I have started Investigating the EWRB Act and Regulations in regard the abuse of the legislation in regards the supervision of Trainees and Apprentices, to write a report to go to Govt leaders to amend the 1992 Electrical workers Act in regards the definition of the term Trainee and Apprentice from abused import laborer for the benefit to reduce wages.
I am seeing a battle out there with overseas contracting companies tendering for work here with the intent of using cheap overseas non compliant Electrical workers as their work force, I am in the process of advertising on seek to inform Electrical workers I have heard one company importing 80 migrant workers for a project here in New Zealand when we have workers struggling and apprentices trying to find work, this is not fair and here is a letter i forwarded to Nicole Rosie CEO of Worksafe NZ
Hi there Nicole Thank you for allowing me to connect with you, as I am in the process of formulating an investigative letter to be forwarded to the Registrar for the EWRB plus other senior figures in Govt including yourself in regards the abuse of the Electricity Act 1992 highlighting the abuse of companies in regards training of Apprentices and Trainees. Overseas contracting companies are coming to New Zealand using migrant unlicensed electrical workers on short-term work visas for their projects avoiding using skilled trade staff and apprentices here in New Zealand, I have come to writing this document due to hearing of one company here bringing up to 80 Asian unlicensed electrical workers here to complete a project due to cost, this practice is exploiting the legislative definitions in the Act it was intended, as trainees are not to be working in an unsupervised work environment and work visually overseen by a supervisor during commencement, and also trainees are not to be working in a hazardous environment which a construction environment for non-English speaking workers is a hazardous environment and I am seeing more injuries occur due to lack of supervision and not being able to communicate in English, Nicole as an ex-project manager and engineer that has worked in a variety of countries I see this is an accident waiting to happen and feel the loop hole needs to be closed and the definition of rules for training trainees written in a more explanitive way in the Electrical Regulations limiting the number of trainees under supervision by one company based on the number of trade qualified people on site or within the organisation to provide suitable training, and, not to be used as a way to increase profit as safety becomes second place as is quality in which I am seeing both disappear in my opinion, and the definition of training is being abused.
All the Best Lewis Jones Nicole, I am forming a petition to go with these letters from electrical workers to back up my opinion as they have prompted me help
5:57 PM
Thanks Lewis. We welcome your material here in a formal letter. I also suggest you ring up and notify us through our contact centre number on the website as we record complaints there and would take this sort of issue very seriously. Nicole
8:18 PM
Thank you for the information above and I hope you do take it seriously as it has been the Electrical workers and the Business owners that contact me to inform me of what is happening causing me to research the legality of the 1992 Electricity Act and Regulation in regards this issue, and, how it affects the Occupation Health and Safety of workers in this country as workers in this industry work in a seriously dangerous work environment if left unregulated and overseen. Truly I feel this legislative Act is written without the knowledge it's intended meaning being abused to the advantage of companies employing unskilled and unregistered electrical workers for increased profits, not for the intent of training as the Act intends , as to the effect the number of trainees (non registered electricians) are outnumbering the registered tradespeople supposedly overseeing them in the workplace, and local employers are telling me they are being bullied by overseas contractors to join them and reduce their contract rates or be crushed as they will not be able to compete in any tenders against them using overseas migrant workers, when cost is the main driver safety of the employees takes a back seat. All the best and I am very appreciative of your time Lewis
Compose a message to your conversation with Nicole Rosie
I NEED YOU TO EMAIL ME IN REGARDS YOUR SUPPORT OF CHANGE OF THE ACT TO PROTECT THE INDUSTRY AND YOUR LIFE, THIS DOES NOT ONLY EFFECT JUST WORKERS BUT THE COMPANIES YOU WORK TRYING TO TENDER AGAINST OVERSEAS CONTRACTORS USING MIGRANT LABOUR !
LEWIS@SAFEWORK.COMPANY