Current News for Rural

The doors have opened for thousands of asbestos victims around the world to claim compensation against Australian suppliers, after a New Zealander won a $320,000 payout against James Hardie in a Sydney court.

The man from Snowy River still stands between rural workers and their safety, according to Australian Workers Union Central West President Mick Madden.

It took more than16 hours to recover the body of a worker who died while working at a major Sydney construction site because he wasn’t noticed missing until the day after.

Bosses in Victoria face five years behind bars if they endanger employees under new safety laws that come into effect next week.

Patrick Stevedores tried to use John Howard’s new industrial laws to block inspection of a Port Botany site subsequently found to be riddled with asbestos.

A grieving widow's unanswered questions and a union campaign have moved to increase transparency over workplace fatalities.

Psychometric testing is being used to identify bullies - then give them the job.

Three workers have been killed and 273 have suffered a permanent disability as a result of falls from heights in the past year,prompting a move by the NSW Government to tackle one of the biggest dangers on the State’s construction sites..

A Victorian radio announcer who slapped, verbally abused and threatened his colleagues has been silenced with a $10,000 fine.

Workmates of a worker who blew the whistle on bullying at security firm Chubb have backed his claims, as evidence comes to light that even Chubb’s insurer believes he is in the right.

A former Chubb Security Operations Manager claims years of bullying has left him a physical and emotional wreck.

When James Hardie decided to trade blue collar for blue chip it knew "spoilers" would try to wreck its party. It even nominated the AMWU and its NSW secretary, Paul Bastian, but was confident they would be seen off by an A-List cast of lawyers and spin doctors.

Timber workers in the central west town of Oberon have stopped work over safety conditions, just months after exposing a "ticking time bomb" at their plant.

Nurses at Campden and Campbelltown hospitals are being abused, threatened and spat on in public as they try to restore faith in their services. They stopped work for three hours this week to appeal, over the media’s head, to Western Sydney people spooked by months of negative publicity.

An average of 30 children aged under 14 years are killed each year on Australian farms, prompting calls from unions for more action to protect children in the workplace.

Welcome to the UnionSafe bulletin, keeping you informed about the hottest additions to your occupational health and safety website during April and May 2004.

Construction workers at the MCG walked off the job after a crane hit a light tower showering glass onto the site below.

Three weeks ago Cory Bentley asked his girlfriend to marry him. Last Wednesday afternoon she joined friends, family and workmates to say good bye at a Memorial Service that shut down Pt Hedland.

The Federal Government is moving to dodge the ACT’s Industrial manslaughter laws in a move slammed by the ACTU as "immoral".

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Last modified: Tuesday, 15-Nov-2005 20:37:38 EST