Union leadership retreats on Centrelink agency agreement

Union leadership retreats on Centrelink agency agreement

By Philippa Stanford

After several months of negotiations with management and debate amongst members the Community and Public Sector Union leadership within Centrelink, the federal government's one stop shop for services, has voted to recommend the draft agency agreement to members.

CPSU section secretary Mark Gepp has been promoting a "yes" vote to the agreement, claiming that it satisfies most of the union's log of claims.

CPSU National Challenge section councillors Philippa Stanford and Mark Cronin voted against accepting the agreement because it was still not good enough. CPSU National Challenge, a network of rank and file activists, has been campaigning against the agreement.

Since members struck on September 24 to demand a better agreement, there have been some improvements. However, the pay offer remains conditional and is not sufficient for the major concessions members are being asked to make.

These include extended opening hours, work on public holidays, regulated hours of duty, restricting access to flexitime, no limits on permanent part-time work and recruitment through private employment agencies.

In return for all this, members are being offered only a 3.5% pay rise, subject to productivity increases, and a $300 cash bonus.

Feedback from members indicated that while many were unhappy with the agreement, they were not confident that the union could win further gains.

According to Cronin, "What this feedback really indicates is that while members feel that there is a reason to fight, they are not confident that the leadership will genuinely lead the fight. National Challenge will continue to campaign against the agreement, and we firmly believe that a better agreement could be won through a strongly led campaign of industrial and community campaigning."

From GLW issue 295