Union Visits and The Common Cold

From "The Latest Postal News" dated 11th Feb 05

UNION VISITS----------------------Howard moves to ban them

Visits from union officials are a nuisance to bosses. Officials may uncover unsafe practices, discrimination, award or EBA breaches, and bullying or general mistreatment of employees.

Even the threat of a visit keeps some from behaving badly.

So they want to be relieved of that threat.

Now that Howard has the numbers he is moving to “improve’ Reich’s laws which have made it more difficult for union officials to visit their members on the job.

He has new legislation before parliament called the Right of Entry Bill, which would get bad bosses off the hook. The ACTU has made submissions opposing this bill, which are available to members on request. They run into17 pages, so cannot be reproduced in The Latest, but ring 32550330 and we will post them out.

The ALP, and probably the Greens and Democrats, will oppose this bill. The logic is with the ACTU argument, but Howard will win.

Who said politics and unionism don’t mix?

The index for the ACTU submission, below, shows the scope of the argument by them.

1.Introduction. 2.Issuing of permits. 3.Revocation and suspension of permits.
4.Investigation of suspected breaches. 5.Notice of intended entry.
6.Where discussions take place. 7.Overriding of state law.
8.Right of entry provisions in agreements.

4.GO TO WORK SICK--------------------You damage your heart

LONDON – Staff who struggle from their sick bed to the office may be helping their bosses but they are pushing themselves towards an early grave, according to new research.
A ten-year study of 10,000 Whitehall workers conducted by University College London has revealed that working even with a common cold can put undue strain on the heart.

The research team said that in many cases the culture of “presenteeism” could lead to the onset of coronary heart disease.
Professor Sir Michael Marmot, the head of the study said people who went to work when unwell “could be hastening their own deaths”.

Good work Kylie, and all the team at CEPU QLD!
If you want to be in their E mailout, send an email to cdtsqld@cepu.asn.au