Joseph Gibbons of CSCS has said that there needs to be some clarity made surrounding the debate. Paul Fear, a sign industry professional, had recently set up a petition to lobby the Welsh Assembly on the issues surrounding the CSCS card. One of Fear’s biggest concerns is the cost of obtaining an NVQ to qualify for the CSCS scheme.

Fear has passionate opinions on the withdrawal of the CRO cards and explained at the time: “The law states very clearly that a worker only needs to be competent to do their work safely. So, how has a private limited company managed to override UK employment law and remove the non-retrospective principles of our common laws and grandfather rights?”

However, Gibbons has now argued that the CSCS scheme is not a PLC, and that the CSCS scheme is not a replacement for the CRO card. He says: “The CRO card has been withdrawn, not replaced. There is no replacement for the CRO card.

“CSCS is not a PLC. CSCS is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, the guarantors being a number of construction employer associations and unions, and CSCS has not overridden any UK employment law.”

Gibbons also argued previously that the number of workers that relied on the CRO has decreased significantly since it has been withdrawn. It seems that this debate is far from over, and if any sign-makers agree with Fear, they can sign the petition here: www.assembly.wales/en/gethome/e-petitions/Pages/petitiondetail.aspx?PetitionID=1316.

If you have an alternative viewpoint, or would like to add to the argument from CSCS, then please feel free to email me at: online_ed@linkpublishing.co.uk.

If you have an interesting story or a view on this news, then please e-mail news@signlink.co.uk

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