The government's health and safety minister has refused to meet with representatives of the families of people killed at work. Employment minister Chris Grayling, who pushed through unprecedented funding cuts to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and demanded a dramatic reduction in proactive enforcement by the safety watchdog, has rejected requests for a meeting from Families Against Corporate Killing (FACK), to hear their views about his workplace safety strategy.
The group, which was founded by relatives of those killed at work, said in snubbing them the minister has exposed his intention to 'ease the burden on employers' without taking account of the far greater burden borne by families and the public purse as a result of criminal health and safety failings at work. FACK first wrote to Mr Grayling on 6 May to request an audience, arguing that 'there seems to have been no attempt to contact, involve or consult those harmed by work - injured and made ill - or the families of those killed by gross negligence.'
In response the minister said that he regretted that 'diary commitments mean I am unable to meet with you at the current time'. He has found time for meetings with other organisations, including business groups - and told campaigners including FACK members who doorstepped him at the DWP HQ on Workers' Memorial Day 'my door is always open'.
FACK founder Linzi Herbertson said: 'FACK families are utterly disgusted with Chris Grayling's refusal to meet with us about the effects of the cuts he is proposing to the already inadequate health and safety system which allowed people we love to be killed just for going to work.' She added that the minister was more interested in 'listening to the false accounting of the business lobby.'
