canonball1
7th Jan 2008, 21:10
What about some 'Danger Pay'!!!
http://www.smh.com.au/news/health/cancer-risk-prompts-call-for-review-of-shift-work/2008/01/07/1199554571626.html
ONE of Australia's biggest unions has called for a review of working hours after a United Nations report found people who work night shifts have a higher risk of contracting cancer.
The study, published in The Lancet and endorsed by the World Health Organisation, found that night shifts were carcinogenic because workers were exposed to light at night, disrupting their circadian rhythms.
The study found that nurses who worked at night and flight attendants who continually crossed time zones had a higher risk of breast cancer than women who did not have their circadian rhythms disrupted, and that constant light, dim light at night, or simulated chronic jet lag could substantially increase tumour development.
The national secretary of the Australian Workers' Union, Paul Howes, said yesterday that many of his 135,000 members worked 12-hour shifts because it gave them more time with their families, but the risk of cancer had to be taken seriously.
"We've been concerned about this for years, and our union has for many years strongly and publicly warned our members that there are calculated risks in 12-hour shifts," he said. "It is a difficult issue because 12-hour shifts have been available for about 20 years, and most of our blue-collar workers are on them, but if we have to change shift patterns we will.
"We want more research done because if there are emerging patterns which show that shiftwork and night work are carcinogenic in the industries that we represent, we will be asking Federal Government to act."
The union's national health and safety officer, Yossi Berger, said yesterday it would be an uphill battle to convince members not to work night shifts, but the "frightening report" had confirmed the union's worst fears.
"We have been telling workers for 15 years that shiftwork can be detrimental to health, and it is no fun to find out, via this study, that we were right," Dr Berger said.
"One hour of work between the hours of 11pm and 5am puts more of a load on your physiological health than any other time of the day. And it's not just the worker who pays the price - it is the partner and the children."
He said about 25 to 30 per cent of the union's members were shift workers, and it was difficult to advise against night work when the shifts paid a much higher wage than day shifts.
"You can earn a lot more money working these shifts but you may find yourself using the money on a designer oxygen tent. At the end of the day shift work is very, very costly."
The AWU covers members employed in the aviation, agriculture, health and manufacturing industries.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/health/cancer-risk-prompts-call-for-review-of-shift-work/2008/01/07/1199554571626.html
ONE of Australia's biggest unions has called for a review of working hours after a United Nations report found people who work night shifts have a higher risk of contracting cancer.
The study, published in The Lancet and endorsed by the World Health Organisation, found that night shifts were carcinogenic because workers were exposed to light at night, disrupting their circadian rhythms.
The study found that nurses who worked at night and flight attendants who continually crossed time zones had a higher risk of breast cancer than women who did not have their circadian rhythms disrupted, and that constant light, dim light at night, or simulated chronic jet lag could substantially increase tumour development.
The national secretary of the Australian Workers' Union, Paul Howes, said yesterday that many of his 135,000 members worked 12-hour shifts because it gave them more time with their families, but the risk of cancer had to be taken seriously.
"We've been concerned about this for years, and our union has for many years strongly and publicly warned our members that there are calculated risks in 12-hour shifts," he said. "It is a difficult issue because 12-hour shifts have been available for about 20 years, and most of our blue-collar workers are on them, but if we have to change shift patterns we will.
"We want more research done because if there are emerging patterns which show that shiftwork and night work are carcinogenic in the industries that we represent, we will be asking Federal Government to act."
The union's national health and safety officer, Yossi Berger, said yesterday it would be an uphill battle to convince members not to work night shifts, but the "frightening report" had confirmed the union's worst fears.
"We have been telling workers for 15 years that shiftwork can be detrimental to health, and it is no fun to find out, via this study, that we were right," Dr Berger said.
"One hour of work between the hours of 11pm and 5am puts more of a load on your physiological health than any other time of the day. And it's not just the worker who pays the price - it is the partner and the children."
He said about 25 to 30 per cent of the union's members were shift workers, and it was difficult to advise against night work when the shifts paid a much higher wage than day shifts.
"You can earn a lot more money working these shifts but you may find yourself using the money on a designer oxygen tent. At the end of the day shift work is very, very costly."
The AWU covers members employed in the aviation, agriculture, health and manufacturing industries.