Labour notes
The Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) NSW Branch has donated $20,000 to the Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia (ADFA) to assist asbestos victims. State Secretary of the Construction Division Andrew Ferguson said that rank and file members had dug deep to help ADFA fight for justice against multinational James Hardie. President of the ADFA Barry Robson said the donation will be used in the continuing campaign against James Hardie to meet its legal and moral obligations to pay compensation for future sufferers and their families.* * * Unions representing workers at Brisbane City Council are uniting to protect wages and working conditions. The move comes after the Mayor of Brisbane commissioned an Operational Efficiency review. The review identifies a number of areas for "improvement action" ranging from "optimising performance and maximising efficiency" (increasing fees and charges), achieving market competitiveness (outsourcing and tendering) and exiting or ceasing a number of services (and sacking workers). The Queensland Council of Unions has produced a campaign newsletter which can be accessed at http://www.brisbanecommunity.com.* * * More than 30 disability service workers at Silverlea Community Care in Broken Hill NSW have been told to sign an Australian Workplace Agreement (AWA) in seven days or face the sack. President of the Australian Services Union in NSW, Sally McManus, said the employer blamed reduced funds from the State Government as the reason for placing workers on individual contracts. "Under the contracts, the workers will be the lowest paid disability workers in the state", Ms McManus said. "These agreements take away all penalty rates, weekend rates, slashing and burning their conditions and being presented with no real choice."* * * Approximately 18 Johnson & Johnson workers based at North Ryde in NSW have been exposed to asbestos after roofing was removed incorrectly by a roofing contractor. CFMEU Organiser Steve Keenan who was at the site said that it appeared that required safety precautions had not been met and the company had failed in its duty of care. It appears that Lidoran Roofing demonstrated complete disregard for the law, as well as for the health and safety for the workers who use the offices and were exposed, by failing to properly remove the asbestos and then failing to notify Johnson & Johnson of the risk. CFMEU officials are conducting an investigation into the incident to identify how widespread the contamination is and what decontamination procedures will be needed prior to workers returning to the site.