Paul Oboohov, Canberra
The rank-and-file group Members First has announced it will contest the national governing council and agency-based section council positions of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) in elections due later this year.
The Members First team comprises Judy McVey of DEWR in Victoria for national secretary; Paul Oboohov from DEST in the ACT for assistant national secretary; Terry Costello of iPrimus in Victoria for national president; Jonathon Sherlock of Centrelink in Victoria for deputy national president; Mike Byrne of Telstra in Queensland for deputy national president; Nick Everett of DEWR in the ACT for executive member; and Paul Aalto of the ATO, originally from Newcastle and soon Victoria, for executive member. Members First will also contest a range of governing and section council positions.
The Members First platform argues that the CPSU must join other unions in the fight against Howard's new industrial laws, and specifically against individual workplace agreements (AWAs). It also says the union must move towards pattern bargaining, and equal pay for equal work. It also calls on the union to oppose the privatisation of Telstra and resulting job cuts and the adverse impact on regional communities.
Members First wants the union to re-establish regional decision-making bodies, re-open the Newcastle organising office and hold mass meetings in city centres to discuss major industrial issues. It calls for grassroots organising rather than relying on a Member Service call centre, and says the union must defend workplace delegates' right to organise, which in some agencies has been restricted. Members First also wants the union to take up community causes, such as opposition to the ongoing occupation of Iraq.
The CPSU election takes place as the Howard government prepares to introduce its new workplace laws. Differences have appeared within the CPSU national leadership. Current national secretary, Adrian O'Connell declared mid-year that he could no longer work with the current assistant national secretary Margaret Gillespie, and that neither he, Paul Ingwerson nor Evan Hall would be standing again.
Stephen Jones, previously on secondment from the CPSU to the ACTU as a communications specialist, is the current leadership's candidate for national secretary. Margaret Gillespie is recontesting her position of assistant national secretary and Mark Gepp is recontesting for national president.
The incumbents have the CPSU National Council's agreement to create another assistant national secretary position. This will give Jones the figleaf of incumbency in the national leadership.
Some CPSU activists told Green Left Weekly that, having once supported the CPSU leadership's Progressive Caucus ticket, they are now disillusioned with what seems to be all rhetoric. This has led to the formation of a third ticket, CPSU Action, which is also critical of the current national leadership. CPSU Action has activists in various federal public service agencies and will also be standing for governing and section council positions. It has had some discussions with Members First.
The Members First platform, and a short sign-on statement for endorsement, can be downloaded from <http://www.users.bigpond.com/membersfirst/>. To help out in the campaign in Queensland phone Mike on 0418 185 804; in the ACT phone Paul on 0417 048 217, and in Victoria phone Judy on 0418 347 374. ALternatively, email <membersfirst@bigpond.com> or write to PO Box 410, Civic Square, ACT 2608 or PO Box 2023, Lygon St Nth, East Brunswick VIC 3057.
From Green Left Weekly, September 28, 2005.
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