Howard strips OHS Rights from Workers
by DC/AC Monday November 20, 2006 at 10:44 AM
amwu2@amwu.asn.au

Now everyday life of work on Monday has returned for most of us - after the stopg20 festival - please consider taking your energy and time into the mass mobilisation of workers at the G November 30th and beyond. Occuptional Health & Safety affects not just the worker and their family but many more of us eg commuters on public transport, pedestrians in the City if asbestos removal gets slack etc.

Howard strips OHS Rights from Workers
17/11/2006

The Howard Government has forced through changes to give employers more control of Occupational Health and Safety in workplaces covered by the Commonwealth OHS Act.

Public and private sector employers covered by the Commonwealth OHS Act will no longer be legally required to include unions in OHS consultations and arrangements.

AMWU Occupational Health and Safety Coordinator, Phil Hazelton said that the first two attempts to pass such laws in 2000 and 2002 failed but were finally passed by the Liberal/National Senate majority in October.

“The changes mean that employers will control the elections of workers health and safety representatives, can delay those elections for up to 6 months, don’t need to negotiate with unions on OHS issues and agreements in workplaces, and can change designated work groups through agreement with the health and safety representative only.

“The changes to the OHS laws fit the Howard government’s philosophy of employer self regulation of OHS and fly in the face of clear Australian and international research showing union organised workplaces are safer workplaces,” Hazelton said.

AMWU National Secretary Doug Cameron said that the changes to Commonwealth OHS laws were like the rest of the Howard government’s IR laws.

“They’re designed to take the power away from workers and their unions and give it to the bosses.”

The new laws will take effect in 2007.

Contact Person: Doug Cameron
Contact Email: amwu2@amwu.asn.au

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