Union leaders unite for improved WHS laws 

22 April 2021

The ANMF (SA Branch) CEO/Secretary Adj. Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM has joined the leaders of other major unions in calling on the State Government to support Marie Boland’s recommendations about work-related mental illness and providing sexual harassment-free workplaces.

Ms Dabars and other union leaders this week met with State Treasurer Rob Lucas, who is also the Minister with responsibilities for Finance, Industrial Relations and the Public Sector, to make their case.
 
Safe Work Australia appointed independent reviewer Marie Boland in 2018 to conduct a review of work health and safety laws which was later provided to the relevant ministers across Australia.

The Boland Review recommended 34 changes to make sure they are fit for purpose. Unions and workers support them all, but especially the following:

  1. Mental Health – require employers to take steps to eliminate risks to your mental health, including sexual harassment at work.
  2. Improved rights for health and safety representatives and workers to make work safe.
  3. Justice for injured or killed workers, including uniform industrial manslaughter laws, increased penalties and better enforcement and prosecution.

Six out of nine governments need to support these changes for them to be adopted at the upcoming meeting of Health and Safety Ministers in May. It is currently unclear where the Tasmania, South Australian, New South Wales and Federal Governments stand on these key changes. At least one of their votes will be key.

Ms Dabars also raised concerns about the ongoing violence and aggression that nurses, midwives and personal care workers were constantly facing. She stated that issues of violence against health care workers were extremely serious and there needed to be serious consequences for the perpetrators.

Ms Dabars told Mr Lucas, who is effectively the employer of the LHN CEOs, that those CEOs must also take responsibility for putting in place the appropriate measures to ensure the safety of their workforce.

Pictured are (front row) Lara Golding - AEU (SA Branch), Elizabeth Dabars – ANMF (SA Branch), Karen Atherton - CSPU.
Back row: Angus Story - SA Unions, Jess Rogers – CEPU, Max Adlam - United Firefighters Union, Natasha Brown – PSA.