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Issue No. 240 | 01 October 2004 |
The Premiership Quarter
Interview: The Last Bastian Unions: High and Dry Security: Liquid Borders Industrial: No Bully For You History: Radical Brisbane International: No Vacancies Economics: Life After Capitalism Technology: Cyber Winners Poetry: Do It Yourself Poetry Review: Hard Labo(u)r
Xerox Copies Waterfront Tactics Hardies Asbestos Woes "Snowballs" Air Fleet Grounded By Job Cuts Pacific National Sidetracks Hunter Jobs Black Diamond Deaths Spark Mining Inquiry Pensioners Strip Over Pension Strip
Politics Parliament The Soapbox The Locker Room Parliament Postcard
Problem Solved How To Run Society
Labor Council of NSW |
News Musos Lung For Better
Non-smoking jazz violinist George Washingmachine took the test after similar tests in Perth and Melbourne this year revealed patrons recorded nicotine levels almost comparable with those of active smokers. Musicians have demanded all states legislate for immediate pub and club smoke bans.
The SmokeFree Australia coalition co-ordinator Stafford Sanders says the ban is an urgent work safety issue on a par with asbestos in the seriousness of the harm caused to victims and numbers of workers affected. The coalition includes the LHMU, MEAA, ACTU and the Musicians' Union of Australia.
Sanders says governments have talked for more than ten years on the issue and need to enforce bans. "We've had occupational health and safety laws that should have been enforced to remove this danger but have instead been quietly ignored at the behest of tobacco-friendly vested interests such as the Australian Hotels Association," says Sanders. "We know tobacco smoke contains more than 130 toxic compounds; we know from many studies that it causes cancer and heart disease; we know that it is killing bar workers in considerable numbers."
"The AHA has been especially culpable, in lobbying governments to block, delay or water down smoke bans.
" The AHA ...continues to conduct unfounded and inaccurate scare campaigns among its members, wrongly claiming businesses will be 'destroyed.'
"This tobacco-tainted lobbying is frustrating the will of the overwhelming majority of the community, who want smokefree venues quickly - not in another two years."
Several countries including Ireland and NZ, and seven US states, have enacted total bans.
To support an e-mail protest campaign to ban smoking in pubs and clubs go to http://www.lhmu.org.au/lhmu/campaigns/smoke_free_03/protest_form.html
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