Bosses' meeting picketed over injured workers

By Chris Spindler

MELBOURNE -- The Metal Trades Industry Association meeting held here on September 30 was picketed by unionists from the metal division of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union as part of its recently launched make-up pay campaign.

Heads of companies are to be asked to sign a statement agreeing that the Metal, Engineering and Associated Industries Award include 52 weeks' full make-up pay for work-related injuries. Any company signing will be supporting the Metal Trades Federation of Unions claim before the arbitration commission.

Since 1992, employers' contribution to injured workers' wages has been on a downward trend. The make-up pay campaign aims to return to what workers were getting before the Kennett government made its changes to WorkCover.

Other changes to WorkCover put an end to injured workers' right to sue their employer. As a result, the families of the two workers killed by the explosion at the Esso gas plant on September 25 cannot sue the company.

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