Labour Notes
The Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU) is calling for community support to improve sick leave entitlements for child care workers in Queensland. "Working with children you are always exposed to illnesses. Eight days per year is not sufficient to cover the time off needed to prevent staff from returning to work without bringing illnesses back into the centre", said Kristy Jones, LHMU Child Care Organiser. The union is also promoting a Charter of Rights for Quality Child Care to lobby the Federal Government for higher wages and increased funding. Parents and the community are being asked to support the campaign by signing the Charter. For details on how you can become involved contact the LHMU Child Care Co-ordinator on 0408 787 791.* * * Construction crews working on a gas pipeline in the Pilbara are undergoing medical tests after striking a hidden asbestos dump. The discovery came as they were digging a trench for the $114 million gas pipeline from Port Hedland to Newcrest in Western Australia. The Australian Workers Union (AWU) suspects the asbestos was dumped from the former Goldsworthy mine. AWU National Secretary Bill Shorten has called on the mining industry and state and federal Governments to come together with unions to identify locations of hidden toxic waste sites in light of the discovery.* * * More than 450 workers at the Pasminco smelter in Hobart have begun indefinite strike action in support of a four percent pay rise, while the transnational is planning to refloat the company on the stock exchange. Workers throughout the smelter are working to rule and stop work for four hours every night. Pasminco opposes the workers' claim for a collective bargaining agreement despite awarding management bonuses of between $3000 and $16,000 in November last year.* * * A newly released analysis of a survey undertaken by the Office of the Employment Advocate has found that workers are worse off under Australian Workplace Agreements (individual work contracts — AWAs). Associate Professor David Peetz at Griffith University found that AWA employees were significantly more unaware of their entitlements such as maternity leave and other working conditions. He also found that ordinary workers were less satisfied with their pay and working conditions than managerial employees.