australasian organising conference may 2003 winning media campaigns with workers’ stories
TRANSCRIPT
Australasian Organising Conference May 2003
Winning Media Campaigns With
WORKERS’ STORIES
Australasian Organising Conference May 2003
The Union Message● Too many workers die because of work
● Our H&S law is not effective
● Work is safer and healthier when workers are involved
● We need a law which supports real worker participation
Australasian Organising Conference May 2003
The Employer Message● Unions exaggerate the stats
● Our workplaces are safe
● Accidents are the worker’s fault
● Our health and safety law is OK
Australasian Organising Conference May 2003
● Highlight fatality statistics
● Compare with comparable countries
● Explain the proposals
● Highlight workers’ stories
The Union Strategy
Australasian Organising Conference May 2003
Telling Workers’ Stories
Australasian Organising Conference May 2003
Darren Skeen’s story
Killed at work flushing out sewer lines on February 6, 1999.
New to the job, untrained in health and safety, unprepared and unprotected.
19 year old father, partner, son, brother, friend, team-mate, worker, union member.
Australasian Organising Conference May 2003
The Mothers’ Stories
Australasian Organising Conference May 2003
Mothers bring work deaths home
By MATHEW DEARNALEY
Three mothers - all with harrowing tales of the deaths of sons at work - left MPs charged with reviewing industrial safety rules in sombre mood in Auckland yesterday. The three, from different walks of life, found themselves with all too much in common delivering heart-rending submissions to Parliament's transport and industrial relations select committee. Their testimony left normally animated MPs from both sides of Parliament asking few questions. But they were unanimous in thanking the mothers for having the courage to appear before them to put a human dimension to proposed law changes. Each son was killed at what should have been the start of a long and productive working life, and the oldest was in his early 20s.
Australasian Organising Conference May 2003
The World According to the Employers
Australasian Organising Conference May 2003
Petunia Waaka’s Story
Australasian Organising Conference May 2003
The Family’s Story
Australasian Organising Conference May 2003
Nathan Whale’s Story
Australasian Organising Conference May 2003
Cazna Waaka’s Story
Australasian Organising Conference May 2003