Engineers told to stop moaning about insurance

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has told the Engineering Employers Federation (EEF) to spend "less time whingeing about insurance and more time promoting safer workplaces".

Today's (Tuesday) comments come in response to the EEF's criticism of government plans to recover the NHS costs of workplace accidents through the employers' liability insurance system.

EEF had called for the proposal to be dropped from the Health and Social Care Bill, saying it would add costs of over £150m to the UK's already overheating employers' liability insurance system.

Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary elect, said the EEF should stop whingeing and face up to their responsibilities as employers.

"They should pay a little more attention to promoting health and safety at work, and spend a little less time trying to evade the consequences of their actions," he said. "Even after the Department of Health makes these changes, employers will still be paying less for the injuries and illnesses which they cause than victims or taxpayers."

TUC is hoping to persuade the government to free up £30 - £40m of the recovered cash for rehabilitation schemes for sick and injured workers.