ACC funds exclusive CTU OH&S courses

ACC funds exclusive CTU OH&S courses

The Employers & Manufacturers Association (Northern) is claiming the CTU is being funded by ACC at employers' expense to provide courses on workplace health and safety.

EMA's Manager of Occupational Health and Safety, Paul Jarvie, said the venues and travel for the CTU personnel involved, and the course documentation were being paid for by ACC at a cost of many thousands of dollars.

"Employer levies from ACC funds are being used to fund CTU activities," Mr Jarvie said.

"When employer organisations asked for our OH&S courses to be funded on a similar basis, the request was turned down," he said.

"The CTU claims its health and safety courses are 'free' though plainly they are being funded by employers who are shut out from the same opportunity.

"The CTU is also writing to employers and designating the employees they say should attend the courses.

"This too is misleading. Under the Health & Safety Amendment Act that came into force on May 5th, staff are obliged to attend OH&S training courses only if certain criteria are satisfied. These are that:

* Staff attending OH&S courses must be nominated under a system agreed by employers, employees and the union

* attendees have to be elected by the employees on a site regardless of whether they are union members or not

* courses attended have to be authorised by the Minister of Labour

* OH&S training takes place at a time convenient to employers.

"In the absence of any of these four points, there is no obligation to send staff on workplace health and safety courses."

Mr Jarvie said the ACC's funding of the CTU health and safety courses showed Act is being misused by the ACC and represents a lack of good faith towards employers.

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