04 August 2003
Victorian unions will urge workers to "Speak Up Together" for health and safety following a campaign launch in Melbourne today (4 August).
 OHS reps speak out at launch (left to right) Jan Stevenson, Cardin Flaherty and Robyn Wellington |
Unionists, health and safety representatives and WorkSafe representatives gathered at Trades Hall to launch the VTHC OHS unit's "Speak Up Together" for safety campaign. OHS representatives from a variety of workplaces attending the launch spoke out on the issues at stake in the campaign. VTHC secretary, Leigh Hubbard, said encouraging workers to speak up about health and safety was an essential part of improving workplace OHS standards.
"Many workers encounter barriers to speaking up because they are vulnerable, isolated and often in small non-unionised workplaces where they find it incredibly difficult to speak out. We have a lot of work to do not only to encourage workers to speak out but to give them the framework and infrastructure to do so."Mr Hubbard said international research confirmed that unionised workplaces were the safest because workers were not afraid to speak out on issues of concern if they had the backing of their union. The campaign coincided with a number of significant events on a state and national level, he said.
"This campaign is being launched at a time when there are many things happening on a state and federal level. These include the recently announced review of the labour hire industry in Victoria and the impending review of the Health and Safety Act.
"On a less positive note unions are confronting attacks on health and safety at a state level as a result of the Howard Government's Cole Royal Commission."Mr Hubbard said it was crucial that unions provide health and safety representatives with increased levels of support. He said the campaign aimed to:
- Provide extra support to OHS reps
- Increase the profile and number of OHS reps
- Provide more information to workplaces on OHS
- Advocate for the provision of more training and resources for OHS reps.
"About 3 years ago we had to call the ASU in to help us with some health and safety issues. The company gives a lot of lip service to having great OHS policies and consulting workers. But if you ever raise an issue that is likely to ruffle a few feathers you are quickly shot down in flames."Ms Wellington said that when she started work with the company there was only one OHS representative for around 600 workers.
"This person didn't get the opportunity to attend any meetings because she worked part-time in the evenings and the meetings were held during the day. So any issues raised by her were quickly swept under the carpet."The company had recently demonstrated its lack of regard for OHS issues when it challenged a WorkSafe decision to increase the health and safety representation from one to four workers, she said.
"Eventually we got the four that we wanted and I became one of those reps. Then the company produced new policies to try to circumvent the fact that they had more people speaking out about health and safety."
"I hope this campaign will at least encourage workers to get together to speak up and approach employers so that their health and safety concerns are dealt with."OHS rep of the year nominee, and Community and Public Sector Union member, Jan Stevenson, demonstrated how being an active union health and safety rep and using the latest Internet technology could advance workers' ability to 'speak out' on health and safety.
"I have developed a website on which I have published all the risk evaluation sheets that I have written for all the dangerous chemicals and experiments conducted at the school (Gisbourne Secondary College).
"It is available world wide and also to lab technicians in other schools in the state who can now access the risk evaluation sheets. In most cases there is only one laboratory technician in each school so they are very isolated and really only get feedback from other lab techs in their area. It is a great deal of work but I am trying to help other technicians identify hazards to prevent accidents."Electrical Trades Union OHS representative at Toyota, Cardin Flaherty, said the backing of his union was vital to resolving a recent OHS issue in his workplace.
"The issue of isolation for health and safety reps is a key factor. I have called on the VTHC OHS unit and my union many times to get issues resolved.
"Last year I requested a safe work procedure for a job. My general foreman refused to provide this and also tried to intimidate me. The issue went unresolved for nine weeks. It was finally settled when the ETU delegate come to the site and organised a mass meeting where management witnessed the level of support we had from the guys on the shop floor.Upcoming key events in the campaign include:
- 14 August - International Youth Day - Activities to encourage young people to speak up together about OHS
- 20-24 October - Participation in ACTU National Manual Handling Campaign
- 29 October - VTHC OHS representatives Conference with visiting international OHS experts. Approximately 1000 OHS reps are expected to attend.