“The conference inside is a bit of a sham” claimed Brian Boyd, Victorian Trades Hall Secretary at the first meeting into the harmonisation of Australia’s workers compensation laws.
“It’s really another hidden agenda about trying to harmonise workers comp after we fully know already, they’ve messed up harmonisation of OHS.”
Continue reading “The first workers’ compensation harmonisation meeting a sham: unions”
The Communications Division of the CEPU has been in negotiations with Australia Post for some time to establish a pathway to better industrial relations. On 18 March 2010 a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the two parties, committing both to progress.
Of direct OHS interest is the following paragraph in the media statement about the MOU:
“As a gesture of good faith the MOU contains commitments from all parties that will apply immediately:
Whether OHS will be discussed at the summit is unknown but the removal of LTIFR is of significance to OHS professionals.
Continue reading “LTIFRs (sort of) gone from Australia Post”
In December 2009, SafetyAtWorkBlog reported the comments by the English Conservative leader, David Cameron, on some concerns he had about the direction of occupational health and safety in England and how the newspapers were reporting OHS.
On 15 March 2010, The Independent published an article by the CEO of the Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH), Rob Strange. [IOSH says it is a personal opinion piece] Strange’s article is not a rebuttal of Cameron’s speech but is an important statement in the dialogue, or debate, that must occur if workplace safety is ever going to be treated with respect.
Strange must deal with the notorious English tabloid press and some of his article shows that no matter what relationship one may wish to have with a journalist, there is no guarantee that the journalist or editor will run your perspective, argument or rebuttal. His struggle shows how important it is to establish a respectful relationship with the media producers. His example should be followed by safety professional associations elsewhere. Continue reading “The OHS profession in Australia needs a saviour. Has anyone got one spare?”
Through March 2010, WorkSafe Victoria is running a series of seminars on the issue of workplace bullying throughout Victoria. In support of the campaign, the OHS regulator has a series of ads in the newspapers (pictured below left)
Cheekily the Community & Public Sector Union has “piggybacked” on the promotional campaign emphasising that the Victorian Government is changing the law to make it more difficult to claim workers’ compensation Continue reading “Public sector union capitalises on WorkSafe bullying campaign”
On 15 March 2010, the National President of the Safety Institute of Australia (SIA), Barry Silburn, distributed an email to the 3,600 SIA members strongly refuting the “unsubstantiated claims of irregularities” that were, apparently made by Gavin Waugh, Western Australian Division President and former National Secretary, in a member discussion forum and email circulated to members a couple of days earlier.
Many SIA members will be perplexed by having such an email lob in their inbox without any explanatory background and with obtuse language. In some ways the email reads like the accountant has done a runner to spend all the members’ money at the casino. Continue reading “Abuse, egos, corporate governance and the safety profession”
An independent member of the South Australian Parliament, Ann Bressington, has revealed that some injured workers in South Australia are receiving food parcels because their income is so low that they are living on bread and instant soup.
In a media statement released on 2 March 2010 (not yet available online), Bressington said
“Rosemary McKenzie-Ferguson and I have both found ourselves in the position of having to provide food to injured workers because some were living on nothing more than dry bread and packet soups and unable to afford their medications. It is a sad indictment of our government’s commitment to its constituents when sick, injured and vulnerable people are forced into this position….they have been thrown out in the cold and literally left to starve”. (link added)
The media statement was issued in support of the 10th WorkCover Public Forum scheduled for 4 March 2010 in the Way Hall, 10 Pitt St, Adelaide.
Bressington and McKenzie-Ferguson recently commented on WorkCover issues in SafetyAtWorkBlog.
In February 2010, an Australian Facebook Group has put together a petition to call for a thorough review into issues associated with workplace bullying. The initiative stemmed from the successful prosecution of four men who contributed to the suicide of Brodie Panlock through their bullying behaviours. The petition, subtitled “Petition For Criminal and Workplace Reform In Australia For Psychological Abuse”, has now been prepared and is seeking support.
The crux of the petition is:
“Your petitioners ask that the Parliament:
- Conduct a review by the Australian Law Reform Commission or the Productivity Commission or similar agency, of the effectiveness of all current (including criminal, anti-discrimination and OHS laws) and proposed legislation. Continue reading “Workplace Bullying petition is now online”