Scots overwhelmingly support meat inspectors staying independent, says UNISON

Wed 15 April 2015

UNISON Scotland are highlighting an independent survey showing that Scots want slaughterhouses to be independently inspected by government meat safety inspectors.

This polling is released when there is continued pressure from Europe to de-regulate meat inspectors, and when meat inspectors have been brought into a new Scottish Government Agency, Food Standards Scotland.

UNISON Scotland has released the independent polling, from Ispos MORI, showing that almost all Scots (98%) believe that official slaughterhouses should be inspected to ensure they are meeting food safety and quality standards; the vast majority of Scots (95%) believe that slaughterhouses should continue to operate to official standards; three quarters of Scots also believe slaughterhouses should be inspected independently (75%), and majority of Scots (70%) also agree that standards are more likely to be met if they are carried out by government inspectors.

Dave Watson, UNISON Scottish organiser, said: 
"This report is a timely reminder to Scottish Government that food safety is a priority for Scots. Scots believe the meat trade should be independently inspected and regulated, and they think that meat inspection should be carried out by government inspectors.

"This is too important to get wrong.

"We have been concerned about the lighter touch regulation which has been promoted across UK and EU meat trades. The Scottish Government’s new agency Food Standards Scotland must ensure we maintain a strong, well regulated, independent meat inspection regime."

ends

Notes for editors:

• UNISON is the biggest trade union in Scotland and represents meat inspectors. 

• The independent polling was carried out by Ipsos MORI, published in February 2015, and can be read here:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/ndpb/meathygiene/
PublicAttitudestoInspectionofSlaughterhousesinScotland_Feb2015.pdf 

• Previous UNISON press release on deregulation of the meat tradehttp://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/2014/mayjun/0610.htm

• Scottish Government brought food safety into a new Food Standards Scotland on 1 April 2015. Food Standards Scotland has a new broader remit to consider consumer protection more generally. It includes making sure food is safe to eat but also food labelling and improving nutrition.

Meat hygiene inspectors strike for fair pay

Meat hygiene inspectors, vets and support staff are embarking on two days of strike action from today in a long-running dispute over pay.

Two four-hour walkouts are scheduled to take place, from 6.30am-10.30am on Tuesday, August 26, and again on Wednesday, August 27.

The decision follows a ballot earlier this month, which saw UNISON’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) members overwhelmingly vote for strike action over an imposed pay offer of just 0.75%, while most other public service workers have been offered a 1% increase.

UNISON has previously invited the FSA to resolve the pay dispute through independent conciliation. Even as late as last week, UNISON asked them to reconsider and go to ACAS for arbitration, but they refused.

Dave Watson, UNISON Scotland’s Head of Bargaining and Campaigns, said: “Meat inspectors, official veterinarians and support staff cost each person in the country just 38 pence per year. When you consider that since April 2012, they have prevented over a million instances of diseased animal carcasses from entering the food chain, it’s a small price to pay for safer food.

Deregulation of meat hygiene inspections will result in tragic consequences, warns UNISON

Tuesday 10 June 2014

UNISON, the union which represents meat hygiene inspectors in abattoirs and meat plants, today (Tuesday, 10 June) warned MSPs that any deregulation of meat hygiene inspections will result in unsafe meat entering the food chain, with potential tragic consequences.

A recent freedom of information request revealed that since April 2012 meat inspectors and vets have prevented over a million instances of diseased animal carcasses from entering the food chain. This included:

·         659,000 instances of the Liver Fluke parasite

·         427,000 instances of pneumonia in red meat carcasses

·         100,000 instances of adult tape worm

·         100,000 tumours in chickens

·         1100 instances of parasitic lung worm in cattle, from entering the food chain.

Dave Watson, head of UNISON bargaining and campaigns, said: “This shows what a vital job meat inspectors do. We are calling on the Scottish Government to ensure that Food Standards Scotland is focussed on safety of consumers not food industry profits. Meat inspectors and vets must be able to carry out thorough independent inspections, free from food industry influence.”

De-regulation of food safety wrong approach in Scotland and UK

UNISON, the UK’s largest union, is calling for stricter control of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), after doubts were cast over its independence. The body is calling for greater deregulation of meat inspection in the UK and Europe, which the union believes could pose a health risk to consumers.

A survey by the Corporate Europe Observatory* reveals a tangled network of links between the EFSA and big business interests, adding up to a potential conflict of interest. UNISON is warning that, on EFSA advice, the UK Government, is introducing visual only pig meat inspection from June 2014 which it believes poses a threat to food safety and quality.

Paul Bell, UNISON National Officer for Meat Inspectors, said:

“There is no safe substitute for hands on meat inspection. Inspectors tell us that simply looking at a pig carcass will not deliver the high standards of protection of safety and quality that consumers have a right to expect. There is a real danger that ending physical inspection, will lead to meat containing an abscess or tumour getting into the food chain. It will be minced into processed food like sausages and ham and customers will be none the wiser.

Consumers need to know that any decisions about meat inspection are being made in their best interests and it seems clear that this is now not the case.This survey casts many doubts over how the decision to change the inspection regime was made. It cannot be right that such a potential conflict of interest between the EFSA and consumers is allowed to continue.

In light of this information the Government should put any further decisions about meat inspection on hold until tougher controls are made on the EFSA.”


In this week's independence White Paper the Scottish Government said they want to reduce the burden of European livestock regulations.The paper says (p282):

"We will argue that Europe’s regulatory burden should be reduced in recognition of Scotland’s good animal health record and disease-free status."

In light of this information the Scottish Government should be rethinking their own de-regulatory approach.

http://corporateeurope.org/sites/default/files/attachments/unhappy_meal_report_23_10_2013.pdf

Pig abscesses to be minced into sausages and pies

The European Parliament has rejected their own Health Committee recommendation and voted to change the regulation on the inspection of pigs in slaughterhouses. The changes will mean abscesses are minced into food.

BEUC the European Consumers association, the European Animal Welfare organisation and the European Veterinarian Federation all oppose the Commission proposals.

This decision removes the requirement for independent meat inspectors to cut lymph nodes in the pig’s head and states that during routine inspection the pig carcase should not be touched. Making it impossible to inspect all of the pig meat, especially if the carcase is not cut into two halves before inspection. A trial carried out earlier this year showed that the changes led to a 50% increase in undetected dangerous contamination with pig faeces.

Most meat from pig’s heads is minced into meat products, sausages, pies etc. Last year in the UK 37,000 abscesses were found in pigs heads alone. The Commission changes will lead to most of this diseased meat not being detected during meat inspection and so minced into food.

UNISON challenges supermarkets to support safe meat hygiene inspection

UNISON, the UK’s largest union, today called on the country’s biggest supermarkets to back its campaign to guarantee that the meat they sell is safe to eat and their products labelled correctly.  

The union is contacting Britain’s biggest supermarkets urging them to oppose plans by the EU to drastically cut the meat inspection regime.  

Meat hygiene inspectors are employed in abattoirs up and down the country and inspect every carcass for signs of TB, dog and human parasites, foot and mouth and other diseases as well as faecal contamination. They are also responsible for ensuring that any contaminated meat does not get into the food chain via burgers or sausages.

A recent survey published by Mintel showed that less than half (49%) of consumers trusted the safety of their food and 37% disagreed that supermarkets were aware of the origin of their food. In addition independent research conducted for Labelling Matters shows that 83% of consumers in the UK want to know which farm system has been used to produce their meat and dairy products, and 79% said farm animal welfare was important when deciding which food products to buy.

Paul Bell, UNISON National Officer for Meat Hygiene Inspectors, said: “The reputation of some of the biggest supermarkets in the country has taken a real knocking because of the latest horse meat scandal.  It is in their own interests to reassure customers that they are doing all they can to make sure that the meat they sell is safe to eat..." 

Read more on the UNISON UK website.

Food safety requires independent regulator says meat inspectors union

Thu 23 May 2013

UNISON warned today that the new Scottish version of the Food Standards Agency must have the powers and resources to safeguard the public and stand up to the food industry.

The union representing Scottish meat inspectors stressed that lessons must be learned from the recent horsemeat scandal to protect consumers from contaminated meat and unscrupulous business practices.

Dave Watson, Head of Bargaining and Campaigns, called on the Scottish Government to take the opportunity in establishing the new body to ensure its independence and end the dominance of the food industry in lobbying for lighter regulation.

He criticised some of the policies and changes that had brought this about, including the transfer in 2006 of responsibility for ensuring only clean livestock are slaughtered,  from the state controlled Meat Hygiene Service to the slaughterhouse Food Business Operators.

This and current proposed changes such as introducing visual inspections instead of cutting animals open to check for sickness or diseases are dangerous steps that Scotland can correct.

Dave said: “We want to ensure that robust independent regulation is established and enforced across Scotland.

“Any failures in slaughterhouses force the rest of the food industry to work with unsafe meat products that could potentially result in tragic circumstances.

“The horsemeat scandal showed conclusively that strong regulation of the industry is necessary as, left to their own devices, rogue elements have readily put commercial gain above public safety.”

UNISON’s submission to the Scottish Government consultation on the new food body also warned the Scottish Government against moving environmental health, public health and preventative health services into the new body.

And the union called for proper resourcing for the new body and for local authority environmental health departments which have been hit hard by cuts.

Dave said: “Adequate staffing levels are essential to ensure that key recommendations from previous FSA and Pennington reports, such as the Clean Livestock Policy are delivered. No-one wants to see repeats of the Wishaw E Coli outbreak.

“We believe the general public want strong regulation, putting safety above commercial interests. This is also good for the industry.

“Scottish Meat is a highly regarded brand across the world. The way to keep it that way is to have high quality standards of inspection.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing 160,000 members working in the public sector in Scotland, including meat inspectors working for the Food Standards Agency and environmental health officers in local authorities.

2. Our consultation response “Healthier Scotland: A Consultation on Creating a new Food Body” is online at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/AHealthierScotland_CreatingaNewFoodBody_SubmissiontoScottishGovernment_May2013.pdf

3. Our Briefing ‘Cuts in Food safety and Environmental Health’ is online at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/briefings/b031_BargainingBrief_
CutsinFoodSafety+EnvironmentalHealth_Feb2013.pdf

Inspection cuts and the meat scandal

Environment Editor Rob Edwards highlights the cuts in regulatory activity that has led to the meat scandal in today's Sunday Herald.

An investigation by the Sunday Herald has uncovered steep declines in the testing and inspection regimes meant to prevent frauds such as horsemeat being sold as beef. Experts are warning that such scandals could happen again, and politicians are demanding urgent action.

According to trade union Unison, the number of meat inspectors in Scotland has fallen by more than 50%, from 170 in 2003 to 75 today. A further five inspectors are facing redundancy with the closure of the Hall's meat factory in Broxburn, West Lothian.

Over the last four years there has been a 21% drop in the number of specialist food safety officers employed by local authorities. A survey by the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland has also revealed an 11% fall in the number of environmental health officers.

The institute's food safety adviser, George Fairgrieve, pointed out that the declines inevitably led to less work being done to protect public health. "A reduction in sampling is just one consequence of the cuts in local authority environmental health budgets," he said.

"A worrying impact of the reduction in the number of inspections being carried out is that the opportunity for fraudulent activities increases and law-abiding traders are disadvantaged."

Professor Andrew Watterson, head of the occupational and environmental health research group at the University of Stirling, argued that the horsemeat fiasco was a "sentinel event" with widespread implications.

"We need to protect public health better," he said. "Declines in meat inspector numbers and local authority food safety officers, along with reduced food sampling, must contribute to a weakening of public health standards and the possibility of criminal abuses in the food system."

He also criticised Government ministers for trying to heap the blame on food processors when it was their responsibility to safeguard public health, saying: "We need to revive, not marginalise, environmental health and food safety and raise standards of protection for consumers."

Unison's Scottish organiser, Dave Watson, accused governments of forgetting the lessons learned from the BSE crisis in the 1990s about controlling the meat industry.

He said: "Only strong, independent inspection can properly protect the public from industry malpractice.

"The current scandal follows cuts in meat inspection and environmental health services, proving that 'light touch' regulation has been a disaster for consumers."

RE-INTRODUCE DAILY MEAT CUTTING INSPECTIONS NOW - UNISON

8 Feb 2013

UNISON has today called for the immediate re-introduction of daily independent inspections of meat cutting premises.

With new developments in the meat scandal coming thick and fast, the UK’s largest union said that both the Food Standards Agency and DEFRA had failed in their duty to ensure the safety of the food on people’s plates.

In a move of ‘astonishing insensitivity’, the FSA has this week written to all meat inspectors across the UK to tell them their pay and pensions are to be cut. UNISON called the move ‘poorly timed in the extreme’, as meat inspectors have never been more needed.

Ben Priestley, UNISON national officer said:“The latest developments in the unfolding meat scandal have shone a harsh, but necessary light on the meat processing industry, and it’s time for the question to be asked: how can we stop fraudulent and unlawful practices in the meat industry?

“Consumers have the right to know what is in the food they and their families are eating, and that their food is what it says it is, is safe and free from contamination.

“So far, most of the mislabelled horse meat has been found in ‘budget’ food, targeted at the poorest members of our society. It is a scandal that the safety of people, whose choice is limited by their income, has come second to the private profit.

“We demand the government tells us the full extent of the meat scandal, and until then, one thing is clear - these companies have put profits before the safety of the consumer – and is time for DEFRA and the FSA to act and start putting things right.

“In addition, he attack on food inspectors’ pay, at a time when their work has never been more needed, is poorly timed in the extreme and astonishingly insensitive.”

The meat inspection workforce managed by the Food Standards agency has shrunk from a high point of 1700 – during the BSE and e-Coli crises in the 1990s – to around 800 today.

This has been a direct consequence of the deregulatory policies of both the European Commission and UK Government to hand over more and more meat inspection duties to the meat industry and dispense with proper independent inspection.

In addition to a comprehensive investigation into the contents and quality of processed food, UNISON is calling for the following changes to meat inspection to stop this, the latest in a long line of UK meat scandals, from happening again:

·     The immediate re-introduction of daily, independent inspections of meat cutting premises,
·     The FSA to oversee the independent inspection of food manufacturing premises  –where government cuts have compromised the ability of local trading standards services to do so,
·     The FSA to ensure that all horses killed in the UK for human consumption are tested for the drug “BUTE” and that any horse carcases tested should not be released for human consumption until the test has returned a negative result.

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Union warns on public safety concerns raised in Audit Scotland report

Thursday 31 Jan 2013
UNISON today (Thursday) warned that damaging cuts to trading standards and food safety services in environmental health are putting the public at risk when safety should be paramount.

The public service union welcomed the fact that a new Audit Scotland report highlights the pressures on these essential services and calls for urgent action to strengthen protection for consumers.

Dave Watson, Head of Bargaining and Campaigns, said:
"Our members working in trading standards and food safety, within environmental health departments, tell us about many of the concerns noted in this report.

“For Audit Scotland to find that ‘the long term viability of councils’ trading standards services is under threat’ and to raise concerns about food safety staffing and training levels and loss of expertise demonstrates the seriousness of issues we have raised consistently.

“Members of the public expect to be able to rely on checks being carried out and expect these key services to be properly funded. This is another example of the enormous damage to vital public services caused by government funding cuts at UK, Scottish and local levels.”

The report suggests that COSLA and councils work together to ensure strong national co-ordination for trading standards. UNISON supports co-ordination and collaborative working, but would be sceptical about any suggestion that there should be a national service.

Dave added:
“The recent horse meat in burgers scandal also highlighted the importance of independent meat inspection in abattoirs. There is industry lobbying and EU consideration of relaxing the current standards. UNISON wants to ensure that there is no threat of privatisation and industry self-regulation. We must maintain an independent meat hygiene inspection service as this service is being devolved to Scotland.”

For information please contact:
Dave Watson, Head of Bargaining and Campaigns, 07958 122 409
Fiona Montgomery, Communications Officer, 0141 342 2877 or 07508 877 000
Malcolm Burns, Communications Officer, 0141 342 2877 or 07876 566 978


Note for editors

1.    UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing 160,000 members working mainly in the public sector in Scotland and represents staff in council trading standards and environmental health departments.
2.    UNISON was responding to the Audit Scotland report ‘Protecting Consumers’.

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Horsemeat scandal should have been picked up in UK

16 Jan 2013

Proper government investment in trading standards and meat hygiene services could have meant the horsemeat burger scandal was picked up in the UK rather than relying on the Irish authorities UNISON said today.

The UK’s largest union said that swingeing cuts to these vital services are severely limiting the ability of hard-working officers to protect the public, and warned against watering down EU meat inspections.

Food labelling is one of the many issues overseen by trading standards officers, yet services across the UK have shrunk as their budgets have dwindled.

There have been dramatic falls in levels of activity across the board including: a 29% drop in new prosecutions a 26% fall in the total number of scheduled inspections a 24% fall in the total number of visits for enforcement purposes

In the UK meat inspectors in abattoirs physically inspect all meat leaving the premises –which is vital to safeguard consumers. Despite this, within the EU there are plans to water down these proposals, or allow the industry to self-regulate, which UNISON has strongly warned against. UNISON assistant general secretary Karen Jennings said: “While horsemeat isn't a threat to health, it does pose the question ‘do we know what's in our burgers?’ “The public deserve to have confidence in the products they buy; this confidence comes from trading standards services having the resources available to check the labelling products and pick up offences early, and from the work of meat inspectors and vets in abattoirs.

“Trading standards officers work hard to ensure that products pose no risk to consumers, but as their budgets are slashed, their ability to identify problems, inspect premises and prosecute wrongdoers has become severely limited.

“The real danger in this case is the quality and wholesomeness of meat in abattoirs. We need to avoid disease and contamination, and things like excrement making it into our food. This danger is avoided in the UK by the work of meat inspectors and vets in abattoirs.

“The issue with horsemeat in burgers is yet another example of why the industry isn't fit to regulate itself. It is vital that we continue the independent physical inspection of meat in the UK and the rest of the EU."

(From UNISON UK website )
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Meat inspectors vote 2-1 for strike action in run-up to Christmas

Embargo: For immediate Release
Date: Fri 21 November 2008

Britain’s meat hygiene inspectors have voted two to one in favour of strike action in a dispute over cuts to overtime payments and the introduction of a "work anytime" system.

The inspectors, members of UNISON, who make sure that the meat on our plates is safe to eat, voted in favour of strike action by 65.7% to 34.3%. They also voted by 79.5% to 20.5% for action short of a strike.

A strike in the meat hygiene service would seriously disrupt supplies of meat to supermarkets in the crucial pre-Christmas period.

Simon Watson, UNISON National Officer for Meat Inspectors, said:
"This is a decisive vote for strike action and shows the strength of feeling of meat inspectors. Unless the employers abandon their plans and get back around the table to negotiate a settlement, the industry could lose millions of pounds in lost meat production in the run up to Christmas."

UNISON Scotland Regional Officer Joe Lynch said:
"In Scotland we have demonstrated a high quality of meat inspection. This is another attack on that. Our members feel demoralised about how they been treated, given their commitment to this vital public service over the years.

"UNISON meat inspectors were originally part of local authority environmental health departments, so they have seen plenty of change and are not scared of it. However the changes proposed - which involve taking away their terms and conditions - is a step too far."

The union meets on Monday (24 November) to discuss the next steps.

ends


Notes for editors:
UNISON represents 1000 members of the Meat Hygiene Service, who inspect red meat, white meat, and poultry plants across the UK.

The MHS is a UK agency, and around 160 UNISON members are meat inspectors working for the MHS in Scotland. They are based across the country in 26 major abbatoirs from Carlisle to Orkney. They inspect and certify meat as fit for human consumption after it has been slaughtered.

Please also see previous news release:
Strike threat to meat inspections warns UNISON, 3 Nov 2008
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/2008/novdec/0311.htm


For further information please contact:
Sophie Madden – UNISON Press Office – 07957 505 675
Joe Lynch (Regional Organiser - Scottish Meat Inspectors) 07958 121 063(m)

Strike threat to meat inspections warns UNISON

Date: 03 November 2008
Meat inspections across Scotland, England, and Wales could be hit by a 72 hour strike in the run up to Christmas, UNISON, the UK's largest public service union, warned today (3 Nov).

1,000 meat inspectors (160 in Scotland) will ballot for strike action after their employers - the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) - refused to pay an agreed rise unless they accepted sweeping cuts to overtime payments and changed to a "work anytime" system. Strike action would severely disrupt meat production, including deliveries of meat to supermarkets.

The union is also urging the MHS to tackle the culture of bullying and harassment in abattoirs. A UNISON survey revealed 77% of staff had witnessed bullying or harassment, with 59% personally experiencing it whilst at work.

Simon Watson, UNISON National Officer for Meat Inspectors, said: "Meat inspectors work hard to make sure the meat on our plates is safe to eat, but they are being pushed to the limit by excessive workloads, staff shortages and totally unacceptable levels of bullying and harassment. On top of all this, staff are now being denied an agreed pay rise unless they accept sweeping cuts to overtime payments and change to a work anytime system.

"The changes will have a devastating effect on meat inspectors and their families. Some of our members tell us they will be £100 a week worse off. Others say they will find family life next to impossible. This is a disgusting way to treat staff who have not had a pay rise since August 2006.

"The employers must give staff the agreed pay rise with no strings attached. If strike action goes ahead, the major meat companies and supermarkets face the loss of millions of pounds in meat production, and a shortage of the traditional Sunday roast."

Joe Lynch, the lead officer for Meat Inspection in Scotland said "Not only will the changes increase pressure, stress and cut staff take home pay, they threaten the health and safety of us all. Public hygiene and food safety are a crucial protective service, to disrupt inspectors lives by last minute shift change, and tie them to their phones 24/7 - especially in an atmosphere of bullying and humiliation - means and increased risk of worse food safety."

A meat inspector from the North of England (who wishes to remain anonymous)* said: "My home life will be shattered if I have to work any time between midnight on Monday to midnight on Friday, often at short notice. I have a young family, and my wife and I need a routine to keep the house running. The cost of everything is going up, but my wages are set to take a massive cut. I stand to lose £100 a week if the meat hygiene service get these changes through, but will be working far more unsocial hours."

A consultative ballot of UNISON Meat Hygiene Inspectors last month showed that 83% were in favour of strike action.

END



Note to Editors:
*Meat Inspectors work in a highly pressurised environment where they are easily identifiable. They will not be able to give attributable public statements. Contact Chris Bartter or Joe Lynch if you wish to get anonymised comments from Meat Inspectors.

The UNISON bullying survey results also include: 18% of staff reported that bullying happened daily, and a further 23% said that bullying took place weekly. 39% of meat hygiene inspectors said that bullying took the form of shouting, 35% said bullying included humiliation and a further 28% said it happened through victimisation.

The main causes of bullying were stressed managers (27%), stressed colleagues (30%), staff shortages (33%) and excessive workloads (22%). 56% of staff said they put bullying down to poor management, and 40% of workers said they were too scared to report bullying when it did happen.

Two of the main changes to terms and condition proposed are: Meat Inspectors will have to work a 37 hour week at any time between 0:01hrs Monday to 24:00hrs Friday, with shifts or place of work subject to change at short notice. Contractual overtime will be abolished, unsocial hours payments and mileage allowances will be cut.

The MHS is a UK agency, and around 160 UNISON members are meat inspectors working for the MHS in Scotland. They are based across the country in 26 major abbatoirs from Carlisle to Orkney. They inspect and certify meat as fit for human consumption after it has been slaughtered.


For Further Information Please Contact: Joe Lynch (Regional Organiser - Scottish Meat Inspectors) 07958 121 063(m) Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0771 558 3729(m)