CTU MEDIA RELEASE
19 September 2007

Message to Affco: don’t try and load your accident costs onto workers

“Affco should explain why workers should have to pay $1 million for the cost of a serious accident at work it has now decided it doesn’t want to pay,” CTU secretary Carol Beaumont said today.

“It is clear that Affco accepted the claim as a work claim in 2003 and it is now trying to unload it onto the ACC Earners Account which all New Zealand workers directly fund from their pay packets for non-work accidents.

“The injury occurred in Affco’s carpark during a meal break and it falls square within the definition of “work related personal injury” in section 28 of the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2001.

“Affco have now made the carpark more secure and safer as it could have done prior to the accident.”

“The company accepted responsibility under the ACC accredited employer arrangements which give employers the right to accept direct liability for accident costs in return for discounts.”

“If they wanted to wriggle out of their commitment, then they should have tried it on at the time, not wage a PR war now.”

“New Zealand workers should be warned. We will see more of this cost dumping onto workers if National privatise ACC as it has vowed to do if elected next year.”

“The National Party knows the ACC rules. It should not be supporting an employer who is so obviously trying to rort the system.”

ENDS

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