The Bob Brown Foundation has been condemned over protesters’ dangerous behaviour last week at the Artec Mill at Bell Bay where haulage trucks were forced to be backed up for kilometres, unable to unload. Source: Timberbiz
The Australian Forest Contractors Association says the forest industry has a strong safety focus, and forest contracting businesses have safety management plans and schedule to ensure employees are kept safe. The protest at Bell Bay clearly had no regard for workplace safety.
Two forest defenders were arrested at the protest at the Artec woodchip mill which was shut down for most of the day.
The foundation claimed the protesters’ car tyres were slashed by logging contractors.
The foundation also claimed protestors’ cars were vandalised, that there were “assaults from loggers and complacent police”.
The AFCA says that this type of unsafe protesting exposes workers to serious risks, trucks are stationary in a line for hours which causes serious truck driver wellbeing, and fatigue concerns, as well as increasing pressure on unloading and scheduling.
This ultimately increased safety risks for forestry contracting business; something businesses work hard to reduce.
“No one in our industry or the public who share these roads should be subjected to these workplace risks,” the AFCA said.
“It simply must stop, and we ask protesters to have regard for everyone’s right to a safe workplace.
“This type of risky protesting behaviour also places businesses under enormous financial stress. We call on the Government to implement support for businesses subjected to protests; this type of support is provided in other states. Why should small businesses subjected to unlawful protesters, lose tens of thousands of dollars of income a day and be unable to pay their workers? “
The AFCA has written to WorkSafe Tasmania raising concerns around the workplace risks created by protests and are calling for more action so that businesses can maintain safe operations.
The chief executive of the Tasmanian Forest Products Association Nick Steel called the protest “unfair”.
“As we have repeatedly stated, we support free speech, but it is unfair and unjust to invade workplaces, causing loss of income and stress to your fellow Tasmanians trying to make a lawful living, simply in order to make your point.
“We urge the Government and Labor Party to sit down together and find a way to pass through the Parliament stronger protections for hardworking Tasmanians seeking to make a lawful living in our renewable forestry industry.”
