OHS campaign
National OHS Harmonisation – Campaign for best practice continues. By Brian Boyd, VTHC Secretary.
Back on the 28th September the Federal Government, through the Workplace Relations Minister’s Council, released for public comment a proposed new OHS national model law.
The six weeks ‘public comment’ period gives the trade union movement an opportunity to promote and enhance its campaign to win the best OHS ‘harmonisation’ laws possible.
OHS in the workplace is a ‘bread and butter’ issue for trade unions. We cannot allow this issue to fall off our radar screen.
It must be remembered that the so called “harmonisation” of the nation’s numerous OHS laws was started by the Howard government.
John Howard’s rationale was to cut red tape for employers not to develop an improved OHS framework to protect workers at work. In the current phase the employers have not given up on this original objective. They are pushing the Rudd/Gillard government hard on watering down OHS regulations.
There is much to be done.
The Victorian Trades Hall Council has recently released survey results that show the global financial crisis is affecting safety in Victorian workplaces. This is also very worrying.
77% of survey respondents said that the global financial crisis has been causing deterioration in OHS standards in their workplace.
Companies are taking short cuts in order to reduce costs. They are skimping on health and safety generally. Some workers have reported being scared to raise problems because they are scared to lose their job.
Clearly, the Victorian government needs to ensure that the progressive elements within Victoria’s OHS laws are maintained and enforced in the current national debate.
These include the right of workers to raise OHS concerns anonymously, the right of OHS Representatives to seek any assistance they need. Other protections and support for OHS workplace representatives are needed as well.
Now that we have a publicly available document, we should step up our call on Victoria’s WorkCover Minister Tim Holding to actively work towards the best outcome possible.
The safety and health of Victorian workers are too important to do any less.
The survey was conducted in August when over 500 OHS workplace representatives met for a briefing on the proposed new laws. Representatives came from finance, construction, manufacturing and health industries and included nurses, public servants, teachers, scientists, building workers, call centre workers and bank employees.
Their input deserves a strengthened campaign strategy. 1st October 2009.
See earlier posts.
joe hill
