Role of Trade Unions in Workplace Health Promotion

Abstract

Since the 19th century, workers have organized in trade unions and parties to strengthen their efforts at improving workplace health and safety, job conditions, working hours, wages, job contracts, and social security. Cooperation between workers and their organizations and professionals has been instrumental in improving regulation and legislation affecting workers' health. The authors give examples of participatory research in occupational health in Denmark and Finland. The social context of workplace health promotion, particularly the role of unions and workers' safety representatives, is described in an international feasibility study. Health promotion is rife with fundamental political, socioeconomic, philosophical, ethical, gender- and ethnicity-related, psychological, and biological problems. Analysis of power and context is crucial, focusing on political systems nationally, regionally, and globally. The authors advocate defending and supporting workers and their trade unions and strengthening their influence on workplace health promotion. In the face of rapid capitalist globalization, unions represent a barricade in defense of workers' health and safety. Health promoters and related professionals are encouraged to support trade unions in their efforts to promote health for workers and other less privileged groups.

Social Determinants of Workers' Health in Central America

“…Currently, though, among the Latin American and Caribbean nations, statement No.187 has been ratified only by Cuba. Wherever labor unions have the freedom and resources to function, they have had a positive role in enhancing occupational health, [39][40][41] as seen in Nicaragua. 42 This is referred to in Europe as the union effect.…”

A Review and Analysis of the Clinical and Cost-Effectiveness Studies of Comprehensive Health Promotion and Disease Management Programs at the Worksite: Update VI 2000???2004

“…Most notable are the Citibank studies conducted by Goetzel and Ozminkowski 18,19 ; 4) significant, long-term follow up to existing programs indicating sustained risk, morbidity, and cost reductions at 4 years with Johnson and Johnson, 20 also at 4 years at Xerox, 15 and 6 years with a public employer in the northeastern United States 21 ; 5) emergence of attention to purely psychologic and mental health issues, 16 which have been notably absent in the health promotion and disease management programs to date; 6) development of new measurements to link medical and productivity/performance costs such as the "Presenteeism or SPS6" scale 22 as well as more sophisticated data integration systems continuing the pioneering research by Burton at BankOne 23 and predictive projections linking medical risks and costs over a 10-year interval. 12 Also, assessments of a positive impact on short-term disability (STD) and long-term disability (LTD) 24 and STD only 25 ; and finally, 7) a significant increase in international health promotion and disease management in worksite interventions in Ireland, 26 Denmark, 27 and Japan. 28 Overall, the structure and delivery of international employees is virtually identical to the domestic interventions and outcomes.…”

Safety representatives' views on their interaction with workers in a context of unequal power relations: An exploratory qualitative study in Barcelona (Spain)

“…Over the decades, workers' collective action, mainly via trade unions, has been directed at modifying aspects of their health and safety at work. Campaigns by organized labor played a critical role in the enactment of health and safety laws and social insurance (such as workers compensation)—two central components of the welfare state that have had a positive impact on working conditions and workers health [Tucker, ; Johansson and Partanen, ; Walters, ]. Not only did the labor movement promote and strengthen the regulation of workplace health and safety, it also successfully campaigned for improvements in social security (unemployment, pensions, disability, and health insurance) as well as the regulation of the labor market, most notably laws affording minimum labor standards and collective bargaining [Benach et al, ].…”