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 About Us  About Unions NSWAbout UnionsWho's WhoInformation Centre What's Going On? Annual Reports    
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Mary Yaager, Workers Compensation and Occupational
Health and Safety Officer
Mary continued her role in co-ordinating and developing Labor Council’s policies and organising campaigns in the areas of: -
TrainingAs stated Labor Council has developed generic training packages for organisers and delegates to assist unions in educating their members. Mary also developed a separate component, which focuses on how to use OHS as an organising tool. A number of Train the Trainer workshops for union organisers and delegates were held through 2004. Major Research ProjectThe Labor Council has conducted extensive research in partnership with Essential Media Communications (EMC) to identify barriers on effective OHS consultation and return to work, which as stated earlier, involved the polling of some 1,000 injured workers. This research has been completed and a report will be available in February 2005. UnionSafe WebsiteLabor Council’s OHS internet site UnionSafe was extensively restructured and has increased its audience threefold, now receiving 15,000 hits per month. The UnionSafe website is specifically designed to make union organisers and their delegates’ job easier. The website will be substantially overhauled in the new year to act as a ‘clearing house’ for all OHS and worker’s compensation information to make it a ‘one stop shop’ for workplace safety in NSW. The site also includes a continually updated OHS news service, fact sheets on the law, an A to Z of hazards information, discussion groups and a facility for union representatives to have their queries answered online. The information can be re-badged by individual unions in their journals, fact sheets or newsletters. A number of affiliates have taken advantage of this facility. Mary has been assisted by Daniel Walton in the development of the OHS fact sheets and maintaining and updating the UnionSafe website. Mary has worked closely with EMC consultants, Peter Lewis and Phil Doyle, to extensively promote occupational health and safety issues in 2004, targeting the growing network of workplace safety representatives. Conferences and CampaignsThird Annual Safety Delegates’ Conference 2004As reported earlier, the Labor Council organised the Third Annual Safety Delegates Conference for union delegates. It was the most successful of the conferences held to date with over 500 delegates attending the conference with all unions represented. Particularly popular was delegates receiving recognition for their contribution to health and safety and giving their own accounts of how they had improved workplace safety. This continues to give enormous encouragement and motivation to other delegates. Another highlight was recognising the outstanding contributions of both Bernie Banton and Barry Robson in the James Hardie campaign. The conference also covered Death at Work, after the McCallum Report; psychometric testing and health assessments; fatigue, Dignity and Respect in the Workplace; the Role of the GP in Return to Work Process and heard about the latest research into OHS consultation. A number of union secretaries who presented at the conference were well received by delegates. The feedback was the same as the previous years - very positive and highlighting the great opportunity for delegates to network, share experiences and ideas and be provided with resources and information to make their jobs easier. A further positive addition was the improved venue and technology. “Dignity and Respect in the Workplace” Anti Bullying ConferenceAs reported earlier, bullying and harassment in the workplace emerged as a leading OHS issue across NSW in 2004. The Labor Council established a bullying campaign committee, which developed a campaign and materials including a survey to determine the extent of the issue in workplaces. Overwhelming survey results indicated that a majority of people experienced bullying and harassment and over 90% wanted the issue addressed through a workplace based campaign. This campaign was officially launched at our conference on 8th September 2004 under the slogan “Dignity & Respect @ Work”. The focal point of the campaign was to get employers to sign up to a Dignity and Respect in the Workplace Charter, which outlined a process to develop anti-bullying policies and strategies in the workplace. Since the launch of the Charter a number of employers have signed up to the charter including the NSW Premier’s Department. The Labor Council has also produced 14 fact sheets covering the issue of bullying and is developing an Anti-Bullying Training Program, which will be launched in 2005. Launch of Healthy Life Program “Balancing Life, Work and Health”The Labor Council, in conjunction with the Cancer Council and the Heart Foundation, produced a 2005 Balancing Life, Work and Health Calendar as part of an ongoing healthy life program. Go Smoke FreeLabor Council participated in the Cancer Council’s ‘Go Smoke Free’ campaign, highlighting the plight of hospitality workers and the general public exposed to tobacco smoke. FatigueMary has worked in various industries in establishing fatigue guidelines. This included working closely with Delta Electricity to develop the groundbreaking fatigue management policy mentioned earlier, which ensures that employees have clear guidelines on hours of work and managing fatigue. Drugs and AlcoholLabor Council has produced policy, procedures and fact sheets around the issue of drugs and alcohol in the workplace. The ACTU and Labor Council held a joint seminar on the process of developing policy and procedures around this issue. Psychometric Testing CampaignFollowing reports that doubt had been cast on psychometric testing being used at RailCorp, Labor Council has actively participated in the NSW Premier’s Expert Working Group on psychometric testing to develop guidelines for the application of these tests. Labor Council will be running a major campaign around Psychometric Testing in 2005. Workers MemorialMary was responsible for putting in place the logistics, which ensured the Workers' Memorial was unveiled on the 28th April 2004.
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