I tend to disagree head that Company paid Safety Reps may be biased and tempted to compromise safety...these days if a representative of any company is found negligent in any way and compromised safety where a worker is injured, not only that individual, but the Company will end up in Court and it's Director's also facing big fines or even jail time.
It is not worth it to compromise safety...besides, Workplace Health & Safety Reps regularly visit work places to ensure worker safety is not compromised, if a worker feels threatened or compromised a telephone call fixes that. Then even if the company found out who it was and were to consider sacking that person for "dobbing" there are strict laws that prevent that too to protect workers.
The State and Federal Work Place Health & safety requirements have out grown Unions, sure Unions had their place in the past, but that is where they belong when it comes to workplace safety...in the past.
Union reps are well known to shut a workplace down over a piddling stupid issue just to throw their weight around and intimidate workers and employers...and cost employer's unnecessary angst and money, as well as jobs when businesses close down...
