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 Home Health & Safety Occupational Health & Safety
Unions and Workplace Health and Safety
The Internatinal Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates more than 6700 Australian workers die every year from occupational injuries and disease.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) statistics show more than 477,000 workers a year in Australia suffer some form of work related injuries or illness.
Tragically, of this, around 3000 are work related deaths each year. That's more than the national road toll.
When we break this figure down, nearly 450 of those work-related deaths - an average of nearly 10 a week - are the result of a traumatic incident at work, including work related road deaths.
We must not lose sight of the fact that Tasmanian workers are regularly dying on the job.
In 2002/2003 - 12 Tasmanian deaths were identified as work related, in 2003/2004 - there were 4, in 2004/2005 - 6 and already this year 2005/2006 - there has been 7 (9). that is over 30 workers over the past 4 years. In addition there are till ten thousand compensable incidents every year in our workplaces.
Since the Government came to office more than ten long years ago, we have seen a systematic undermining of work safety standards and conditions through their changes to Commonwaelth legislation.
There have been a number of pieces of legislation through which the Government has sought to diminsh or remove the ability of trade unions to be or remain involved in work safety issues at the workplace.
It is with this background that we need to contemplate the practical impact that the WorkChoices legislation is likely to have.
Workchoices will not allow workplace agreements to provide for leave to attend OHS training provided by trade unions.
Under the WorkChoices regulations, it is expressly prohibited for Agreements to provide for employees th ability to take leave to attend union occupational health and safety training. It is prohibited content.
Individual employees or employers attempting to negotiate these matters face Government fines of $6,600 for individuals, or $33,000 for organisations.
Trade unions do, and should, have a central role to play in workplace safety in this country.
It has been through the tireless work of the trade union movement that today we are able to enjoy safer workplaces than would otherwise be the case.
Contact Details
Tasmanian Catholic Education Employees Association
Ph: (03) 6234 9970
Fax: (03) 6234 9505
Email: angbriant@tassie.net.au
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