Union Rights and Workplace deaths

Letter to SMH

More than 150 Australians have died in each of the last four years in workplace deaths so it is somewhat ironic listening to Liberal Party figures who have suddenly discovered these tragedies, having ignored workplace safety in years of government. According to media reports, none of the young men who have paid the ultimate price for business greed in ceilings recently were union members, a characteristic of work place deaths in general. The Howard Government legislated against union rights to inspect unsafe work places. Whilst the current government has somewhat improved much of Howard's laissez faire regulatory regime remains in place. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd must act now to re-regulate those industries that account for most workplace deaths. He must restore the rights of unions to examine and expose shonky companies and practices before they do any damage. It's time for anti worker safety laws to be buried before one more worker suffers that literal fate.