The Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety’s announcement today on gutting WorkSafe’s enforcement capability signals a return to a failed approach, that will weaken our health and safety system, said the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi.
“A soft approach to poor health and safety was a critical failing that led to the Pike River mine disaster, one of the worst health and safety failings in New Zealand history,” said NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff.
“Brooke van Velden continues to systematically gut WorkSafe to help protect businesses from enforcement of breaches of the law, rather than protecting the workers who suffer huge rates of injury and fatality as a result of work.
“WorkSafe was established in the wake of the Pike River mine disaster. It was clear that we needed a well-resourced, effective, and strong regulator, that was prepared to prosecute where necessary, as this was clearly lacking.
“Every week a worker is killed on the job on average in New Zealand, and 17 more are killed from the impact of work-related illnesses and diseases. Every year there are over 30,000 injuries suffered that require more than a week away from work. Nothing in these announcements will have a positive effect on these numbers.
“In the past few years, WorkSafe has endured cuts to the tune of millions of dollars, resulting in fewer staff. Since it was established the WorkSafe inspectorate has reduced from 8 per 100 thousand employees to 6.5, amongst cuts to the wider WorkSafe staffing levels.
“The Minister’s decision to gut WorkSafe is a reflection of a government that is prioritising profits over people,” said Wagstaff.