TWU SCT Delegate Kerren Campbell used her power as Health and Safety Representative to stop the floor at SCT.
Read her story here:
“New management had been making lots of new changes without any consultation with workers and how it would affect them.
Workers were upset about things they had heard, which included assessments that could see them receiving a lower pay and having to do jobs they were no longer able to do.
This caused a lot of stress where workers were visibly upset causing them to take time off work and to go home upset.
It was the main topic on the floor that morning, therefore their minds were not on the job, making it unsafe to operate machinery.
So, I called a stop work order under section 85 of the health and safety act to cease work for unsafe reasons.
I had all forkies on afternoon shift meet in the lunchroom to get management to come and explain what was going on, but instead, management came out and ordered us all back to work and accused me of calling an illegal stop work meeting.
I just repeated the section of the health and safety act, while the workers remained steadfast in their seats (so proud of them).
Management made a call to the state manager and then came back into the room and told me to meet him in the head office.
On my way there I spoke with my Organiser Rob from TWU.
The outcome of the meeting was that the company agreed to consult with employees on future changes, and if they were suitable to all, including start time changes.
I now also have fortnightly meetings with senior management to discuss any concerns the employees have, and to provide feedback on things already raised to try and prevent this type of stress from building to this point again.”
This is exactly what being a HSR means. Keeping your workplace safe and the workers protected.