Take Cover! CPSU to provide free journey cover insurance for union members

In April 2007, the Howard Government used its Senate majority to drastically reduce workers' compensation arrangements for public sector workers.

Among many other changes, the Government removed workers' compensation cover for public servants who are injured while travelling to or from home to work.

As this part of the CPSU's campaign against the Howard Government's changes, the CPSU has decided to introduce its own 'income maintenance insurance' for union members. The idea is to provide a 'safety net' while the campaign for a better deal continues.

To read more, click here.

What do you think about CPSU providing journey cover insurance to its members? Have your say below?

Workers’ compensation – ALP responds to members’ concern

Many CPSU members are concerned about the federal government's changes to workers’ compensation laws and have asked about the Labor Party’s views on these changes.

In response to questions from CPSU members, Labor leader Kevin Rudd replied:

Thank you for your letter regarding changes to the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act. As you may be aware these were debated in the Parliament last year and this year and make significant changes to:

• the definition of disease, so that employment must now make a “significant”, rather than “material”, contribution to a disease for it to be compensable;

• the definition of “injury” so as to exclude injuries arising from “reasonable administrative action taken in a reasonable manner” and expand the exclusionary provisions for stress claims to include performance appraisals and counselling in relation to performance; and

• the scope of work-related journeys so that claims for non work-related journeys and recess breaks are no longer covered, representing a significant cost shift on to state governments’ compulsory third party claims.

In all these cases, the changes have had the effect of narrowing the circumstances in which employees may claim compensation. In fact the Government’s Explanatory Memorandum to the Bill stated this was an explicit objective of the changes – noting: “the Government is seeking to significantly amend the legislation to reflect its desire to decrease the number of injuries covered by the Scheme”.

Labor opposed these changes in the Parliament because they are not in the interests of working Australians. Just like the Howard Government’s WorkChoices laws, these changes strip away the terms and conditions of our public sector work force.

These changes also come at a time when private sector firms operating in blue collar areas such as transport and construction such are being encouraged to migrate to the traditionally white collar Comcare scheme. Labor is concerned that the Howard Government is sacrificing protections for workers in order to cut its costs.

Strong protection of occupational health and safety should not be compromised. Labor believes that appropriate compensation and implementing a non-adversarial approach to injury prevention and workplace safety is essential.

Further to Labor’s commitment at National Conference, Labor will be developing its workplace health and safety policy and will be making announcements on this issue in the future.

Kind regards,

Kevin Rudd

Federal Labor Leader

Member for Griffith

Your say on new ACTU ads

As the election draws closer, the ACTU has launched a new series of hard-hitting Your Rights At Work television commercials.
In the first ad, Annette Harris talks about her experience at Spotlight where she was offered an AWA individual contract that removed penalty rates, overtime and meal breaks - all for an extra 2 cents an hour.
In the second ad, a grandfather talks about how - under WorkChoices - his children and grandchildren have lost the workplace rights his generation had fought so hard for.

Spolight on fairness: Annette Harris ad.

Grand dad ad.

First class tax-payers, second class citizens

Last week, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) published their findings from a national inquiry into the discrimination against people in same-sex relationships, writes CPSU deputy National President Lisa Newman.

The report Same-Sex: Same Entitlements details the systematic discrimination of same-sex couples. It found that 58 federal laws deny at least 20,000 same sex couples and their children financial and work related entitlements, entitlements that are freely available to opposite-sex couples and their children.

These laws include Commonwealth Superannuation, Occupation Health and Safety legislation as well as a large number of Acts including the Income Tax Assessment Acts, Social Security Act, Health Insurance Act and Workplace Relations Act.

In July last year the CPSU made a submission to the HREOC enquiry, addressing the use of the 'spouse' definition in agreements, awards and legislation which excludes same sex partners from accessing entitlements.

We expressed our concern at the increased push for terms and conditions to be moved from highly transparent and legally enforceable collective agreements into less transparent and unenforceable policy.

We also identified that the increased use of Australian Workplace Agreements (AWA's), which are not subject to public scrutiny, could increase the risk of discriminatory arrangements.

CPSU's submission also exposed the discriminatory provisions in the Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme and the Public Sector Superannuation Scheme which do not allow an interdependent person, including a same sex partner and their children to receive a reversionary superannuation benefit.

Last week, the Government announced a Senate Inquiry into the provision of the Superannuation Amendment Bill. The Bill does establish a number of changes to Commonwealth public sector superannuation which the CPSU supports.

However, if a few additional simple amendments to the Bill were introduced, it would be possible to prevent same-sex couple discrimination entirely and the CPSU will raise these in the Inquiry.

This Bill is the Government's last opportunity to address Superannuation discrimination before the Federal election and they need to do it right.

After the HREOC report was published, the Prime Minister stated that while his government did not support discrimination, it would not be rushed to act to rectify the situation.

CPSU has formally raised these issues on behalf of affected members many times over the last few years. We support the fair treatment of all parts of the community, and do not condone the discrimination of any minority group.

And it seems that most Australians agree. A recent galaxy poll, commissioned by GetUp! found that 71% of Australian support equality for same-sex couples.

The community has moved forward on this issue. The question is how long will it take the federal government to catch up?

Read the HREOC report here Read CPSU's submission here

Access Card - what does it mean to your work and privacy?

The Department of Human Services has announced an eight month delay in the launch of its controversial $1.1 billion welfare Access card.

The Department previously planned to begin registrations for the card next April, but now says this will not happen before late 2008. The Access Card is intended to replace the Medicare and other benefits cards, supposedly simplifying access to a wide range of Government health and welfare services.

Aspects of the plan, which has already cost $41 million, has been questioned by the CPSU, opposition political parties and privacy groups.

“This issue has the capacity to profoundly change the way public services are delivered in Australia,” said CPSU National Secretary Stephen Jones.

“There are implications in this for CPSU members both in their work and in their rights as citizens. Regardless of the outcome of the election, the challenges new technology presents for the delivery of public service is not going to go away.

“We will consult with CPSU members and both sides of politics about about the Access card over the coming months to ensure the voice of those tasked with administering the card is heard and noted,” said Mr Jones.

Prior to the recently announced delay the Department said it would register 32,000 residents a day between 2008 and 2010. CPSU has already raised concerns about a number of potential issues such as Sunday opening, how to manage the increased workload, training, and the short term nature of this work.

Once the relevant legislation has been enacted the card will be compulsory for federal welfare and health benefits recipients. For this reason some privacy and civil rights organisations maintain the Access card amounts to a de facto national identity card.

More information
http://www.accesscard.gov.au/

Telstra bullying staff: Tough Call

In a program called Tough Call the ABC's Four Corners has exposed widespread management bullying, punishing performance targets and relentless monitoring of individuals’ time and movements in Telstra.

These are issues that members in Telstra - and many other CPSU workplaces - have been campaigning around for many years. We are encouraging members and supporters who have seen the program to post a comment below.

Push It – campaign for paid maternity leave

CPSU members and staff were in a crowd of about 200 people who braved heavy winter rain in Sydney today to rally in support of paid maternity leave.

Australia is one of only two developed nations – the other being the USA – that does not provide paid maternity leave. Ironically Australia once led the world on this issue, having introduced a maternity allowance in 1912.

Today’s rally was organised by Marie Claire magazine and speakers included the NSW Minister for Women Verity Firth, Democrats Senator Natasha Stott—Despoja and Marie Claire editor Jackie Frank.

In an impassioned speech Ms Firth pointed out that under WorkChoices the situation for women wanting to have children is even more difficult than ever before.

See here for further information.

Have your say: Most CPSU members are already entitled to paid maternity leave but this is not the case in the wider community, with two-thirds of women having no access to any paid maternity leave. Should the Government extend paid maternity leave to all women in the workforce? Post a comment below.

The real cost of soldiering on...

Management pressure on employees to 'soldier on' at work when they are unwell is costing the Australian economy almost four times as much as absenteeism, according to a recent survey.

The report commissioned by Medibank Private, claims that 'presenteeism' - the lost of productivity that occurs when employees attend work while not fully functioning -is contributing to a $25 billion dollar black hole in lost productivity every year.

The health insurer estimates the annual cost to the economy of 'soldiering on' is almost four times that of absenteeism, only $7 billion by comparison.

Read more here and leave a comment below.

Crossing the line

The removal of journey claims from workers compensation rules is fuelling confusion in public service ranks with employees and managers unsure exactly where coverage begins and ends.

A recent case in Victoria exposed one of the 'grey areas' created by the Governments recent cuts to the compensation scheme for Australian public servants.

Read more here and post your thoughts below.

Working round the clock

As the Howard Government seeks to soothe unease about its workplace laws, a Bureau of Statistics survey reveals the deep incursion work has already made into family and community life.

The figures show 37 per cent of employees work overtime or extra hours - and about half of them do so for no extra pay. Three in five said they had no say about when they started or finished.

Download the ABS report here and please post a comment.

Tripped up by new compo rules

Twelve hours after new workers comp rules came into effect, an accident on the way to work sent one public service manager sprawling.

With the new laws, introduced by the Howard Government, public servants are no longer covered for accidents and injuries sustained traveling to and from work and during lunch breaks spent away from the workplace.

To read Annette's* story click here.

To read previous blog posts and comments on the new compo laws, click here, here, and here.

What do you think about the changes to compo laws? Post your comments below.

Behind the Bastard Boys

The 1998 waterfront dispute was brought vividly to life this week in the ABC's Bastard Boys telemovie. Nine years ago a stevedoring company tried to sack its 1,400 employees and the ensuing battle between Patrick Stevedores and the Maritime Union of Australia has gone down in history as one of Australia's most important industrial and political events.

To read an opinion piece by Josh Bornstein (a lawyer who played a key role in winning the dispute) click here.

What did you think of the ABC's portrayal of the dispute? Post your comments below.

Rudd reveals part of his IR agenda

In a major speech at the National Press Club yesterday, ALP Leader Kevin Rudd outlined some of his alternative workplaces relations plan.

It includes introducing a national IR system for the private sector, abolishing AWA's, outlawing strikes without secret ballots, and re-introducing streamlined unfair dismissal laws.

The ACTU says its "a good start". Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey called it a "donkey", while business groups remain "luke-warm".

But what do you think? Please post a comment.

WorkChoices: one year on

This week marks the one-year anniversary of 'WorkChoices' - the Howard Government's radical rewrite of Australia's industrial relations (IR) laws.  After twelve months, we want to know what you think about the new laws.  Please take a minute to vote in our snap poll here and post a comment about the new laws.

More information

ACTU fact-sheet: IR laws 1 year on 
download

ACTU full report: IR laws 1 year on
download

Survey says... hands off our compo rights

A CPSU survey of more than 500 public sector workers from all major government agencies has revealed alarm and confusion about a Howard Government plan to slash public service compensation arrangements and remove cover for journey to and from work.

Over 90% of respondents to the survey were 'very concerned' at the proposed legislative changes.

The legislation currently before the Senate includes:
* removal of compensation protection for injuries sustained during travel to and from work;
* removal of coverage for accidents during lunch and other breaks, or during lunch-time sporting activities.
* harsher claim assessments for workers suffering from psychological and stress related conditions
* an expanded list of management actions that can be potentially excluded from future claims

Close to one-third indicated that the removal of compensation for travel and lunch-time activities would make them less likely to continue walking or riding to and from work, exercising or keeping active during rest breaks.

Nearly 65% of public servants surveyed also felt their employer was not doing enough to reduce the causes of work related stress.

"At times I like to take a walk during breaks or ride my bike, promoting a healthy lifestyle. What am I to do if I have a serious fall or hit by another person?" asked one Medicare employee.

"Many of my staff travel interstate for meetings. Will they be covered on their way to the meeting locations, no matter how they travel, and on their return?" asked Veronica, a public servant.

CPSU National Secretary Stephen Jones condemned the changes as "unfair and unworkable".
"The Government is using these changes simply to cut costs rather than taking positive steps to ensure public sector workers work in an safe and healthy environment," he said.

"The removal of travel and break coverage is just dead wrong. These changes are in stark contrast to existing arrangements for Federal politicians who retain full coverage for injury or illness - whether on the job, traveling or on a break." he said.

"We all know that a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise can reduce the chance of getting stress related injuries. So why is the Government making it harder and more risky for its own staff to stay healthy? asked Mr Jones.

CPSU members are stepping their campaign against the changes with hundreds of online protests sent to Government ministers and Senators last week and further actions planned.

"We'll continue to take this issue up to the Government. All politicians need to be aware of the negative implications of these changes on the public service," he said.

Despite an overwhelming majority of critical submissions, a recent Government controlled senate enquiry rubber-stamped the legislation. The bill is now due for final consideration by the senate later this month.

How you can help:

Post your comments below
Send a protest letter
Complete our brief online survey
Read other members comments
Read the ALP's position.
Download and distribute a bulletin
Keep up to date with all the latest compo news

ADDING INSULT TO INJURY

Compo rights slashed for PS workers:

Did you know the Howard Government has just endorsed new laws which radically reduce workers’ compensation rights in the public sector?

The wide-ranging changes will affect public servants who drive, use public transport, ride bicycles or walk to or from work.

They will also make work-related injury claims more costly, contentious and complicated. We need your help to raise awareness about the issue your workplace.

Follow the links to find out more, complete our survey and send a protest letter.

The challenges ahead in 2007

Dear CPSU members and supporters,

This year will be crucial - not just for the union movement but for all Australians.

The federal election - which is expected in about seven months - represents a turning point for Australian Society.

Do we accept the continued denigration of worker’s rights under the current Coalition Government or is Australia a country that still believes in the fair go?

CPSU has consulted widely with members, delegates and activists about alternatives to the Government's extreme WorkChoices legislation.

The message we are getting back is loud, clear and unmistakable - people do care about their rights at work, a fair go and want a system that benefits the employee as well as the employer.

We will continue to consult with members both in face-to-face meetings and through phone conversations. In marginal seats CPSU members and supporters are banding together to ensure the issue of worker's rights is front and centre in the minds of candidates from all parties.

CPSU will also continue to support the ACTU's Your Rights at Work campaign to get rid of the utterly unfair WorkChoices.

More than 70 new agreements are to be negotiated this year - in agencies large, medium and small including Immigration and Citizenship, the Department of Health and Ageing, ACT Government, NT Government, the National Maritime Museum, Australian Federal Police and Medibank Private to name just a few.

At the same time as we are winning new agreements, we will also be focusing on enforcing existing ones.

We now know that under WorkChoices winning a good agreement is only half the battle. Thanks to the Howard Government's IR laws, employers have more opportunity than ever to wriggle out of commitments or undercut collective agreements.

In fact - to protect your pay, conditions and rights at work - it has never been more important to stick with the union.

As well as workplace laws and bargaining, CPSU members and supporters will face other challenges and opportunities this year including changes to super, workers' comp and OHS, attacks on the public sector, as well as the fallout from the federal election.

CPSU Governing Council - 70 workplace representatives directly elected by you - is meeting in March to determine the union's policy and priorities for the next 12 months.

There is no doubt 2007 is shaping up to be one of the busiest ever for CPSU members. But I am confident that with the right plan - and your ongoing support - we will not only survive 2007 but grow, so we can continue to make a positive difference in workers' lives.

If you are not a member, you can find out about joining today here or by calling 1300 137 636.
Please feel free to post your comments below.

In unity,

Stephen Jones
CPSU National Secretary

Maritime Museum strike action on target

Industrial action taken by staff members at the Australian National Maritime Museum has forced management back to the bargaining table following stalled negotiations for a new collective agreement.

On the eve of Australia Day, CPSU members gathered around the entrance of the museum and entertained visitors with colorful banners and union sea shanties (“what shall we do with a bad employer?”). A corporate ‘pirate’ was also on hand to make honest employees walk the plank. Click here to see photos from the day.

While the strike activities were lighthearted, the decision to take industrial action was a serious one. After their agreement expired in June 2006, Museum management continued to frustrate the bargaining process by delaying negotiations and failing to reply to correspondence. Management also refused to meet with staff and CPSU representatives.

As a result of the industrial action, Museum management agreed to recommence negotiations for a fair and reasonable union collective agreement. Both CPSU and management have committed to lodging an in-principle agreement by the end of February.

CPSU National Secretary Stephen Jones said that going on strike was the last resort for the staff members’.

"These CPSU members tried time and time again to reason with management, they did all the right things, but got nowhere,” Jones said.

“Museum management admitted they were under pressure from the Government to reduce conditions and offer AWAs. This is just another example of how John Howard's radical new workplace laws are affecting everyone in the community.”

Click here to send your letter to support to ANMM staff members, find out more information about the campaign or post your feedback on our blog.

Government's OHS Changes will be bad for our health

CPSU needs your help to produce a Senate submission about dangerous changes the Government is planning to make to Commonwealth health, safety and compensations laws.

The changes suggested in the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill will remove the right of Commonwealth employees to claim compensation for injuries sustained: during lunch and other breaks, travelling to or from work, participating in sporting activities at lunch time.

CPSU National Secretary Stephen Jones believes the changes are a cost cutting exercise which place employees at risk. "Currently, workers have the peace of mind that if an unfortunate accident occurs after they leave for work, they will be covered by workers compensation.

"If these new laws are passed, employees will think twice about going out for walks or kicking a footy around with their mates at lunch time. They'll have to stay holed up in their office if they don't want to be liable for any accidents."

CPSU are also lobbying the ALP, the Democrats and the Greens for a commitment that the parties will repeal the unfair laws if they gain power in Parliament.

CPSU wants your views: Your union wants to include the experiences and views of our members in the Senate submission. Tell us what you think about the changes that are being forced through. Have you ever received workers compensation for a journey claim in the past? How do you think the changes will affect you? Will the way your local MP votes in this Bill change affect your vote in the next Federal election?

Email us your comments or post them on our blog.

For more information about the Bill click here

Hundreds and thousands rally on the National Day of Action

The Nov 30 rallies and marches across Australia in support of fairer workplace laws were an overwhelming success. It's estimated that more than 300,000 workers and their families - including many thousands of CPSU members - exercised their right to protest against the Federal Government's unfair workplace laws. Tell us your stories from the day or post your message of support below.

To read more click here. Check out photos here. Check out videos here. Send your photos / video links to pix@cpsu.org.au