AWU says BHP safety will only be won when workers win a real voice in their workplaces
02 April 2009
The Australian Workers Union is amazed at the spin-doctoring the WA Mines Minister, Norman Moore, has been able to get away with, claiming unprecedented steps to issue stop-work notices, and hyping up the possibility of legal action.
" These are not some amazing new powers the Mines Minister is invoking, " Stephen Price, AWU WA Secretary, said today.
Lot of talk, little action
" It is an example of a lot of talk with very little action - winning some great headlines.
" Mines inspectors have always had the ability to issue prohibition notices. It is only a mines inspector who can actually issue these notices.
Under resourced Department to watch over mining sector
" But these notices won't be effective because the Department is under resourced and has only a limited number of Inspectors to look after the entire mining sector in Western Australia, not just BHP sites.
" If inspectors are not available to be at the right place, at the right time, they are not going to be effective - because they just won't know the issue. And it just won't be reported.
Aggressive BHP campaign to deny workers a collective voice
" Since the late 90's we have seen a steady decline in workplace safety standards - and it is all because BHP has aggressively denied a collective voice to workers in their workplace as they pursued individual employment contracts.
" On an individual contract fear about job security rose dramatically .
Union structures allow workers to safely speak about concerns
"The divide and rule management style which informed these individual employment contracts, undermined existing structures which allowed workers to safely speak about their concerns.
" BHP bosses adopted a strategy to ensure a rapid and aggressive de-unionisation, that has effectively silenced workers voices and had a negative effect on the level of safety within BHP's operations.
State has no plan to protect workers
" The State Government does not have a plan to protect workers who raise safety concerns.
" The Australian Workers' Union have been saying for a long time, workers are fearful of reprisals for raising safety concerns - especially in the current economic environment.
All electoral matter is authorised by Paul Howes, National Secretary