Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
According to the latest figures, there are 15,580 cases of coronavirus disease diagnosed in Australia - an increase of 2,686 since last week, almost all in Victoria. 176 people have died - 48 more than last week. The number of new infections in Victoria has continued to grow which has led to increased concern and talk of even tougher restrictions. There were 384 cases reported on Monday, and 295 new infections yesterday - this is from the high of over 500 on Sunday, so hopefully the numbers are coming down. Victoria has had a total of 90 deaths - nine were reported yesterday. (It is unlikely that the latest figures have been added to the overall Australian statistics)
On Tuesday the Premier announced that in order to free up medical staff to be able to attend private sector aged care facilities, all elective surgery will be cancelled. The system will try to accommodate anyone with surgery already booked, and urgent surgery will continue. There were over 800 active cases linked to private sector aged care.
Last week the ACTU renewed its call for pandemic leave for all workers - since then Luke Hilakari, Secretary of the VTHC has echoed the demand. This came following the Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, linking the state’s surge in coronavirus cases to insecure work meaning that people miss out on pay if they self-isolate. The Victorian government responded quickly by making $300 available to people who could show that by testing and having to remain home until they got their test results they would not be paid their normal wages.
We need a fair national system - so sign the ACTU's petition now and send it around to all your contacts/post it on your social media.
The international situation keeps worsening: the number of people infected is now at 16,893,293 - last Wednesday it was 15,093,712, so this is almost 1.8 million more infections - so the rate is still increasing. There have now been 663,465 deaths around the world. Read more: For more information on Coronavirus and COVID-19, go to this page on our site.
Victorian tragedy: Two fatalities in 48 hours
WorkSafe Victoria yesterday released news of two workplace fatalities which occurred over the weekend.
The first fatality happened on Friday when a 60-year-old farmer was killed after his tractor rolled on a property at Myrniong, near Bacchus Marsh. It is believed the man was slashing on uneven ground when the incident occurred.
The second was the death of a 34-year-old man who was crushed while working on a tipper truck at his Lilydale home on Sunday. It is believed the man was working on the chassis of the truck with the cargo bin raised when it fell on top of him. According to WorkSafe, these fatalities bring the number of workplace deaths this year to 42, which is two more than at the same time last year. Readers will notice that this number is a big jump from when we reported the two previous fatalities in the May 13 edition of SafetyNet, when the number was 23. This is because WorkSafe is now using the amended definition of a workplace death, which came into effect when the Workplace Manslaughter legislation kicked in on July 1 this year. Source: WorkSafe media release. Read more: Workplace deaths in Victoria almost double under new tally. Sydney Morning Herald; Workplace Manslaughter legislation.
Ask Renata
Hi Renata
Due to COVID-19, our healthcare staff are currently being kept as separate as possible. There is only one 'tea room' in the workplace to share and another space has been allocated as a 'break room' for the staff being 'siloed'. The problem is that this space has no facilities and we are asked to use the 'tea room' for a short a time as possible, to use the microwave, the kettle and so on. Can we get a kettle for the second break room? There is no direct sink access, and the employer is suggesting it is a fire hazard. We would be happy to provide equipment to minimise the risk of fire - for example a fire blanket as there is in the actual tea room.
Why would having a kettle (or even better, setting up an urn and filling it in the morning) be a fire hazard? I would be challenging the employer on this perhaps baseless assertion! If the equipment is not damaged, and has been tested and tagged regularly (when new, it is taken to have been tested), there's no reason why it would be a fire hazard.
Given that the current situation is going to probably last a while, I would recommend taking a look at what the employer 'needs to provide' to employees (under the Workplace amenities and work environment code of practice - see individual FAQs on this section of the site - the link to the code is on most of them).
I suggest negotiating what can and should be provided in the new 'break room' so that it 'works' for everyone. It shouldn't be you providing the needed extra equipment, either, the employer has a duty under s21 to provide, so far as is reasonably practicable, adequate facilities. I recommend that you make a time for a meeting with management, go in with a case: their duties, options, what you want, etc. See Resolution of Issues to see how to go about negotiating and coming up with a solution. If they don't come back with something reasonable, think about taking it further - issuing a PIN for example.
Please remember: if you have any OHS related queries, then send them in via our Ask Renata facility on the website.
AEU calls for greater flexible learning for schools
The Australian Education Union (AEU) Victorian branch has called on the Department of Education and Training (DET) to allow a flexible approach for both special schools and year 11 and 12 students in its learning guidelines for schools during term three, and allow schools to make suitable arrangements where necessary to provide high-quality public education as well as meet the needs of staff, students and parents. Those arrangements may include remote learning on set days or for set students.
AEU Victorian branch President Meredith Peace said the DET’s unwillingness to compromise and allow a flexible approach meant some students were missing out and had led to additional stress for principals, teachers and support staff. “We’re seeing drop-offs in attendance rates, particularly in our special schools, and because schools have not been authorised to make local decisions those kids who aren’t physically attending school are getting limited, if any education,” said Ms Peace.
Some special schools have reported attendance rates of around 50 per cent, with many parents choosing to keep their children at home due to COVID-19 concerns and the high number of infections in Victoria. The AEU has been particularly concerned about special schools because the hands-on nature of the education and care of students makes physical distancing almost impossible, and staff have been frustrated by the lack of PPE and clear guidelines about its use.
“Right now, our special school staff feel they are being neglected and we want to see some action from the department that shows us they will prioritise the health and safety of their employees and students,” said Ms Peace. Read more: AEU media release
Principals want an end to face-to-face teaching in lockdown zones
Yesterday the Australian Principal's Federation (APF), the union for state school principals called on the Andrews government to abandon face-to-face classes for students in years 11 and 12 and in specialist schools and return to remote learning in Victoria's COVID-19 lockdown zones. More than one in 10 Victorian secondary schools were closed on Monday after being linked to a recent coronavirus infection, with most of the affected schools located in Melbourne’s north and west.
In light of the growing number of coronavirus-related closures - 59 by Monday afternoon - the Federation called for "an immediate return to flexible learning for all students in metro Melbourne and Mitchell Shire". It also criticised DHHS's ''staggeringly poor" management of positive cases in schools, saying some had waited for days for advice on how to handle closures and contact tracing. Read more: The Age
ACTU survey for working from home
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has launched a survey on the impacts people are experiencing whilst working from home during the pandemic, and to gain insights into workers’ attitudes to this becoming a more permanent feature of work into the future.
The results will be used to build a claim for working people in terms of what concerns people have and what protections need to be built into the system if this is to become part of the ‘new normal’. You can fill out the survey here, and please distribute it widely - tell your colleagues, your friends and family about it.
Aged care staff missing out on training, PPE, pay
On Monday, the national office of the United Workers Union, which has aged care workers in a number of states (other than Victoria) released the results of a survey of more than 1000 members. It says the survey revealed shocking gaps in coronavirus preparations by aged care providers, and showed that lockdowns and other coronavirus measures had seriously affected aged care workers and the residents they care for, with staff shortages, increased workloads and some residents not seen for days at a stretch. The members surveyed are predominantly from Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia (residential) and NSW (home care).
Results from the survey include:
- Three in 10 residential aged care workers said they had received no additional training in coronavirus safety measures or correctly using personal protective equipment.
- More than two thirds of aged care workers do not feel very prepared to deal with a coronavirus outbreak.
- One in three home care workers said they did not have enough supplies of hand sanitiser and gloves.
- Only one in 10 home care workers said they had been given a contactless thermometer.
The union said the survey raised structural issues that make stopping coronavirus and keeping aged care staff challenging:
- Nine out of 10 aged care workers said they could not afford to take unpaid leave.
- Nine out of 10 aged care workers are worried their colleagues may have to work if they have mild symptoms because of a lack of leave.
- Only 16 per cent of workers report their providers had offered some form of paid pandemic sick leave.
- Aged care workers said staff shortages occur because shifts are not filled when people do take coronavirus-related leave.
- Only one in 10 workers said they felt more valued since the onset of the pandemic.
- More than half of frontline care workers say the Federal Government’s controversial retention bonus has had no impact on retaining them in the industry.
United Workers Union aged care director Carolyn Smith said the findings confirmed the dire conditions facing aged care workers nationally during the pandemic: “Aged care workers have revealed they feel unprepared, untrained and unsafe in the face of this pandemic, which is a damning indictment on national preparations to protect Australia’s most vulnerable people.”
Read more: UWU media release Pandemic failures in aged care revealed in survey
Then: Fair Work Commission awards paid pandemic leave to aged care workers
Unions have won paid pandemic leave for aged care workers: following campaigning and an application to the Fair Work Commission, on Monday it ruled that aged care workers employed under three awards will be entitled to two weeks' paid leave if they are required to self-isolate due to having coronavirus symptoms or being a close contact of a confirmed case. The full bench of five commissioners on Monday found that employees of residential aged care faced an “elevated risk of being required to self-isolate” and needed the condition added to their award safety net. The FWC found that aged care workers faced “significant financial difficulty and even distress” due to the fact they may not have paid leave, in the case of casuals, or have exhausted their leave entitlement.
The leave covers residential aged care under the Aged Care Award, the Nurses Award and the Health Professionals Award, and came into effect today, Wednesday July 29, initially for a three month period. The provision also applies to casual workers "engaged on a regular and systemic basis" - the payment would be based on their average earnings over the past six weeks. There are some conditions attached to it:
- Workers must be 17 or older and likely to have worked during the self-isolation period
- Cannot be receiving any income, including other leave or JobKeeper, during their time in quarantine
- If they test positive, then they will get workers compensation, which supersedes the pandemic leave
- If the direction to self-isolate comes from a doctor, and not come the Government or employer, the worker must provide a medical certificate
The win is great, but the ACTU says the Federal Government needs to act now and extend the leave to cover every worker. It points out that while the Fair Work Commission’s decision grants paid leave to aged care workers, but excludes casual workers with irregular hours. In order to stop the spread of this virus in workplaces, every single worker must have access to paid leave so they can be supported to get tested for the virus and self-isolate if necessary.“The problem of workers having no leave goes beyond the aged care sector," said ACTU Secretary Sally McManus. "We welcome this decision but it still does not remove the trap door for casual workers with irregular hours, or workers in other industries. Paid pandemic leave is a crucial public health measure that provides a circuit breaker to stem the rate of transmission by allowing those with symptoms to stay home without losing income." Read more: ABC News online; The Guardian, ACTU Media release
Health: ‘cohorting’ of aged care employees as a strategy to reduce the spread of coronavirus
'Cohorting' of employees means that each aged care employee can only work at one work site – i.e. one aged care facility. This is being contemplated/proposed only for aged care sites in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, and only for 8 weeks. It is likely to extend longer, and geographically further, before the COVID-19 situation is under control. It may also extend to provision of aged care in people’s own homes.The Victorian branch of the nurses’ union, the ANMF, has been in discussions with employers over the weekend to gain a better understanding of how they see cohorting working – with some providers well advanced in their plans. It is not a matter of ‘if’ cohorting will be introduced but ‘when’ and under what conditions.
The union says it has experienced some providers seeking to require employees to only work for their organisation, which would still allow an employee to work at multiple sites operated by that employer. Some are simply making demands, and expecting their employees to comply, without regard for those who rely on two or three jobs to make ends meet. Such directions may not be lawful and have a damaging flow-on effect to other aged care providers. The ANMF and other unions are currently discussing and developing with government and providers a better plan for workers. Read more: ANMF Newsflash
Abattoir workers stop work over coronavirus fears
Yesterday morning abattoir workers in Melbourne downed tools over coronavirus fears. Workers at the JBS meat factory in Brooklyn, which has recorded 71 positive cases of Covid-19, ceased work until the company could provide them with assurances they would be safe, according to the United Workers Union, which represents workers in the cold storage area of the factory. The union also said some workers had been left without any income at all while isolating or had to draw on their annual leave. After talks with management and some changes to work practices they agreed to return later in the day
The Victorian branch of the meatworkers union, the AMIEU, has advice for JBS workers on its website. It urges members to contact the union for assistance. Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday said people who are going to work sick are the “biggest driver” of the state’s second wave. Sources: The Guardian, The Age
August 14: ANMF Conference on Psychological Hazards in Healthcare
The ANMF (Vic branch) is organising a half day online conference in a couple of weeks. The union says: “Whether you’re a nurse, midwife or personal care worker, the online 2020 Psychological Hazards in Healthcare Conference will provide you with information and skills to recognise, report and manage psychological hazards.”
Psychological hazards such as bullying and harassment are just as damaging to healthcare workers as physical hazards associated with lifting and moving patients. Hazards such as excessive workload and occupational violence and aggression can place pressure on the psychological health of nurses, midwives and personal care workers.
Conference presenters including Dr Kate Blackwood, of New Zealand’s Massey University, will present evidence-based frameworks to build healthier workplaces.
Find out more here and register now for the 2020 Psychological Hazards in Healthcare Conference, to be held online from 9 am to 1 pm on 14 August.
Asbestos news
NSW: Family company of former Port Stephens mayor found guilty of $12m dump
Former Port Stephens mayor Bruce MacKenzie's family company and his son Robert have been found guilty of running an unlawful waste dump at their Salt Ash business. The Land and Environment Court decision this month follows a long-running legal battle between Grafil Pty Ltd and the NSW Environment Protection Authority that made it all the way to the High Court.
Grafil and Robert MacKenzie, who manages Macka's Sand at Salt Ash, were found guilty of allowing trucks to unlawfully dump Sydney demolition waste at the business between October 2012 and May 2013. The ruling potentially exposes the company to $12 million in asbestos waste clean-up costs and heavy fines. Source: The Newcastle Herald
More information on Asbestos: In the workplace and In the Home.
International Union news
UK: Government was told poor sick pay was an infection factor
An admission by the UK government’s top medical adviser that it failed to recognise the workplace circumstances that helped spread COVID-19 has been slammed by the union GMB. In evidence to the Commons Health and Social Care Committee on 21 July, chief medical officer Chris Whitty said “we hadn’t recognised what in retrospect are obvious but were not recognised at the time... people who were working at multiple homes. People without sick leave etc.”
However, GMB said it wrote to both the health secretary and to the care minister several times in March to warn them about the dangerous of leaving people what the union said was ‘a perverse incentive’ to go into work sick or when they should be self-isolating. Rachel Harrison, GMB national officer, said: “We wrote to the health secretary raising concerns that social care had been excluded from initial PPE guidance, excluded from regular and universal testing and denied access to full pay should workers need to be off work. They can’t pretend they weren’t aware.” She added: “Common sense will tell you if people on already low wages are told they won’t get paid if they have to take time off sick or to self-isolate, they have no other option than to go into work ill and risk spreading the virus around. If ministers had read and responded to our warnings they would have known this. They could have acted to save many lives.” The GMB official concluded: “This government should be ashamed they have neglected the care sector since the start of this pandemic - to say now that they did not recognise the issues faced by the workforce is an absolute insult.” Read more: GMB news release. The Times. Source: Risks 957
USA: Union urges Congress to slow meat plant line speeds
The US foodworkers’ union UFCW has called on Congress to pass immediately the Safe Line Speeds in COVID-19 Act. The measure, introduced in the House of Representatives, would mandate a reduction in the dangerously fast line speeds which have made many meatpacking plants coronavirus hotspots. “Congress must pass this vital legislation immediately,” said UFCW president Marc Peronne. “This bill is a critical step to reining in the dangerously fast line speeds at so many meatpacking plants and will put the safety of workers and our country's food supply first.”
The union criticised the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which it says “has repeatedly attempted to remove line speed limits in pork and poultry plants, increasing the risk to both workers and food safety. Even as the COVID-19 pandemic threatens the country's food supply chain, the USDA has continued to grant waivers that allow plants to run faster and endanger more workers.” Representative Rosa DeLauro, one of the legislators who introduced the bill in Congress, said: “The high profile COVID-19 outbreaks at meatpacking plants have raised questions of the safety of the conditions inside these plants. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, these workers experienced injuries at a higher rate than comparable occupations. And now, faster line speeds make it impossible for workers to practice social distancing and to comply with safety guidelines.” Read more: IUF news release. Source: Risks 957