Ucatt calls for asbestos ban

A ban on the use of asbestos in all future construction work is being sought by construction union Ucatt in a motion submitted to this year's TUC conference in Blackpool next month.

The TUC says such bans are already in force in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. It notes that the Health and Safety Executive has warned that building workers in their 40s and 50s face a one in ten chance of dying of an asbestos-related disease.

Ucatt wants substitute materials to be clearly marked "asbestos free." It wants asbestos removal to be carried out only by registered firms. And it demands maximum penalties on employers who break the laws on asbestos.

Another Ucatt motion calls on the Congress to reaffirm its unqualified commitment to full employment criticising the Government's failure to embrace long-term programmes of training and investment.

In a motion to October's Labour Party Conference Ucatt renews its call for the release of an estimated œ5 billion in receipts from council house sales to fund a programme of new build and repairs to remaining public sector housing stock.