Gender violence still an OHS issue

Female members of the CFMEU led a protest on 20 July 2017, against violence in the workplace after a female organiser from the Victorian Trade Hall Council was threatened with violence.

A manager from Element Five/VCON sent an abusive email to the organiser who had been campaigning against the company’s safety record.

According to the CFMEU, the rally outside the offices of Element Five/VCON aimed to expose the company’s inadequate response to this incident of gendered violence.

The CFMEU say that gendered violence is a significant workplace OHS matter, which they believe is still being swept under the carpet in most workplaces.

“This recent incident is an example of the deeply problematic attitudes towards gendered violence that exists in certain companies in the construction industry. The Victorian Trades Hall has been working closely with construction unions to stamp out these archaic attitudes towards gendered violence,” said the CFMEU.

 Photo credit: Rae Allen