January 19 February

More needed on work safety laws despite recent gains

Federal budget fails public schools and TAFE again

The ACTU supports a recent vote by state and federal WHS ministers to regulate psychosocial hazards. This decision is a huge step forward for the prevention of mental illness and towards addressing sexual harassment and gendered violence in the workplace. Regulation on psychosocial hazards will place a positive obligation on employers to minimise and eliminate hazards to mental health from the workplace – just as they are required to in relation to physical hazards.

Unfortunately, several ministers representing coalition governments voted to prevent action on industrial manslaughter in our model Work Health and Safety laws. Millions of workers will not have this important protection and employers will not be held accountable for preventable workplace deaths. New South Wales, Tasmania and South Australia will continue to lag behind the rest of the country on industrial manslaughter laws. ACTU Assistant Secretary Liam O’Brien said Australia was one of the only developed nations in the world to not have equal protections for physical and mental health and safety. “Up to 45 per cent of mental health issues are attributable to work – requiring employers to take preventative action on this is a massive step forward,” he said. “This will include tackling the causes of sexual harassment at work, a key step in making work safe for women. “Years of campaigning from working people and their unions, along with the support of mental health and gender equality organisations have gone into winning this regulation – it will make Australian workplaces safer for future generations of workers. “We will continue to fight for industrial manslaughter legislation. Workplaces in Tasmania, SA and NSW would be safer for workers if employers could be held accountable for preventable deaths. It should not matter what post code your loved one dies in as to whether you receive justice.”

The Morrison Government’s 2021-22 federal budget has been another profound fail for public school and TAFE staff, students and parents across the nation.

“Australia’s public education system is one of the only institutions that touches the lives of Australians in every community, and as such should be a source of immense pride and celebration,” Australian Education Union Federal President Correna Haythorpe said. “Instead, across primary, secondary and TAFE, this federal budget fails students in every corner of our nation.

“Since 2013, TAFE has suffered over $3 billion in funding cuts. These cuts have had a devastating impact on TAFE.

“Public schools face a $19 billion funding shortfall over the next four years. This is a direct result of the federal government’s failure to put public education first. “A federal budget that delivers for public education would include a guarantee of a minimum 70 per cent of all government funding directed to the public TAFE system, a commitment to fund public schools to a minimum of 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard and the establishment of a capital fund for public schools to help meet rising enrolment growth and infrastructure needs.”

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Seen around the SSTUWA

June State Council Conference was recently held at the SSTUWA’s headquarters in West Perth.

State Council is the union’s supreme decision-making body, with the conference being held in June and November each year.

State Council delegates gathered for the two-day event to participate in professional development, vote on motions directing the SSTUWA’s future activities and hear from speakers such as AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe. Last year’s June conference was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. You can read more about June State Council on page 6 of this issue of Western Teacher.

Also this month the SSTUWA hosted a group of union leader, members and supporters for the launch of the Public Sector Alliance (PSA), a group comprising of unions representing workers such as public educators, health workers, prison officers, firefighters and many others. As reported on page 10 of this issue of Western Teacher, the PSA will campaign to reform WA’s public sector wage policy, which has capped salary increases to $1,000, a decline in real wage terms for six years. UnionsWA Secretary Owen Whittle spoke at the event, alongside union representatives from the Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association, Health Services Union of WA and United Workers Union about the effect of capped wages on workers. At the conclusion of the event union leaders signed a statement outlining their cause and showing their commitment to the alliance.

State Council: Sarah Barrett, Nghia Nguyen and Simon Hitchens. State Council: Brendon Nutt, Chris Spencer and Tracy Priest.

State Council: Renee Chapple and Graham Jaeckel. State Council: Kim Annear and Bruce Banyard.