Health and safety is core union mahi. Unions recognise that health and safety is a fundamental aspect of good work, and that every worker has the right to work that is safe and healthy, and to have a voice on the operation of their work.
In this submission on MBIE’s workplace health and safety consultation the CTU highlights the critical role of unions and worker engagement in keeping workers safe at work.
We outline that the blueprint for improving New Zealand’s health and safety system is well established and requires a Government to commit to supporting to improvement, involving a commitment to properly resource and invest in the system, with a critical emphasis on union and worker engagement. It means providing WorkSafe with the mandate and resource to do their job, and provide clarity through good regulation and supporting guidance.
It certainly doesn’t require full scale change and further erosion of worker rights.