
Issue No 102		13 July 2001

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News

Negligent Employers Should Pay

The WorkCover Authority should impose special a premium levy on employers who consistently ignore workplace safety, unions have told a major inquiry.

The recommendation, to the Sheahan Inquiry into workers compensation common law, is one of a series of initiatives that trade unions argue would bring scheme costs under control.

The joint trade union submission argues that Common Law rights should be maintained to ensure workers can sue negligent employers. But it says that a special levy would act as an incentive to improve safety and ensure that employers with good safety records do not have to pay for others' negligence.

Currently, the WorkCover Authority pays all common law claims - even when these amount to millions of dollars.

While employers who are liable face increased premiums, a $150,000 cap applies - meaning the balance must be absorbed by other employers. The Submission argues this 'Large Claims Cap' should be increased to $240,000 - the average common law settlement.

Labor Council secretary John Robertson said today the increased cap, along with the safety levy, would act as a real incentive to make workplaces safer.

"Until the costs of providing an unsafe workplace exceed the costs of making it safer, there is no real incentive to improve workplace safety," Mr Robertson said.

The union submission suggests WorkCover could impose a points system for safety breaches such as applies with motor vehicle drivers. Points would be deducted for:

- failing to meet minimum standards under the Occupational Health and Safety Act

- failing to comply with WorkCover notices

- failing to implement standard Risk Management procedures.

Other recommendations include:

- greater action by WorkCover to clearly identify and provide evidence of any inappropriate legal practices.

- Statutory benefits to be increased to decrease the incentive to take common law action

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  Issue 102 contents

Interview: Jolly Green Giant
Senator Bob Brown on the upcoming federal poll, balances of power and what the Greens can teach the trade union movement.

Workplace: Call Centre Takeover
Theresa Davison brings us this real-life story from the coal face of the call centre industry.

E-Change: 1.2 Community � The Ultimate Network
Peter Lewis and Michael Gadiel look at the potential for network technologies to reconnect communities.

International: Child's Play
Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA has recently entered a new alliance with the Child Labour Schools Company to support a project for child labourers in India.

History: Flowers to the Rebels Faded
With the departure of our own Wobbly, a look at the development of the Wobblies in Australia and their view of Labor politicians and the work ethic seems timely.

East Timor: A Dirty Little War
In this extract from his new book, John Martinkus recounts the scenes in Dili immediately following the independence ballot.

Satire: Telstra Share Failure Ends City-Bush Divide: Everybody Screwed Equally
Communications Minister Richard Alston today claimed that the government had fulfilled its promise to ensure that the bush was not disproportionately disadvantaged by Telstra's privatisation.

Review: Cheesy Management
Currently climbing Australian best-seller lists is the 'life-changing' motivational book 'Who Moved My Cheese?' Rowan Cahill has a nibble but doesn't like the taste.

» Search for a Dude Begins

» Public Money Backs a Stellar Bully

» Workers Get First Meal Break In Five Years

» Soft Penalty for Video Nasties

» Negligent Employers Should Pay

» Brit Cleaners Serve It Up to Aussie Boss

» Rio Tinto Guilty of Hunter Valley Sackings

» Rail Workers Strike for their Families' Security

» Nurses Seek Urgent Action on Pay

» Workers Win Tip Top Delegate Rights

» Telstra Halts Latest Privatisation Plans

» Requiem for the Banks

» Surfers Remember Oil Slick Disaster

» Widespread Mail Disruptions on Cards

» Minister for Caged Hair Gets Hot Welcome in West

» Cleaner Wins Right to Attend Family Reunion

» Howard Cuts R&D Spending by 15 Per Cent

» Fears Grow Over Shangri-La Protests

» Mick Young Play Award

» Activist Notebook