United Voice

Hospitality workers face some of the most dangerous working conditions of any industry in the world and identifies as the most dangerous industry for women to work in.

Surprisingly for their male co-workers, reports suggest the injury rates are a marginal 3% above those suffered in the construction industry.

So how do we lift health and safety standards? How do we stop current practices from destroying workers’ quality of life, job prospects and earning capacity? How do workers and governments ensure proposed harmonised WH&S laws deliver best practices?

Currently, Unions are calling on government to adopt national WH&S laws that:

• - Enshrine the right of workers to consult with their employers over all work related matters that affect their health and safety.   It’s a fact – workers involvement via their union improves heath and safety.
• - Hold employers responsible for their basic duty to protect workers health and safety.  If something goes wrong, employers should bear the responsibility to prove they did everything possible to protect their workers, with tough penalties for those who breach the laws.
• - Provide democratic rights to workers to elect health and safety reps.  These reps must have the highest standards of rights, powers and protections to do their job – attending training, seeking assistance in solving workplace problems and  issuing notices on employers of potential breaches and if required – notices to cease work where there is an immediate risk.
• - Acknowledge the role of unions to ensure workers can be represented and provide with immediate inspections of suspected safety breaches without notice.  

And………

• - When government regulators fail to take action, protect the rights of victims in a court of law.

LHMU Queensland members are also active in leading the way to safer, healthier workplaces by actively engaging in solution focus groups.

LHMU hospitality and contract cleaning members recently participated in a number of WPHSQ focus groups in Brisbane and on the Gold and Sunshine coasts as part of the Qld Governments Hospitality Action plan 2008-2010.

These groups were conducted to engage with the industry, gather information and develop practical solutions for controlling Muscular Skeletal Disorder (MSD) in the hospitality industry – an industry which accounts for 52% of reported injuries due to lifting, carrying, putting down or handling objects.

Members from hotels, pubs, clubs and shopping centers were able to share first hand knowledge and experiences currently impacting the control of MSD’s.

Members were instrumental in identifying barriers and explored and prioritized possible solutions in an effort to making their industry a safer place to work.

With various sector audits planned for early 2010, LHMU members will continue to participate in future workshops with the view of piloting recommendations in late 2010.

This critical involvement from members, along with campaigns such as “Can you risk it?” and “Better Jobs Better Hotels” will let employers know workers are serious . Serious about their rights and serious about safe, healthy workplaces.