Government wants safer workplaces… or does it?

Today a widow and a mother sit together in the High Court in Wellington fighting for justice for the men that were killed at work in the Pike River Mine disaster of 2010, at the same time the Government contemplates weakening proposed changes to make work safer.

President of the CTU, Helen Kelly is worried about what impact the Governments possible changes will have. “At the beginning of the review of health and safety (as a direct result of the tragedy at Pike River) the Government promised that our laws would take “no steps backwards”. It seems the Government is intent on breaking that promise by creating these exemptions”.

“We owe it to the workers who have been killed at work, the 29 men at Pike but also the other workers who are hurt or killed on the job to have a better law, a stronger law.”

“A good health and safety system needs an effective regulator, workers able to influence health and safety in their workplace and businesses showing positive leadership. Both the Pike Rive Royal Commission and the Independent Taskforce emphasized the crucial importance of strengthening New Zealand’s weak worker participation. It is backed by international evidence.”

“Workers electing their own health and safety representatives is of benefit to the workplace, regardless of the size of firm or the industry they work in. Everyone should be able to participate in their own health and safety at work.“

ENDS

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