General Federation of Trade Unions
CAMPAIGN OVER NOISE
Since its creation the GFTU has been concerned about the effect of noise on workers - from textile mills to steel foundries, from "metal bashing" to wood machining. Numerous articles and representations were made over the years.
Most recently the GFTU has been closely involved in work in relation to noise in music and entertainment. When the Noise Directive was being considered by the European Community IN 2002 they came under strong pressure from some employer organisations to exempt the industries completely. Representations to the HSE in Britain drew little response so the MU and GFTU jointly approached the European Parliament to press for proper coverage for workers in music and entertainment. This was done with the support of FIM - the musicians international based in Paris. Effective contacts were assisted by the good offices of Stephen Hughes MEP.
The MU & GFTU recognised that there were clear practical problems and differences for those in music and entertainment but that workers in those industries needed hearing protection as much if not more than other workers. As a result of the lobbying the EU gave the industries 2 years to draw up their own specific "code of conduct"
Immediately we began pressing the HSE to set up a working group to carry out this task and this was done involving a wide range of people from across the industries - employers, acousticians, technicians and the unions (GFTU/MU/BECTU). The union group worked closely together and kept the TUC briefed.
After several years work a Guidance Document was adopted by the HSE and introduced in 2008. Although a valuable document the union group still feel this does not meet the EU requirement of a "code of conduct" which should be at the level of a British code of practice and this remains an issue to be resolved.
In the course of this process the GFTU was involved with the MU in inputting to the specialist European Commission working party to draw up generic noise guidance for the whole EU.
Specialist briefing was given to the European Social Dialogue Committee and to specialist conferences such as the Dortmund Conference held by the German health & safety bodies.
Copies of some of these are viewable below.
PRESENTATION EUROPEAN SOCIAL DIALOGUE COMMITTEE 2005
assets/userfiles/MUSICIANS UNION - BRITAIN.ppt
DORTMUND CONFERENCE 2007