AMWU and CPSU slam federal OHS changes

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) and the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) have both slammed the changes the federal government made to the Federal Workers' Compensation Scheme last week.

The AMWU has accused the government of "making it easy for big business to escape state laws for compensation and health and safety by setting up a weak and more "self-regulating' Commonwealth system".

National secretary at the CPSU, Stephen Jones similarly condemned the changes. "The government is using these changes to simply cut costs rather than taking positive steps to ensure public workers work in a safe and healthy environment and are assisted to return to work as early as possible following an accident or illness."

The changes will shift the cost of injuries sustained through the course of employment away from the employer and onto the employee under the guise of cost cutting, according to the CPSU.

This view is also supported by a Parliamentary Library report into the changes, which concluded that the changes will likely result in significant savings to Comcare at the expense of denying genuine claims.

The changes to the legislation responsible for causing the controversy include:

• Removal of compensation protection for injuries sustained while travelling to and from work.
• Removal of coverage for accidents during lunch and other breaks, including lunchtime sporting activities.
• Harsher claim assessments for workers suffering from psychological and stress-related conditions.
• An expanded list of management actions that will be excluded from future claims.

The AMWU also raised concerns that employers "” not workers "” would now control the election of health and safety representatives and employers no longer need to negotiate with unions on OHS policies.