Vic: Unions fear Bracks plans unfair system of compo

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2000
Vic: Unions fear Bracks plans unfair system of compo

MELBOURNE, April 10 AAP - Injured workers were "staring down the barrel of an unfair
system" of compensation soon to be unveiled by the Bracks government, Trades Hall secretary
Leigh Hubbard said today.

For a third consecutive week, Victorian Cabinet ministers were this morning confronted
by injured workers demanding that looming Workcover changes be made retrospective.

Cabinet was expected to discuss the changes today as the government's bill, scheduled
to come before the current session of parliament, is finalised.

Mr Hubbard fears the Bracks government is set to ignore calls to make the restored
common law rights of injured workers to sue negligent employers available to some 5,000
workers injured on the job since November 1997.

Unions are promising to continue their campaign if the bill is not up to their expectations.

"I simply implore the Cabinet for the sake of fairness, for the sake of these people
and their families, to do the right thing, to actually take their right to sue at common
law back to 12 November `97," Mr Hubbard told reporters.

On that day, the government of former premier Jeff Kennett abolished common law rights
as part of drastic changes which also altered workers' access to compensation.

The union movement wants improvements in the allocation of lump sum and weekly payments
where there is no negligence.

And despite the protestations of business groups, Trades Hall wants insurance premiums
raised to at least 2.39 per cent of payroll in line with national standardised rates,
up from the current 1.9 per cent.

Labor has not promised a move on the retrospective question, with speculation suggesting
Cabinet will reject it and opt for a lower premium of up to 2.18 per cent.

One of the protesters, crane driver Alan Newey, warned he would continue his vigil
outside the premier's No 1 Treasury Place offices if the government's legislation was
not adequate.

Mr Newey had his arm amputated above the elbow after a conveyor belt accident less
than two weeks after the September 18 election last year, and fears he will lose out without
retrospectivity.

"If that happens, I can tell you, I'll be back here," he said.

"It's not fair some people get some kind of cover, others are left in a black hole.

It's just not right."

Asked if he supported the injured workers' plight, Agriculture Minister Keith Hamilton
told reporters: "When we stop supporting workers we are not in good shape."

AAP pjb/er/pjs/bwl

KEYWORD: WORKCOVER (CARRIED EARLIER)

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