politics – Page 2 – SafetyAtWorkBlog

NSW Bickers Over Psych Comp Costs While Ignoring the Cure: Safer Workplaces

Currently, workplace politics in New South Wales are wrapped up in arguing about changes to the way workers’ compensation covers those with a psychological injury. The justification, as it was with similar issues in Victoria last year, is that the growth in workplace mental health claims apparently jeopardises the viability of the workers’ compensation scheme. These arguments exclude the long-term occupational health and safety (OHS) solution to the problem, and it is not as if governments were unaware of this emerging financial challenge.

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Stakeholder vs. Shareholder: The Capitalism Clash Shaping Safer Workplaces

Elements of Andrew Hopkins’ latest book have been spinning in my head for a couple of weeks as they echo my thoughts on occupational health and safety (OHS) over the last few years. I cannot shake his discussion of stakeholder capitalism and shareholder capitalism. These two elements of business management are crucial to our understanding of OHS and how we should proceed, particularly in relation to psychological health.

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Boeing’s failures illustrate fundamental flaws in modern business values

Andrew Hopkins’ new safety and management book has landed. It is perhaps his most powerful critique of modern safety-related corporate management as he identifies “big picture” socioeconomic and political factors that directly affect executive decisions. By examining the 737 MAX aeroplane crisis of over 340 customer deaths that Boeing could have prevented, Hopkins discusses the hazardous managerial ideologies that have been idolised and are likely to be present in most companies created in the last 40 years.

The book has aviation in the title, but this is far more than a book about aeroplanes.

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Workplace safety, AI , and what the Victorian Premier said

Last week’s International Workers’ Memorial Day in Melbourne is stuck in the back of my mind, niggling into my thoughts. I reread the article I wrote at the time and realised that it did not outline what was said by Victorian Trades Hall Council Secretary, Luke Hilakari or the Premier, Jacinta Allan. Below are my takeaways from Hilakari’s speech and a slightly edited transcript of the Premier’s speech.

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What does the Labor Party landslide win mean for work health and safety?

This weekend, all the talk in Australia has been about the massive and unexpected electoral swing to the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in the federal election. Most pundits were expecting a majority government, at least, but now the ALP has a substantial majority in the House of Representatives. Possible constraints from a new Senate have yet to be identified.

But this blog is about occupational health and safety (OHS), so why start with an election summary? Industrial relations and, therefore, OHS were almost entirely absent from the election campaigns.

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Meaningful memorial that could have said much more

International Worker Memorial Day (IWMD) events are usually moving and solemn occasions. Today’s event in Melbourne, Victoria, was a good example, but something was missing, especially given the calibre of dignitaries who were present. (A list of most of them is below)

Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Luke Hilakari was on message as the first formal speaker. He was the only speaker who addressed the IWMD theme – The role of AI and digitalisation at work. He was followed by Premier Jacinta Allan, Melbourne Lord Mayor, Nick Reece, Acting CEO of WorkSafe Victoria, and Ash West. The Premier’s attendance was notable as I cannot remember the last time a Premier attended or spoke at this type of event.

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We can build better safety from the decline of the free market

Business ethics has never been a significant focus of occupational health and safety (OHS) organisations or regulators beyond what the law says. OHS advisers in companies and through consultation constantly address ethical or unethical behaviour, even though this is rarely discussed at the academic level or outside of the possibility of prosecution. Over the last four decades, neoliberal ideology and policies have given OHS only grudging attention, if any at all. Neoliberalism is gaining more attention in the OHS literature as the socioeconomic and political sources of hazards are finally receiving serious attention. However, most OHS people cannot remember a world before neoliberalism. It is important to remember that trust in the “free market’ on which neoliberalism was built, the promises of wealth for all, and reflect on how worker health and safety suffered.

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