Customs workers strike for decent pay

Nick Everett, Canberra

On October 22, customs workers covered by the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) held a national strike to demand better pay and staffing conditions. The strike interrupted customs operations at international airports, seaports and mail centres and customs officers joined rallies and pickets at airports and in city centres.

The strike was initiated after negotiations between the CPSU and the Australian Customs Service broke down. The current certified agreement covering around 4800 staff expired on September 30.

CPSU Border Protection Division secretary Evan Hall said on September 30 that the customs service will remain "under-staffed and over-stretched" until the issue of staff remuneration is addressed. He called for a "pay rise that will allow the agency to easily attract and retain highly skilled officers".

On October 22 Hall said: "Right now our customs frontline is at least 140 staff short and positions are not being filled because the pay is not up to scratch. We think after 75% of customs officers walking off today management will get the message that officers will not accept the low pay and under-staffing any more."

A CPSU survey of customs officers revealed that 30% are actively planning to leave customs because of concerns about low pay and 75% of officers are finding it hard to support their families on their current salary.

The results are backed up by customs management's own research. More than 2000 officers participated in a "straw poll" in September, conducted by management. Sixty-seven per cent of staff that participated voted against management's package for the new industrial agreement.

However, in an email to staff, customs boss John Jeffery announced that there was no need to change management's offer because, in its view, the 2500 staff who declined to vote "did not feel strongly that the approach adopted so far by customs management is unreasonable".

In a bulletin to CPSU members, Hall stated: "Management's position is completely indefensible. They are trying to call black, white."

From Green Left Weekly, October 27, 2004.

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From GLW issue 604