By Paul Oboohov

CANBERRA -- At a mass meeting at the National Convention Centre on May 13, more than 2000 federal public servants voted for bans. People were forced to sit in the aisles as reports on the attack on the federal public service were given and three National Executive motions and an ACT branch executive supplementary motion were debated.

The first NE motion authorised the NE to call more rallies and to "promote" the public sector. It authorised members not to perform the work of people whose positions were not filled. The government was condemned for reneging on its pre-election promise of no forced redundancies. The motion also called for a 24-hour strike if the government implemented compulsory redundancies.

A speaker pointed out that the public sector could be gutted in the seven to 13 months from the declaration of "excess" positions to people actually being shown the door. Nevertheless, the meeting voted overwhelmingly for this motion.

The second NE motion, also passed without much comment, was for a "fighting fund to campaign on public sector issues".

The third NE motion, which was also passed, condemned the Howard Liberal government's new industrial relations legislation for destroying working people's ability to negotiate collectively and endorsed the ACTU's lobbying against the legislation.

Vigorous debate then ensued over the ACT branch executive motion, drawn up by the delegates' campaign committee and put nationally by the opposition Challenge group. It proposed placing bans on briefing or statistical material, not participating in the formulation of a budget that will contain cuts, not participating in the implementation of cuts or transfers of functions to the states, not carrying out work piled up from vacant positions and not banking revenue.

During the debate two amendments were moved: one to have a "one out, all out" rule for individual workplaces if a stand-down occurs; the other to allow individual workplaces to deliberate on the above bans.

The International Socialist Organisation, impatient to have its own 24-hour strike supplementary motion debated, moved to gag debate. This occurred in the middle of the debate about the second amendment, which as a result was not thoroughly discussed, and its effect of weakening bans was not made clear. The meeting voted for both amendments and the motion as amended.

As a result the bulk of the bans are being debated in individual workplaces. However, bans for a work-to-rule on flexitime, no overtime or on call, and leaving work at 4pm on Wednesdays were carried and have been implemented.

Most workplaces are now voting for the bulk of the remaining bans relevant to their workplace. Some are making exceptions to protect disadvantaged groups, including the necessary budget work this entails.

Public servants are now preparing for two rallies, the first of DEETYA workers and the other, the CPSU national day of action, which will include a half-day strike and a march and rally.

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