Workers Online
Workers Online
Workers Online
  Issue No 115 Official Organ of LaborNet 12 October 2001  

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Letters to the Editor

Protection - WorkCover Style


Your article excellent "WorkCover's Adverts 'Devoid of Meaning" in issue 114 of Workers Online, aroused not only a personal interest for me, but caused me to open up "me wee Sporran" of angst and disappointment. Emotions which I had squirreled away from what I believed to be, dangerously inappropriate responses to complaints, made to Work cover, about being knowingly and willfully exposed to danger, by my employer, Parramatta City Council.

I made complaint in reference to where I was instructed to work alone on a traffic island on a busy intersection at Darcy Road and Mons Road, Westmead , during the morning peak hours of Friday August 3 2001.

At a rough estimate the hourly rate of cars on this intersection would have been in the hundreds, which would have been dangerous even if protection had been provided, but to exacerbate this negligence, there was no protection provided, and no signs or barriers of any kind provided on this work site, and it was only through divine intervention that a serous injury or fatality was not sustained. (God looks after his own?)

My complaints to Work cover were reluctantly taken on board, and after much perseverance, I finally got a response that my employer's safety committee would be referred to another body with more experience, "for advice", and instructions such as this would not be countenanced again.

Obviously as this was a personal experience , my views are , were and rightly so , entirely subjective , and it was and still is , my view that my employer Parramatta City Council should be/ have been prosecuted, but my views apparently did not concur with that of Work Cover.

I was advised , that if I it was my belief , that this was a deliberate exposure to danger, then it possibly could be a criminal matter , and I should refer the matter to the police , obviously , in the light of these and previous unusual work instructions I have been given , I shall be seriously considering this option.

These expensive Work Cover advertisements certainly belie the reality of the service/protection provided by Work Cover as it is presently structured. Must there be an injury or fatality before a prosecution is instigated. Perhaps if all Work Cover funding was derived from the fines imposed on recalcitrant employers, it would be an extra incentive to prosecute employers who refuse to provide a safe work environment, or attempt to use a dangerous work environment to achieve an outcome.

The Work Cover advertisement states: "Someone to watch over me "

Fecken Hell , with protection like this who needs enemies?

Tom Collins


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*   View entire issue - print all of the articles!

*   Issue 115 contents

In this issue
Features
*  Interview: Connecting the State
NSW IT minister Kim Yeadon is the man responsible for enabling the people of NSW. Here's how he's doing it.
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*  Workplace: The Enemy Within
In the IT industry it's the recruiters who are earning the workers' ire, as our special correspondent explains.
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*  Unions: From the Virtual Coalface
Computer programmer Vince Caughley argues there is a place for unions in the IT industry.
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*  History: Conditions Precedent
Frank Bongiorno writes that the recent events off the coast of Christmas Island recall a story once told by Paul Hasluck.
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*  International: Victims of Terrorism
Repression against trade unionists on the increase world wide, with 209 trade unionists assassinated last year, reveals ICFTU 2001 Survey.
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*  Campaign Diary: Week One: Get Shorty
Labor's first week of campaigning was as an effort to gain attention from a nation rocked by the telvised war on terrorism.
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*  Economics: Global Alliances
Ray Marcelo reports from India that the ILO is arguing that globalisation needs a worker and employer alliance.
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*  Health: The Phantom Menace
Trade unions made an impact this week at an international congress In Melbourne in the global fight against AIDS.
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*  Review: Rings of Confidence
In his study on the 2000 Olympics, Tony Webb argues that the government and unions reached a new level of cooperation.
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*  Satire: Greens 'Quietly Unconfident' of Forming Government
A leaked memo from a senior member of the Greens reveals the party is unconfident of winning government on November 10.
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News
»  Nauru Guards Under-Paid, Untrained
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»  IT Workers Flock to Join Alliance
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»  Freeloader Fees Get Green Light
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»  Stark Differences on Workers Rights
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»  Disbelief at Royal Commission Directions
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»  Abbott Flees Ansett Workers
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»  Union Support for ALP Climate Change Policy
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»  Nurses Savage Howard's Neglect Of Workforce
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»  Optus Workers Entitlements Are Safe
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»  Airports' Security Front Line Deserves Better
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»  Workers Rally to Stop NDC Cuts
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»  World Road Unions Unite To Deliver Decent Work
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»  Aid Groups Back Western Sahara
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»  Trade Union Assistance for Afghan Refugees
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»  Activists Notebook
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Columns
»  The Soapbox
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»  Sport
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»  Trades Hall
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»  Piers Watch
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Letters to the editor
»  Aussie No Orwell
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»  Health in Election Equation
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»  Who Dares Wins
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»  Protection - WorkCover Style
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