WORKERS across the region will pause today at Newcastle Foreshore and their workplaces to remember those who have died or been injured at work.
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Hunter Workers secretary Leigh Shears said people who gathered at the Workers Memorial Stone on the foreshore at 12pm on April 28 for International Workers Memorial Day would hear from speakers including Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations and Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis and Health Services Union Assistant Secretary Lynne Russell.
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"It's a significantly important day for working people and broadly the community, it marks the day of the year where we reflect on those workers who have been killed, injured, made sick by their work and recommit to stepping up the struggle for safer workplaces and stronger and better entitlements for workers who do find themselves in those unfortunate circumstances - and their families," Mr Shears said.
He said this year marked a decade since the state government made changes to workers compensation legislation that "put the burden of injury slap bang right in the workers' laps". Injured workers must now have 20 per cent whole person impairment to continue to receive weekly payments five years after their injury.
He said there was a private members bill before the Lower House to hold to account employers who didn't meet their obligations around safe and healthy workplaces and conditions.
Mr Shears said 187 workers died on the job last year and 47 had been killed at work this year, as of April 7.
"It's absolutely devastating [for families] and it's not something that goes away," he said.
"We know [the real number is] much higher given the nature of illnesses like asbestosis, other sorts of workplace illnesses that are created that aren't immediate, they're calculated in a different way."
He said countless more had been injured, with evidence provided to the Senate Select Committee on Job Security showing insecure work contributed to "crippling" injuries and illnesses including poor mental health, which creates "further crises".
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Helen Gregory
Helen Gregory joined the Newcastle Herald in 2010. She is the masthead’s education reporter and has written for the H2 and Weekender sections, as well as across a range of issues. Helen is a Walkley Award winning journalist and was also part of the Newcastle Herald team that won the United Nations World Environment Day Media Award for Environmental Reporting.
Helen Gregory joined the Newcastle Herald in 2010. She is the masthead’s education reporter and has written for the H2 and Weekender sections, as well as across a range of issues. Helen is a Walkley Award winning journalist and was also part of the Newcastle Herald team that won the United Nations World Environment Day Media Award for Environmental Reporting.
