19 May 2003
Struggling safety reps feeling out of their depth can look forward to a big boost in support from unions, following a long list of resolutions adopted at an ACTU seminar emphasising the importance of reps as partners in the union business of securing safer workplaces.
 Reactivate OHS |
The May 2003 Conference looked at the impact of changes in the labour market and work organisation. The conference confirmed the fundamental importance of good occupational health and safety to all workers, and its central role in union organising. Delegates also resolved to pursue a number of standard provisions across Australia. These include: a union right of entry and right to union-initiated prosecutions, mandatory employee consultation and the right of health and safety reps to issue provisional improvement notices.
Delegates said it was important to "increase the number of health and safety representatives in workplace and raise the level of support for them from the union movement".
"Active, effective and informed union health and safety representatives mean safer and healthier workplaces," the seminar conceded, adding that along with delegates, union health and safety reps were effective in building union membership and involvement.But many are left to go it alone, they said. "Health and safety reps are often isolated and left to act alone in their workplace, which makes it difficult for them to be effective."
The full text of the resolutions passed at the conclusion of the seminar:
Health and safety representatives are often isolated and left to act alone in their workplace, which makes it difficult for them to be effective.
Consistent with the ACTU Future Strategies document, this seminar recommends that the union movement:
- recognise health and safety representatives as union activists;
- ensure that workers and unions conduct elections of health and safety representatives;
- conduct audits of health and safety representative networks to identify:
- the ratio of representatives to workers;
- workplaces that do not have a representative; and
- training requirements for representatives;
- develop union forums for health and safety representatives;
- ensure involvement of health and safety representatives in enterprise bargaining, as health and safety is integral to working conditions (eg. hours, breaks, workloads, work organisation);
- ensure joint workplace meetings between union delegates and health and safety representatives;
- ensure support by union organisers for health and safety representatives, as well as for union delegates;
- incorporate health and safety into union strategies for organising and recruitment;
- organise workplace meetings on health and safety; and
- ensure active workplace involvement in national health and safety campaigns
In recognition of health and safety problems arising from the current industrial relations climate, including the Cole Royal Commission, the 1996 Workplace Relations Act, and the changing nature of work and the labor market, trade unions need to campaign for:
- health and safety representation for workers currently without representation;
- pilot programs and legislative change for regional or roving health and safety representatives.
Trades and Labor Councils and affiliates need to participate in developing a common agenda for legislation, standards and codes of practice, and other activity from Commonwealth, state and territory health and safety agencies.
Effective union action requires a comprehensive framework of health and safety laws, which should include - but not be limited to - union right of entry, mandatory consultative arrangements, union-initiated prosecutions, corporate accountability, and provisional improvement notices.
Participants in this seminar encourage the ACTU to conduct similar seminars on an annual basis, and to incorporate occupational health and safety in future ACTU organising conferences.
Participants in this seminar will report its outcomes to unions, and work to have these outcomes implemented as a basis for future organising.
See Also:
- Reactivate OHS: The Time Is Now Article from LaborNet on Dr Kathryn Heiler's address.
- More information on the ACTU campaign.
May 2003