Media release: June 29, 2004
Health and trade union leaders have urged bar
workers to take their complaints against smoky venues to WorkCover NSW – and
have called on WorkCover to stop turning a blind eye to the danger to workers
and patrons from secondhand tobacco smoke.
The
call follows the withdrawal of WorkCover’s direction to a smoky venue - Moama
Bowling Club – which it had ordered late last year to return to smokefree
operation. The Chief Magistrate’s Court in Sydney last week (June 24) heard
that the club’s appeal against the WorkCover direction had been withdrawn –
allegedly because the direction had been dropped.
The
SmokeFree Australia coalition of health and trade union organisations* has
called for WorkCover to ensure compliance with the legal obligation on all NSW
employers under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 (“OH&S Act”)
to protect employees and patrons from toxins in tobacco smoke.
The
coalition has also begun delivering flyers to pub and club workers** advising
them of their legal right to safe, smokefree workplaces – and urging them to
register their complaints with WorkCover by calling 13 10 50.
Says
coalition spokesperson Anne Jones of ASH Australia: “This action is forced by
WorkCover’s failure to be proactive to protect workers from this danger.
WorkCover NSW has as its motto ‘Watching out for you’ – this apparently
applies to everyone except bar workers.
“Tobacco
smoke contains 133 toxic substances,” says Ms Jones, “including more than 40
known carcinogens. We know of at least 23 complaints to WorkCover about smoky
licensed premises in 2003 and all are still smoky, harmful places for bar staff.
“Several
complaints to the Minister for WorkCover, Mr Della Bosca, are being ignored -
and now an Improvement Notice
issued to the Moama Bowling Club when they reversed their smoke ban has been
withdrawn.”
The
coalition says WorkCover’s failure to act on these complaints is seriously
undermining its authority and credibility.
“We’re calling again on the
Carr Government,” says Anne Jones, “to
ensure WorkCover does its job by protecting bar workers and ensuring they have
the same rights to work in clean, fresh air that workers in all other industries
have had for years.”
**
See the flyer to bar workers at www.ashaust.org.au/SF’03/files/BarworkerFlyer0406.htm
Comment:
Anne
Jones, CEO, ASH Australia
ph. 0417-227-879
Comment / media info:
Stafford Sanders, Co-ordinator, SmokeFree Australia
ph. (02) 9334-1823
* SmokeFree Australia coalition
for clean safe workplaces:
Liquor,
Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers’ Union; Musicians’ Union of Australia; Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance; Australian Council of
Trade Unions; Action on Smoking and Health Australia; The Cancer Council
Australia; National Heart Foundation of Australia; Australian Council on Smoking
and Health; Non-Smokers’ Movement of Australia; Australian Medical
Association.