Issue No 108 | 24 August 2001 | |
NewsUnions Warn of More Deaths in ConstructionBy Mary Yaager
Exempting small employers from safety regulations in the construction industry for two years could lead to more deaths in the industry the CFMEU has warned Andrew Ferguson Secretary of the Construction Forestry, Mining and Energy union said " there has been one death a week in the industry lately just last week a construction worker was crushed to death in a mobile cement machine and the week before that a grader backed over a worker killing him instantly" 'This is just unacceptable and while I congratulate the Government on the introduction of these new workplace safety laws. I am concerned about the transitional arrangements for small employers who will just sit on their hands for two years while the death and injury rate soars," Andrew went on to say. According to Andrew the majority of employers in the Construction Industry are small employers and they are amongst the worst in terms of providing a safe workplace in fact this is where the majority of deaths occur. The new workplace safety laws will commence on the 1st of September 2001 and will affect the majority of employers in the State The Minister John Della Bosca said "that in the case of small business (fewer than 20), special provisions have been made to allow them to adjust with the new risk management provisions.", The CFMEU and unions from other high-risk industries will be calling on the Government not to allow an exemption to apply for these employers. Despite these concerns, the unions welcome these new laws which are long overdue.
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Interview: The Man from Manusafe Manusafe chief Andrew Whiley explains why employers have nothing to fear from the entitlements trust fund. E-Change: 2.4 The Skeptic�s Response In this round-table discussion, Noel Hester leads the charge against the argument that globalisation and change are inevitable. Politics: No Hand Idle Whitlam Institute director Peter Botsman finds much to agree with in John Howard's social coalition for welfare delivery. Unions: Slavery and Struggle A battle with all the elements of the infamous waterfront dispute is being played out in Charleston, South Carolina: International: Postcard from Santiago The CFMEU's Phil Davey meets up with Communist Party cadres in Chile who led the underground resistance to Pinochet. History: Race and Australian Labour. Australian unionists have long been questioning notions of a �White Australia�, even before the colonies united with it as the central feature. Economics: Global Regulation Public sector unions from around the globe are taking the first steps to work internationally against the deregulation agenda. Satire: Niche Identified in Left-Wing Publications Market A marxist-feminist activist has discovered a gaping hole in the lucrative left-wing publications market. Review: The Fight for Equal Pay In this extract from her new book, Zelda D'Aprano looks at the contribution Kath Williams made to the struggle for equality.
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