Tax office workers strike

BY CHRIS SLEE

Australian Taxation Office (ATO) workers around Australia, members
of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), went on strike for two
hours on the morning of September 18. The strike followed the breakdown
of negotiations for a new agency agreement.

Management wants the right to impose compulsory rostering throughout
the ATO to ensure that all phone lines are open from 8am to 6pm. The CPSU
insists on voluntary rosters. The union wants guaranteed job security for
workers in the lower levels of the public service hierarchy who are threatened
with redundancy over the next year or two. It is also concerned that the
proposed pay rise of 8.5% over two years is conditional on meeting a range
of “corporate indicators”.

Picket lines were established outside most ATO buildings around Australia.
At Box Hill in Melbourne, 100 people were on the picket line by 10.20 am.
At Moonee Ponds, the crowd reached 70-80. Northbridge had over 250 people.

Before the workers entered the buildings to start work at 10.30am, union
meetings were held outside each office. Members voted to continue the campaign
with work-to-rule tactics. Further meetings are to be held during the week
beginning October 14 to consider further industrial action during the week
starting October 21 if there is no progress in negotiations.

From Green Left Weekly, September 25, 2002.

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From GLW issue 510