Dear Andrea

I was at the Adelaide Young Workers’ Conference last month when you told us Daniel’s story and how such a great loss could have been easily prevented. I have been working for unions in the area of workers compensation and occupational health and safety for a number of years now and your story had a major impact on some of my views.

As a young person, I have always advocated that young people should not be treated any differently from older workers. You made me see how inexperience can lead to risk taking behaviour and that employers have to make an extra effort to train young members of staff or simply not put them on dangerous jobs in the first place.

I am so encouraged by your motivation to highlight the travesty of industrial death and put and end to it.

Daniel’s death, although totally unacceptable and a tragic loss to you and your family, was not in vain.

Please keep up the fight. Hopefully with groups like VOID and the union movement working together we can make the politicians and employers listen and create change.

Yours in solidarity

Juliana Virine

Industrial Officer

Queensland Council of Unions

Level 5, 16 Peel Street

South Brisbane QLD 4101

p: 07 3846 2468

f: 07 3844 4865