By David Clarke (NSWTF member, Fed Rep & HSR) – Part 2 of 3

Should the HSR be a lone operator, or something more like a Tribune of the People, networked across every school and TAFE in the state? Under the NSW WHS Act 2011,[1] safety work is not merely a compliance exercise; it is a strategic site of struggle, and one where union power can be built brick by brick. That power grows not through isolated heroics but through connection: sites talking to sites, tactics shared rather than hoarded, and a politics that never loses sight of workers’ own demands. This piece, the second in a series of three, maps how to grow the HSR role from the ground up, through connection, planning, and a sustained orientation to what workers actually need.

Growing the network: from one, to many, across School and TAFE worksites

A foundational step is expanding the HSR footprint beyond a single site. The NSWTF (the Federation) is shaping a model where more school and TAFE worksites elect at least one HSR, each with genuine authority and protection from punitive politics.[2] The aim is to normalise a state-wide web of HSRs who can coordinate, share wins, and support one another in the slow, patient work of reform. In practice, this means actively encouraging the election of at least two HSRs per site, or a strong primary HSR complemented by an equally empowered deputy, so that leadership is distributed and resilience is built in rather than left to chance.[3]

Every reader has a role to play. At your NSWTF Association meetings, encourage other comrades to elect a HSR at their worksite, and patiently explain the link between the NSW WHS Act 2011 and the slower, more durable project of building local union power. Worker-to-worker organising remains the surest path to union strength; no directive from above substitutes for it.[4]

Progress inside the Federation has included appointing a WHS officer and strengthening internal networks via a Special Interest Group, which has opened up space for candid conversation about what HSRs can realistically do, and how to win the trust of sceptical members.[5] The risk of burnout among experienced unionists is real. The antidote is rotating responsibilities, robust training, and protected time, so committed unionists are not run into the ground or left isolated. The Federation backs HSRs through member-led processes: motions from members at worksite union meetings, transparent decision-making, and political cover when needed to push back against anti-union constraints.[6]

Timely, legitimate response: balancing speed with process

When something urgent occurs, HSRs should act quickly, but not precipitously. The balance is one of assessing significance, gathering facts, and engaging the school community through a transparent process. Incidents require formal reporting, consultative discussion, and escalation where necessary.[7] Speed builds trust only when it is exercised within legitimate channels and against clear timelines. This combination, speed married to legitimacy, is what grows the union’s credibility and reinforces democratic practice inside schools.

Active HSRs can face backlash for pushing too hard, too soon. The lesson is not to retreat from urgency but to make it sustainable: provide training, protect time, and shield reps from punitive politics through worksite union meetings.[8] A HSR must know when to hold the line, when to escalate, and how to mobilise a broader team, so that the load never falls on one set of shoulders. The Federation’s role is to provide advice and backup, and to keep the focus squarely on workers’ demands rather than procedural box-ticking.

From local to Federation-wide: governance as a hinge for broader struggle

Safety governance is not some ancillary function bolted onto the “real” work of teaching. It is a central mechanism for coordinating workplace democracy. The HSR network should function as a base, linking local site governance to a broader programme: democratic control of budgets, safer working conditions, fairer staffing, and a consistent, strategic approach to recruitment and organising across worksites. The HSR becomes a conduit for turning safety procedure into concrete gains: safer classrooms, healthier staff, and a more coherent union strategy that challenges policy direction from the standpoint of those who do the work.

A critical question is how many HSRs a site actually needs. The old “one HSR per school” model is not mandated by the NSW WHS Act,[9] and it routinely leaves staff under protected. The test for readers of this article is to aim for multiple HSRs wherever possible: two primary HSRs (with a deputy), or three in larger sites. This distribution lowers the risk of burnout, fosters shared leadership, and ensures broader coverage. Union members themselves must provide the backbone of support for however many HSRs are judged necessary at their worksite. The aim is to foster an ordinary, dependable form of power, one where reps feel backed and equipped to act in the interests of workers, not exposed and alone.

Relationship-building as the engine of recruitment and retention

People join the union when they feel protected and heard. One-on-one conversations, regular check-ins, and accessible incident-reporting processes are what convert fear into solidarity.[10] Turning WHS procedure into tangible improvement, safer environments, fairer workloads, visible union support, is what grows recruitment and strengthens loyalty. When staff see a real, accountable process delivering concrete results, union credibility expands, and membership follows.

Seen this way, the HSR is a strategic role where safety and solidarity intersect. If we treat safety as a living political project, rooted in transparent process, durable relationships, and a clear path to collective improvement, we magnify our capacity to shape school and TAFE worksites, and, in time, the wider system they sit within. The task is patient, disciplined, and collective: build networks through worker-to-worker organising, guard against burnout, and keep safety and solidarity at the centre of the fight for a democratic, union- and community-powered education system.

Takeaway

The objective for readers of this article is to normalise multi-HSR sites and to embed Federation involvement in WHS matters as a matter of course, not exception. Ongoing training, durable tenure for seasoned reps, and cross-worksite collaboration are essential. The Federation will support these efforts wherever union members at a worksite support a multi-HSR model. The Federation’s Special Interest Group facilitates shared resources, standardised procedures, and a culture of tactical education, so that every HSR can operate with legitimacy and protection. The endgame is a safety governance system that remains anchored, always, in workers’ own power.

Series note: this article outlines the practical and political architecture for expanding the HSR network across worksites and strengthening Federation-wide capacity. The forthcoming third article in this series will examine the practical, political tactics for scaling up, safeguarding workers, and sustaining a long-term, union-powered model of worker-to-worker organising.

Endnotes

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[1] NSW Government, Work Health and Safety 2011 No 10, NSW, 68-69.

[2] AEU NSW Teachers Federation, Inquiry into 2026 Review of the Work Health and Safety Scheme, Submission No 37, https://files.parliament.nsw.gov.au/fileapi/ParlFiles/GetArtifact/0037%20NSW%20Teachers%20Federation.pdf?serverRelativeUrl=%2Flcdocs%2Fsubmissions%2F94647%2F0037%20NSW%20Teachers%20Federation.pdf

[3] SafeWork NSW, “HSR Elections,” SafeWork NSW, https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/resource-library/consultation/hsr-elections

[4] Eric Blanc, We Are The Union How Worker-To-Worker Organizing is Revitalizing Labor and Winning Big, Berkley: University California Press, 2025, 39-42.

[5] NSW Teachers Federation, Annual Conference Decisions 2022, 16-17.

[6] NSW Teachers Federation, Annual Conference Decisions 2024, 31.

[7] SafeWork NSW, “Investigating and Reporting Incidents,” SafeWork NSW, https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/safety-starts-here/safety-support/investigating-and-reporting-incidents

[8] Michael de Wall, “Meeting with purpose. It’s about time,” NSW Teachers Federation, 2026, https://www.nswtf.org.au/news/2026/07/24/meeting-with-purpose-its-about-time/

[9] NSW Government, Work Health and Safety 2011 No 10, NSW, 50-55.

[10] ACTU Institute, “Union Campaigns for Workplace Health and Safety,” ACTU Institute, 2020, https://atui.org.au/2020/07/17/union-campaigns-for-workplace-health-and-safety/

Bibliography

ACTU Institute. “Union Campaigns for Workplace Health and Safety.” ACTU Institute, 2020. https://atui.org.au/2020/07/17/union-campaigns-for-workplace-health-and-safety/.

AEU NSW Teachers Federation. Inquiry into 2026 Review of the Work Health and Safety Scheme. Submission No. 37. https://files.parliament.nsw.gov.au/fileapi/ParlFiles/GetArtifact/0037%20NSW%20Teachers%20Federation.pdf?serverRelativeUrl=%2Flcdocs%2Fsubmissions%2F94647%2F0037%20NSW%20Teachers%20Federation.pdf.

Blanc, Eric. We Are The Union: How Worker-to-Worker Organizing is Revitalizing Labor and Winning Big. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2025.

de Wall, Michael. “Meeting with Purpose. It’s About Time.” NSW Teachers Federation, 2026. https://www.nswtf.org.au/news/2026/07/24/meeting-with-purpose-its-about-time/.

NSW Government. Work Health and Safety Act 2011 No 10. (NSW), Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Counsel’s Office.

NSW Teachers Federation. Annual Conference Decisions 2022.

NSW Teachers Federation. Annual Conference Decisions 2024.

SafeWork NSW. “HSR Elections.” SafeWork NSW. https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/resource-library/consultation/hsr-elections.

SafeWork NSW. “Investigating and Reporting Incidents.” SafeWork NSW. https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/safety-starts-here/safety-support/investigating-and-reporting-incidents.