PSU rank and file contest election

By Barry Healy

SYDNEY -- A David and Goliath contest is opening up within the Public Sector Union in an election for the position of assistant national secretary. Phil Sandford, a poorly funded rank-and-file candidate, is standing against Wendy Caird, the preferred candidate of the entrenched leadership.

Caird is supported by a very well-oiled machine while Sandford is backed by active members around the country who are disenchanted with the direction of the PSU. Caird was previously NSW state secretary and a vociferous opponent of enterprise bargaining; when she was appointed temporary assistant national secretary, she suddenly became one of the main campaigners for it.

Sandford has years of experience as a delegate, delegates committee secretary and conference delegate from the Department of Social Security. He has previously contested the ballot for assistant national secretary and won 43% of the vote.

Sandford's main planks are an opposition to cuts in jobs and conditions, opposition to the flurry of amalgamations that are occurring without discussion, for a real campaign for work-based child-care and defence of the public sector.

He has been getting good feedback nationally to his insistence on the need for the union to return to organising the members instead of being fixated on deals with the ACTU and ALP.

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