cfmeu fined $1.25m, page-5

"Most union reps are fat and lazy but safety always comes first."

No that is incorrect.
Safety mainly comes as an excuse!!

And I am talking from experience.

I was sent to one meeting(by manager) on "safety job implementation" hold ups, was there one hour, come out with a list of 17 jobs, with 14 being completed that day. The remainders were completed the next day. I am not an engineer, and the fact is there was engineering representation at the meeting.

It all about getting the job done.(correctly, economically and in the first attempt!)
What is missing at most sites is "morale".