Thursday 18 September - Woolworths Reps building solidarity nationally Over the last few months Woolworths delegates and HSR’s from around Australia have been meeting and working together to discuss and address local and national issues. Not surprisingly local issues and concerns are often the same on a national scale. In response to one of these national issues, which relates to pallet heights and manual handling, HSR’s and Delegates have drafted a proposal to implement national standards and safe practices that fall within Worksafe guidelines and best practice. Our proposal has been presented to management in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria by reps who are committed to working together. Woolworths management have targeted HSR’s who are addressing workplace issues. HSR Keni Navusolo (Barnawartha) has been targeted by management. On Wednesday 17 September, Woolworths management called Keni into a meeting. Keni was accused of inappropriate behaviour and consequently, not following a reasonable directive. Keni is yet to respond as Woolworths have thus far refused to put any allegations in writing. The NUW believes this behaviour was meant to intimidate an active union rep and distract from real issues on the floor. OHS should be taken very seriously by Woolworths management, and elected HSRs should be encouraged to bring health and safety concerns to light. Health and Safety legislation exists to protect workers. Where workers, and their elected reps, feel intimidated to bring health and safety issues to management, the potential for risk is increased greatly. Here’s what your Delegates have to say about supporting each other and working collectively: For the last 18 years we have felt isolated, alone, and kept in the dark, only fed the information that management wanted to tell. Weve been taken for granted far too long. But that was then. Now we are joining a community of other Woolies sheds, our peers. Now we have our mates on other sites around the country to help us with this imbalance, we will have respect and dignity. Working collectively will empower us all. In future, management will know if they mess with one they mess with all. Unity is Strength! Michael Litchfield, Big W NRDC, Warwick, Queensland.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 04:08:30 +0000
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