Members would have seen the glossy campaign featuring the Managing Director and the “I Am for Zero” message. Chances are you would have been briefed on this initiative, given a booklet and probably a DVD to watch as well. This was done at great expense to the corporation at a time everyone you speak to expresses their concerns over declining letter volumes and revenue.
The concerns are real and maintaining the future viability of the letters business is a real challenge for us all. At the same time the push is on to grow parcel volumes to ensure that the business that is Australia Post continues to be the public icon that it is and to be an employer of choice for many generations to come.
What is of concern to this office is that those charged with the implementation of the “I am for Zero” safety initiative are also charged with growing the business and increasing volumes and revenue. It begs the question, which takes priority, safety or operations/revenue. Is this not a conflict of interest?
As loyal employees doing your best day in day out for Australia Post you would like to think it was safety that took priority, sadly to often it is being demonstrated by management that safety falls a poor third behind operations and revenue.
Recent initiatives by Australia Post such as Separate Bundle Delivery (SBD) highlight the corporation’s values of revenue over safety. Other examples such as directing hub staff to load their vans in an unsafe manner rather than spend additional money by sending out a second van to collect the overload are another example of this. Management will scoff “we wouldn’t do that” but sadly members, below is some of the evidence
The above pictures was supplied yesterday by one of the largest hubs in the Sydney metropolitan area and they are most concerning, in the event of an accident the loose items in the cabin of the vehicle would become missiles that could cause serious injury. All employees of Australia Post should expect that they come home to their families safely each day. I would not like to be the manager/supervisor who has to go and visit a family and give them the news that their loved one has been seriously injured on the job, especially if those injuries are preventable.
We have invited the Manager Transport to confirm that he does not condone the loading practices above and his response is “I certainly do not support mail articles in the front cabin” and “The safety of our staff comes first and we can meet our customers needs while doing this.”
The CEPU position on this important OH&S matter is very clear and been published many times over the years but will state them again here in the interests of drivers safety.
- NO MAIL & PARCEL ITEMS ARE TO BE CARRIED IN THE CABIN OF VEHICLES.
- IN THOSE VEHICLES WHERE YOU CAN COMFORTABLY STAND UP IN THE CARGO AREA, MAIL & PARCELS SHOULD NOT BE STACKED ABOVE CHEST HEIGHT.
- IN THOSE VEHICLES WHERE YOU CANNOT STAND COMFORTABLY, MAIL & PARCELS SHOULD BE PLACED IN THE VEHICLE AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE GIVEN THE CONFINED SPACE.
- UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD DRIVERS LIFT MAIL & PARCELS ABOVE SHOULDER HEIGHT.
The above is designed to keep you safe and if management really are for zero then they should support the above. Let’s see what they really do!
Members should not be disciplined or threatened with the discipline process for following the above to ensure their personal safety. If you are threatened with disciplinary action contact the CEPU as soon as possible.
If you arrive at customers premises and there is insufficient capacity in your vehicle you need to contact the hub and ask them to arrange a special to come and collect the overload. Under no circumstances should you be asked or threatened to overload your vehicle or perform any unsafe act.
Remember the vehicle is your responsibility and the fact that a supervisor or manager directed you to do something unsafe such as overloading will not exonerate you in the eyes of the law. Equally supervisors should be aware under “Chain of Responsibility” they may also be held accountable should their instructions or directions to subordinate staff result in an unsafe act being performed.
Should you require any further information, please contact Branch Assistant Secretary Shane Murphy or Branch Officials Peter Chaloner, Gil Enzon, Phil Kessey, TK Ly, Nathan Metcher, Greg Rayner or Aaron Stockdale on (02) 9893 7822.
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