Issue No 30 | 10 September 1999 | |
NewsHorror Tales - the Nights of the Living Dead
Funeral workers fear they are being turned into zombies as they are forced to work around the clock, picking up dead bodies by night and then organising their burial by day.
Funeral Union state secretary Aiden Nye says the stress from long hours and staff cuts in the industry are becoming so great that safety problems are beginning to emerge. Already, relatives of deceased are being asked to carry coffins at funerals in breach of health and safety laws - because there are not enough paid staff at funerals. "Most of the workers are dead on their feet," Nye says. "And that can lead to all sorts of dangers for both the workers and the public." The union along with Labor Council safety watchdog Mary Yaager and the WorkCover Authority have inspected one of the bigger workplaces - Services Corporations Australia - and found a range of hazards including: - workers exposed to deadly chemicals such as formaldehyde which is used in embalming in rooms. - dangers of lifting, transporting and carrying deceased individuals. - stress associated with removing bodies from horrific accidents, suicide and murder scenes such as the Strathfield massacre; with a total absence of counselling for workers. The WorkCover Authority will be producing a report with recommendations on how the industry can be improved.
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Interview: The Seeds of Genocide Brian Daluz, from the Council for the National Resistance of Timor, believes Timorese are being herded into concentration camps. Unions: The Mice That Roared Hotel housekeeper Belinda Nicholls stole the show at the Second Wave rally with her story of the triumph of a group of newly-unionised workers. International: The Hand of God? John Passant asks whether Turkey�s Earthquake was a natural disaster or a criminal act. Republic: The Republic Debate: Should It Go Into Extra Time? In the battle of political - sporting analogies, a skeptic states his case. Legal: Call Waiting The Federal Court has put a dampener on outsourcing within a corporate structure. Satire: Ticketing Chaos! Sydney Olympics to be held in Beijing Review: The Thirteenth Floor A new film challenges the boundaries between reality and �virtual� reality and explores some of the moral issues that these technologies will introduce. Labour Review: What's New at the Information Centre Read the latest issue of Labour Review, a resource for union officials and students.
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