Master Electricians Australia (MEA) has endorsed changes introduced to Parliament by the Queensland Government aimed at ensuring worksites are safer and better protected from union abuse.
MEA's General Manager - Workforce Policy Jason O'Dwyer explains that the tougher penalties for electrical safety breaches are a welcome step in protecting workers and keeping them safe on the job. Employers would also welcome additional protection against union bullying and disruption on building sites.
According to Mr O'Dwyer, building unions cause significant delays to major projects by exploiting obscure loopholes or simply thumbing their noses at the law. Safety issues are frequently cited as the basis for spurious right of entry claims.
While observing that every worker wants safe and secure sites, where everyone who goes to work at the start of the day goes home safely again at the end of it, Mr O’Dwyer emphasises that this mutual concern for workplace safety should not be abused for industrial purposes as it not only cripples productivity and puts jobs at risk, but also weakens the awareness of genuine safety issues on sites.
MEA believes that for the safety of workers, for the productivity of work sites and for everyone's job security, it is good to see a government taking action in this important area.
