
Issue No 98		01 June 2001

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Unions

Giving Blood

By Mark Hearn

Local government workers are mounting a campaign to have leave to give blood donations recognised in their award.


	Unionists giving Blood

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The blood is pumping out of Glen Camenzuli's arm. In fact, it pumps out every three months, and has done so on at least nine or ten separate occasions - so often Glen is starting to lose count. Glen, a Customer Service Officer with Leichhardt Council, has a gift for giving, and encouraging others to do the same. Through persistent jaw-boning, arm-twisting and emailing over the last three years, Glen has regularly encouraged a small army of his work mates to join him in a pilgrimage of blood - giving theirs, to help others live. It's that simple, and that necessary.

So necessary that the NSW Municipal Employees Union has commenced a campaign to include Blood Donation Leave in the Local Government (State) Award 2001. MEU General Secretary Brian Harris says "the MEU believes that it is a vital community responsibility to ensure that adequate blood supplies are maintained. The union also wants to ensure the safety of all our members who freely offer to make blood donations."

The MEU is seeking dedicated paid leave for travel, blood donations and a standard two hours rest period following each donation. Workers using heavy machinery should have twenty-four hours rest. The MEU's application reflects Australian Red Cross recommendations. "It's not much time, when you consider the importance of giving blood", Brian Harris says.

As Glen Camenzuli stresses, "only a certain number of people can give blood." There are so many necessary restrictions on blood donations these days, prompted by fear of spreading diseases like AIDs, Hepatitis or CJD (Mad Cow disease), or because of the particular medical conditions of potential donors (for example, high blood pressure). A large percentage of potential donors are excluded. Which of course leads to chronic shortages, and only confirms the vital importance of the entirely voluntary effort put in by people like Glen.

And donors like Geoff Lussick, a compliance officer (control of building and development sites) with Leichhardt Council. Geoff has had his blood bottled on no less than thirty-two occasions. Geoff is just one of fifteen Council staff to give at the Red Cross's temporary donation facility at Five Dock RSL on May 2nd. MEU members from Canada Bay and Burwood Councils also donated. These donations keep elective surgery on track in NSW's hospitals, and help maintain vital emergency supplies.

MEU Organiser Carolyn Moore acknowledges that some councils, such as Leichhardt and Canada Bay, are willing to allow staff time to donate blood - usually their own time. Staff may use their lunch hour, and perhaps another half hour tacked on, to give blood. As Glen Camenzuli comments as he's prepared for his donation: "I'm going straight back to work, not having had anything to eat, and no proper rest break."

Carolyn Moore also points out that Leichhardt Council's tolerance of blood donations by staff is a casual, unregulated concession: "it's not a right". Putting blood donation leave in the award will make it a right, and will encourage other staff to take the time to perform a vital community service.

Photo: Leichhardt Council Customer Service Officer Glen Camenzuli is prepared for his donation

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  Issue 98 contents

Interview: Balancing the Books
Opposition Finance spokesman Lindsay Tanner on bringing a Labor agenda to managing the nation�s finances.

Compo: Undampened Spirits
Despite atrocious weather, building workers took to the streets this work over the carnage in their workplace. Mark Hebblewhite was there.

Unions: Giving Blood
Local government workers are mounting a campaign to have leave to give blood donations recognised in their award.

Women: A Checklist for Women Voters
With a mountain of demands on Australian working women, the biggest question could well be which is the biggest?

History: May Day Meditation
May Day has been and gone, but we thought Peter Linebaugh�s take on its meaning was worth reading on all the other days too.

International: The Weeks of Living Dangerously
The now almost inevitable fall of Indonesia�s President Abdurrahman Wahid could have drastic consequences for the increasingly militant working class movement in that country.

Economics: No More Mr Nice Guy
In his new book, Steven Keen outlines why the public needs to know that economics is intellectually unsound.

Satire: NZ to be Disbanded
Following the successful disbanding of the armed forces the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark, has unveiled a new bold plan to total disband the entire nation.

Review: Action in the House
Workers Online�s Big Brother Addict argues the time has come for the contestant�s to take some industrial action.

» Twenty Grand � The Cost of a Life in 2001

» Compo Protest Virtually Ignored

» Workers Tell Jodie: It's a Bit Rich

» Disbelief at Dubai in the Sky

» Wage Rise For Two Million Workers

» Casuals Win Parental Leave Rights

» Egan Budget Welcomed � But Social Audit Still on Agenda

» Bad Rosters �Like Being Drunk�

» Nurses Act on Ward Rage

» Council Workers Brace for Border Skirmish

» Meatworkers Win in Federal Court

» Hotel Bosses Linked to Tobacco Industry

» Workers Demand Treaty With Indigenous Australia

» Activists Notebook

» The Soapbox

» The Locker Room

» Trades Hall

» Tool Shed

» Pop and Politics - Where's Billy??

» Satire is not Serious

» Toasting May Day

» WorkCover - Questions for NRMA

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