For further details and credit/debit card orders telephone 020 7928 3649.