The Council of Trade Unions is appalled that an Auckland accounting business has described health and safety as “overkill”.
Reckon Accounting has published a survey today, which claims health and safety is a “compliance” that takes focus away from “core business”.
“When 34 people have been killed at work this year, it’s a particularly poor choice of words,” says CTU Secretary Sam Huggard. “What a callous disregard for the lives of working people.”
“As well as these fatalities, there are thousands of serious harm incidents, and yet more thousands of workers affected by occupational disease.”
“I’d like General Manager of Reckon Accounting, Grant Linton, to front up with an explanation – to injured and sick workers, and to the families of workers who’ve been killed at work – as to why he thinks health and safety is overkill.”
“I also wonder how many of Reckon’s clients accept this view?”
“Thankfully, most employers don’t share Grant Linton’s view. They know that health and safety doesn’t take away from core business, it is core business. There are countless examples of excellent health and safety initiatives, most commonly when workers and their unions work closely with employers to keep everyone on the job safe.”
“Reckon Accounting should be ashamed of themselves.”
Post script
Following this piece, Reckon have contacted the CTU to say that they don’t accept our reporting of the survey and it is their view that Reckon did not describe health and safety as overkill.
Reckon advise that the comment was made by a survey respondent who was using it as an example of how compliance is complex and complicated and were not intending to diminish the importance of Health and Safety which is a key concern for all businesses.
They have asked us to let CTU readers know that that this is not the view of Reckon or Grant Linton and that they believe the safety and well-being of workers is the most important responsibility for all companies.
