The CEPU is
still receiving complaints from Delivery members across NSW
regarding their inferior wet weather gear issued by Australia
Post.
Delivery
members are expected to perform mail delivery duties with
inferior wet wether gear during wet weather and by doing so,
putting at risk their personal health and safety and the
health and safety of the community.
CEPU members
at Murwillumbah Delivery Centre on NSW’s far North Coast
discovered after receiving their third issue
of inferior wet weather gear, and putting it to an initial
test during torrential rains suffered recently in that area,
only found that after 15 minutes in the rain they were
completely soaked right through.
Following
this, members at Murwillumbah Delivery Centre decided to
adopt the CEPU’s recommendation that was issued in circular
number 08/029 “Delivery Duties During Wet Weather Health and
Safety Alert”.
Members at
Murwillumbah Delivery Centre informed management that they
would no longer be risking their health and safety by
delivering mail in the rain, but instead would be available
for alternative indoor duties and remain at work for their
rostered hours and would only perform mail delivery
functions when the rain had stopped.
This followed
similar action taken by CEPU members at Charmhaven DC on
NSW’s Central Coast after not only receiving replacement wet
weather gear that was again inferior, but a special Mountain
Designs “Extreme” wet weather package with additional lining
in the garments which still remained inferior and
caused members to be soaked right through.
Australia Post
has a duty of care to provide proper and adequate wet
weather gear to Delivery employees to ensure their health
and safety is protected when performing mail delivery duties
during wet weather periods.
CEPU members
at Charmhaven and Murwillumbah have since been informed by
management that they will be provided with proper
replacement gear sourced from local suppliers. Members at
these centres maintain that they will not risk their health
and safety and perform mail delivery duties during wet
weather periods until proper wet wether gear is delivered,
tested and confirmed to be proper and adequate.
The State
Secretary will be raising this matter again with Post at the
highest State level in an attempt to encourage Post to
reconsider their present supplier for supplying wet weather
gear to delivery staff in NSW
In the meantime, the CEPU strongly reaffirms the
recommendation contained in circular 08/029 and urges all
Delivery members to implement the Branch Committee of
Management Recommendation immediately if their health and
safety is compromised if expected to perform unsafe mail
delivery duty with inferior wet weather gear provided from
Australia Post:
Members who
require further information or assistance with this issue
should contact Branch Assistant Secretary, Steve Dodd,
Branch President Susan Sheather, or Branch Officials, Peter
Chaloner, Gil Enzon, Nicky Lee, TK Ly, Nathan Metcher, Shane
Murphy or Aaron Stockdale on (02) 9893 7822.
Click
here to download the circular (PDF)
