Health and safety

The Council of Trade Unions says that the government should push out the deadline on the 1999 decision to fully fund the ACC scheme to 2019, instead of trying to meet all the costs by 2014. This would remove the need for major increases in ACC levies.

“Letting the private insurance industry loose on workplace accident cover is utter nonsense, a point further highlighted by the recent problems in global financial markets,” said Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly, in welcoming Labour’s commitment today for a fully public ACC scheme.

The Council of Trade Unions is challenging National leader John Key to state whether he is still in favour of privatising accident compensation, following the US government bailout of insurance giant AIG.

“John Key said in July it was “almost certainly likely” that National would privatise the ACC work account,” CTU president Helen Kelly said today.

The Council of Trade Unions has today welcomed the announcement by Maryan Street that Labour intends to push out to 2019 the requirement to fully fund ACC accounts.

Peter Conway, CTU Economist, said that it makes sense to allow a longer time frame to smooth the adjustment.

“Hearing ACC legend Sir Owen Woodhouse speak this morning at the ACC Futures Conference in Wellington was a very powerful reminder about why we need to value and keep our accident compensation scheme,” Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said today.
 

Lets hope that the “more consultation and work”  on National Party  ACC policy which Leader John Key has promised results in a radical re-think  to bring the policy into line with objective evidence and the publicly expressed wishes  of all stakeholders in our ACC scheme.

In The Unionist this week: National releases their ACC policy, and more on the comments from ANZ National on the public service.

“National’s desire to reward the Australian insurance industry with access to New Zealand worker compensation has clouded their policy release on ACC, which flies in the face of available evidence on the scheme,” CTU president Helen Kelly said today.

In The Unionist this week: National's plans for accident compensation, new work rights to request flexible working arrangements come in to force, the launch of the EPMU's work rights campaign, and economic news this week.

The Council of Trade Unions is today asking National to explain how their plan for ‘choice’ in accident compensation could benefit anyone in New Zealand.