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Britain's Pub Union Calls for Smokefree Workplace Law

Parts excerpted from UK Times and Personnel Today, 6/7/04

Bar, pub, club and catering staff of the Transport and General Workers' Union
voted in favor of an outright ban on smoking in their workplaces.  Britain's
third largest union made their demand for smokefree bars, clubs and restaurants,
days after Prime Minister Tony Blair supported making all public places
smokefree. 
The vote comes amid mounting concerns of the failure of existing legislation to
protect workers from diseases caused by exposure to tobacco smoke pollution.

Brian Revell, the union's national organiser for food and agriculture, said it
was unacceptable that union members working in the hospitality industry
continued to be confronted by smoky environments, which could damage their
health.

"The feedback from our members working in bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants is
that smoking in their workplaces is as prevalent as ever and a ban is necessary
now," he said. "The Government is right to consider smokefree workplace
legislation and the union expects it to take a firm position in the interests of
public health."

This year, Ireland and Norway became the first European nations to make all
workplaces, including pubs and restaurants, smokefree.

To win smokefree air where YOU live, go to http://www.smokefree.net/alerts.php

Joseph W. Cherner
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the 
world.  Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."    Margaret Mead