Brown Bins & Bury Belly

FROM last November, the Bradley Fold Refuse Depot in Bury, Greater Manchester, has not had a Safety Representative working with the Bury binmen, because he was suspended on the pretext of a breach under the Bury MBC's Dignity at Work Policy and alleged threatening behaviour.  Earlier this year, after six months of being suspended amid a fishing experdition trawling for witnesses to prove a case against him, the Safety Representative appeared before an internal disciplinery investigation and was fully cleared of any serious wrongdoing.  Yet, because of all the stress the lad is still off on the sick.  Recently his union, UNITE, has complained of bias and unfair practices by the main Human Resources investigator, this complaint is still ongoing. 
One unforseen consequence of the absence of a Safety Representative at Bradley Fold Refuse Depot seems to have been increased absences owing to stomach bugs among the operatives emptying the Brown Bins in Bury.  It seems that during the hot humid weather in August that the fortnightly waste cycle (instead of weekly) encouraged the multiplication of maggots and other insect pests leading to illnesses among the binmen.  Had there been an active Safety Representative on the job to flag this danger up, this might have been avoided.  Managements often see Safety Representatives as undermining production at a plant but this may be shortsighted attitude.  Bury Belly is no use to anyone.