UCATT’s asbestos campaign
UCATT is the UK’s only trade union specialising in construction and its national headquarters are based in Clapham, in the Streatham constituency. UCATT is campaigning on behalf of workers who have suffered from exposure to asbestos. Two years ago, the House of Lords ruled that pleural plaques – scarring of the lungs as a result of prolonged asbestos exposure – does not constitute a compensatable medical condition.
There are many cases of former construction workers who suffer from pleural plaques (watch the video above). As a result of the House of Lords’ decision those workers are unable to make a claim for compensation, only being able to do so if complications that result from pleural plaques such as mesothelioma develop, by which time treatment may come too late. Even in such cases, winning compensation is made more difficult by the fact that many of the construction companies involved have gone into liquidation, and finding the relevant insurer takes considerable time.
UCATT is campaigning to stop this injustice, and has launched a postcard calling on the Secretary of State for Justice to allow sufferers to claim compenstion. Please support the campaign by downloading and sending a campaign postcard (postage free) or signing the online petition.
