WORKCOVER
VERDICT
- STILL
BAD FOR
WORKERS
2
April 2008
The
Verdict
The
state
government's
amendments
to its
controversial
WorkCover
legislation
have
served
to tip
the
scales
further
in
favour
of
employers.
SA
Unions
Secretary,
Janet
Giles
has
disputed
the
Industrial
Relations
Minister's
suggestion
that the
amendments
were
achieved
through
discussion
with
unions
and
business.
"These
changes
are
manifestly
inadequate
and show
that our
concerns
are
falling
on deaf
ears.
We have
put
comprehensive
proposals
to the
government
in the
past 2
weeks,
yet none
of
yesterday's
amendments
reflected
the
union
position."
"These
changes
are a
stunt
that
proves
the much
vaunted
negotiations
were a
sham.
The
amendments
are
merely
an
attempt
to make
Minister
Wright
appear
reasonable,
while
distracting
the
public
from our
highly
effective
campaign."
"Minister
Wright's
subsequent
comments
that
this is
his
final
position
have
exposed
a
government
determined
to
attack
injured
workers
by
cutting
their
pay and
stripping
away
their
rights,
while at
the same
time
delivering
a
financial
windfall
to
employers".
"Mike
Rann has
lost the
right to
claim
he's a
Premier
who
represents
the
interests
of
working
families",
Ms Giles
says.
"We are
watching
this
government
like a
hawk and
will do
so until
we
achieve
a fair
fix for
WorkCover."
