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USU: Organising around Workplace Health and Safety

USU: Organising around Workplace Health and Safety. The Unions role in WH&S regarding Local Government and Clerical Workers. Health and Safety without Unions?. Move towards separating WH&S issues from ‘ industrial issues ’

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USU: Organising around Workplace Health and Safety

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  1. USU: Organising around Workplace Health and Safety The Unions role in WH&S regarding Local Government and Clerical Workers

  2. Health and Safety without Unions? • Move towards separating WH&S issues from ‘industrial issues’ • Tendency for Unions to neglect WH&S and the powers given by WH&S legislation – ‘means to an end’ • Employers and legislation changing focus of WH&S

  3. State-Wide Audit • HSRs • Work Safety Committees • Record of pro-active health management • Use of WH&S Right-of-Entry

  4. Organising • Identifying Working Groups within Councils and other workplaces and then identifying members as potential HSRs • In conjunction with Unions NSW as an RTO, providing independent training to HSRs • Supporting them through existing structures

  5. Organising • Advocating on WH&S issues • Regular use of Right of Entry by Organisers to investigate suspected WH&S breaches – in partnership with HSR • Using Fair Work and Industrial Relations Act provisions to protect any officer pressured or targeted – particularly after issuing a PIN

  6. Enforcement • In 2012-2013 WorkCover charged 130 defendants for WH&S breaches, 83 defendants were successfully convicted • The transfer of WH&S to the District Court will further stretch the resources of WorkCover in terms of prosecutions • Removal of moiety for prosecutors • In reality this means LOCAL solutions

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