Victorian CPSU leader opposes strike action

Victorian CPSU leader opposes strike action

By Chris Slee

MELBOURNE — Sue Mountford, secretary of the Victorian branch of the Community and Public Sector Union, argued against setting a date for strike action in support of the union's campaign for a new industrial agreement for the Australian Public Service at a meeting of CPSU members on April 15.

A motion from the floor called for a national day of action combined with a 24-hour strike on May 8 to launch a campaign of industrial action, mass demonstrations and community reach-out work.

Speakers supporting the motion argued that the government's attack on the public service and its workers had to be met with a strong APS-wide response — and that the campaign had to be controlled by mass meetings of union members.

Mountford moved an amendment deleting the mass meetings and the strike. She said that "tough industrial action" might be needed in the future, but at present members did not understand the issues well enough.

Supporters of the original motion disagreed, saying that members have enough information and that public servants needed to show that they intend to fight. Mountford's amendment was passed by 32 to 18.

From GLW issue 271