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The Irish trade union SIPTU, which represents over 200,000 Irish workers, is calling on the Minister for Labour Affairs, Tony Killeen to take action to reverse the escalating numbers of employees suffering from work related illnesses, according to SIPTU’s Health and Safety Advisor, Sylvester Cronin.
“Figures from the Central Statistics Office for the first quarter of 2005 show that almost 60,000 workers suffered work-related illnesses,” said Mr. Cronin.
This is a massive increase of 29% over the same period for 2004. Even if we allow for the increase in employment for the same period - from 1,835,900 in 2004 to 1,908,300 in 2005 - the net rate of increase is still 24%.
The increase is even more dramatic if we compare the eight-year period from 1998 to 2005. Over that period the number of workers suffering work-related illnesses rose by 129% - from 26,100 in 1998 to 59,800 in 2005 - even though the working population increased by only 28% - from 1,494,500 to 1,908,300.
“Such drastic increases are completely unacceptable It appears that trade unions - particularly SIPTU – are the only organisations demanding action to reverse this trend. The silence from employers and government has been deafening", said Mr.Cronin.
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