IEU is one of 11 unions providing financial support to Unions NSW for a research project into Workers Compensation.
Unions NSW Assistant Secretary Emma Maiden said Unions NSW wanted to take the “next step” in its campaign to reform Workers Compensation following the NSW Government cuts four years ago.
Unions NSW has devised 12 principles of Workers Compensation reform which have been endorsed by the Labor Party and Greens. See http://www.unionsnsw.org.au/nswforall
“We are proposing a whole new system which recognises that the system is broken and needs to be completely reformed,” Emma said.
“Our analysis is that the 12 principles are affordable and can be implemented without increased premiums for employers, but we recognise that we need more vigour to our conclusions so we’ve approached the Centre for Future Work to do research on that for us.”
The research will look at the financial context of the Workers Compensation system and consider the costs and inefficacies of the contracting out insurance arrangements introduced in the last four years.
The research will look at the human costs of the cuts and compare the situation in other state and should be completed later this year.
“This will give us a solid foundation upon which we can campaign on Workers Compensation up to the next state election in March 2019.
“It’s our firm belief you can return dignity to injured workers without increasing costs to employers – you just have to do it right”
Dob in a wage thief
Unions NSW’s new website www.wagethieves.com.au is great for young workers. It provides a register where workers can name and shame any employer who is paying under the minimum wage. It also shows workers aged 18-21 what they should be earning according to minimum wage legislation.
It highlights issues often faces by young or migrant workers, like not receiving pay slips on a regular basis.
Teachers may want to highlight this website to their students.