Apparently, it's a burning issue for ex-jailbird and professional Scouser Ricky Tomlinson.
We now know, thanks to the current government, that papers pivotal to the case will not be released for another 10 years – a decision that was taken by the Ministry of Justice without consulting any of us who have survived.'Survived'..? Good grief, hyperbole much? Hey, Ricky, it's not like you have to wait 100 years, after all.
Unlike some genuine survivors...
A man who has made a good living being and 'playing' himself, a fat whinging scouser...another whinging scouser playing the victim card too. Dey doo doh don dey dey doo!
ReplyDeleteAh. Spotted it. Look at the family name and last month's libel fracas about which family member was which. Much as I loathe professional scousers there was a scandal at the time of 'lump' labour.
ReplyDeleteUntaxed workers, usually Irish, came in to do the work. For the constructors this was flexible and it meant they didn't have to bother with PAYE or all that administration. A marvellous advantage which many other industries - such as tourism - did not share since they had to comply with the discriminatory taxation levels because governments were busy cosying up to big labour in the collapsing car industry.
The untaxed labour often didn't go home; instead they used cash to settle here but some of them never went in to the main economy and have complained that they now have no pension entitlement.
That government was rotten to its core and it is about time we knew the full story. The ghastliness of Tomlinson ought not obscure that.
Mr Tomlinson refers to the death rate on sites in 1973 being 231 people killed, what he fails to mention is that by 1974 the H&SAW Act was introduced and the casulaties were reduced. If the implication is that 'Heath' and the Tories were idly standing by and letting people die then he is far from accurate. The unions of the day in the construction sector were infiltrated by communists and communist sympathisers. A friend of mine when he changed employers in the 70s asked a prospective employer if they had a unionised workforce and was told no, responded with 'thank christ for that.'
ReplyDelete"casualties were reduced"
ReplyDelete'You are making a sardonic comment aren't you ?
It took DECADES after the introduction of the H&SAW (etc) for construction site accidents to be lowered....even today construction is the most dangerous industry....funnily enough site personnel are LESS likely to be injured at work if their employer is a large company, and MUCH more likely to be injured if a small company or self employed....
You think the H&SAW (etc) act makes a lot of difference ?
RIDDOR reporting (MANDATORY reporting of more than 3 (now 7) days absent due to accident/injury) is virtually non existent for small companies...and less than 50% are reported anyway..by bigger companies...
Yes I think the H&SAW Act did make a difference as did the CDM Regs in the 90's. You correctly point out that the majority of accidents happen in small firms and are agreeing with my comments. The 20 year trend is a reduction (source HSE)and last year was 49 fatalities, still too much, but a marked reduction in the numbers killed. If you look at the 20 year trend from the early 70's to the early 90's you will see that the amount of casualties was halved, so yes the H&SAW did impact on construction fatalities.
ReplyDeleteThere is one blogger, it maybe Last Ditch, but I am not certain who recalls that long ago when involved in the construction industry there was a real problem with Union "heavies" taking physical action against staff and workers and their families who did not follow their demands.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter if Ricky Tomlinson is an unpleasant character, a professional scouser, an actor of very limited range, a whinger and a player of the 'victim' card.
ReplyDeleteThe facts behind the events he refers to should not be kept secret.
We must provide the same consideration to opponents as we would want for ourselves.
Alleged 'Asian' rapists are entitled to a presumption of innocence and a fair trial because that's the only way I can be sure that I would get a fair trial.
Tomlinson, and the rest of us too, are entitled to know what the powers of the state were doing then.
"A man who has made a good living being and 'playing' himself..."
ReplyDeleteHe was pretty good as the top cop in 'Cracker', but I've loathed everything else he's ever been in.
"The untaxed labour often didn't go home; instead they used cash to settle here but some of them never went in to the main economy and have complained that they now have no pension entitlement. "
Shades of...more recent waves?
" The unions of the day in the construction sector were infiltrated by communists and communist sympathisers."
You say that as if things have changed today..!
"The facts behind the events he refers to should not be kept secret.
We must provide the same consideration to opponents as we would want for ourselves."
I totally agree. I just think there are far more important questions to answer before we waste time on this one.