Unions have threatened to walk off the job if employers do not ramp up workplace safety to deal with omicron amid concerns that new rule changes are putting workers’ health at risk.
Unions have threatened to walk off the job if employers do not ramp up workplace safety requirements and offer staff free rapid antigen tests amid concerns that relaxed coronavirus rules are putting workers’ health at risk.
“It’s clear that omicron requires a different response to the response we had in 2021 – that response needs to be a much bigger tightening of health and safety provisions in workplaces,” she said. “The idea employers should bear the costs for potentially limitless test kits is unworkable and demonstrates the lack of understanding of the pressures businesses are under,” he said.
Under the Fair Work Act, workers can legally stop work if they have reasonable concern about an imminent threat to health and safety. The union leaders said in a statement they will require each workplace to consult with unions on a new risk assessment for omicron and that included state-specific plans were appropriate.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Unions threaten industrial action unless action taken on COVID-safe work plansUnions have demanded a new plan for tackling the current COVID-19 outbreak, including free rapid antigen testing for staff who cannot work from home.
Read more »
Unions threaten to stop work unless Omicron safety measures improveUnions have warned that employees will go on strike if their bosses do not provide enough protection from the fast-spreading Omicron variant as tensions mount over the response to the virus | bpreiss
Read more »
Unions threaten to stop work unless Omicron safety measures improveUnions have warned that employees will go on strike if their bosses do not provide enough protection from the fast-spreading Omicron variant as tensions mount over the response to the virus | bpreiss
Read more »
QLD health minister’s plea as state records more than 15,000 cases and seven deathsQueensland has recorded 15,122 new COVID-19 cases and a further seven deaths on Monday as the Omicron outbreak continues to take a toll. 7NEWS
Read more »
How Beijing’s omicron battle can help Australian exportersBeijing’s stringent measures to combat the spread of Omicron threaten to make life tougher for Australian retailers, but our commodity exporters could be the accidental beneficiaries.
Read more »
One-in-20 Queensland Health staff off work as Omicron wave bitesThe data comes as Health Minister Yvette D’Ath flagged the possibility of new hospital visitor limits and staffing concerns at an aged-care facility amid 19,709 new infections reported on Saturday.
Read more »