Airline Industry Gets It Wrong On H&SE Bill

"The airline owners' scare tactics are an irresponsible and self serving attempt to pressure Government into changes to the Health & Safety Amendment Bill by frightening the general public," CTU president Ross Wilson said today. Statements by John Funnell on behalf of the Aviation Industry Association that the HSE Bill will result in 'seriously degraded safety for both aircrew and passengers are not only irresponsible, they are demonstrably wrong."

"Is the airline industry saying that they run their operations so close to minimum safety margins that there is a real likelihood that they will not be able to meet the minimum standards in the Health & Safety in Employment Act that all other employers have to meet?"

"If that is the case then the public, and the Government, would have real cause for concern," Ross Wilson said.

"The reality is that this is a re-run of the Tranz Rail attempt two years ago to justify the continuation of a lower legal standard of safety for employees.

Ross wilson said that the Civil Aviation Act was transport legislation, and the Health and Safety in Employment Act was occupational safety and health legislation.

"Aircrew are entitled to the same standard of health and safety protection as all other workers in New Zealand," he said.

"It is also important to note that the HSE Act requirement is that employers (and employees) take all practicable steps to provide and healthy and safe workplace.

"The airline industry should be urgently asked to clarify why there is a problem in being able to meet this relatively modest standard".