Unite accuses semiconductor companies of living in an Alice in Wonderland fantasy over workers' safety

28 April 2008

Unite the union has today on Workers' Memorial Day called the approach by the semiconductor industry, in response to the Health and Safety Minister's support for the view that the industry should fund a national study into occupational cancer risk in the computer and semiconductor manufacturing industry, as curious and perplexing.

Unite, the largest union in the UK, is pressing for the UK computer components/ semiconductor industry to initiate industry wide research into cancer risks in the industry. The union, in particular, wants the industry to institute the research proposed by the HSE/DTI Feasibility study published in 2005. This follows new evidence from the United States.

Following a meeting with Unite, the Health and Safety Minister, Lord McKenzie, wrote to senior executives in the semiconductor industry to formally raise with them Unite's concerns about cancer risks in the industry, and also set out his view that the industry should fund a national study.

The semiconductor industry has now responded by saying that they believe "there is no clear evidence of work-related cancer in the semiconductor industry and does not accept there is a need to conduct an industry-wide study."

Peter Skyte, Unite National Officer, said: "This is in our view an Alice in Wonderland approach. It is precisely because there is no clear evidence that we, the government and the HSE see the need for a national study. If there were compelling evidence of an increased risk of occupational cancer, there would not be a need for the study.

"Today is Workers' Memorial Day around the world and government, health and safety agencies and employers must act urgently to reduce any potential cancer risk to stop more people dying in years to come."

Taken with previous studies covering Scotland and the West Midlands, Unite believes there is sufficient evidence to suggest there may be long term health risks to current and former workers in the semiconductor, chip and computer sector at key sites in Scotland (Greenock, East Kilbride, Livingston and Glenrothes), North West (Oldham and Stockport), North East , East Midlands (Lincoln, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire), Plymouth, Chippenham, Wales (Cardiff and Newport), and Southampton.