Toilet dignity win

Unite the union and Hanson UK, the building materials company, have collaborated to further improve welfare facilities at the company’s sites, including new toilets, showers, washing amenities and rest areas.

Hanson and Unite’s shop stewards have worked together to audit existing facilities and formulate an action plan to make improvements where needed.

The result is that drivers, both employed by Hanson and visiting the company, will now be treated with the respect that professional drivers deserve.

Mathew Barlow, Hanson UK supply chain director, said, “Our facilities had degraded over time and we needed to bring these up to a modern standard at every location that meets the requirements of a professional workforce.
 

“The investment we have made in improving toilet, washing and rest room facilities is a worthy one as it demonstrates Hanson’s commitment to the excellent work of all of our drivers.”
 

Unite national officer Adrian Jones said, “Hanson has responded in the way we would hope every employer would when we brought this issue to the attention of management. The financial investment in bringing welfare facilities up to an acceptable standard should not be underestimated.

“The same cannot be said across every organisation in the UK however. In many instances drivers are still facing difficulty in accessing any facilities and when they do the quality and cleanliness of the toilets at some other sites can be downright disgusting.
“It is great that Unite shop stewards have been able to work proactively with Hanson’s management in rolling out these improvements. I just hope others will follow their example.”
The announcement of improvements in Hanson’s welfare facilities follows World Toilet Day (November 19) when Unite highlighted that tens of thousands of workers are currently being denied toilet dignity.