BY KERRYN WILLIAMS
CANBERRA — The Members First group in the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) is running a national ticket against the ALP-dominated incumbent team in the union elections starting on May 2.
The Members First candidates are Jonathan Sherlock for national secretary, Judy McVey for assistant secretary, Andrew Hall for president, Paul Oboohov and Mick Burnside for deputy national president positions, and Phil Hilton for professional officers secretary.
"The Members First team is arguing for a union that takes industrial campaigning, struggle and solidarity seriously", Hall told Green Left Weekly.
"With motivated leadership prepared to stand up and be counted, we can re-empower thousands of disillusioned members and delegates to take up the fight together for broad-based campaigns for better wages and conditions (via the 'pattern bargaining' that has revitalised some unions), the defence of our vital community services like Medicare and public education as well as opposition to war and the May war budget.
"Public servants who want to collectively stand up against inequality in wages, health and education, for justice, democracy and human rights are currently far more likely to get involved inside and outside their workplaces over issues such as war on Iraq, the mistreatment of refugees, or the closure of their local school than to get active in, or even join, the union."
Hall also said: "Many CPSU members are angered at the union leadership's gutless response over war and refugee rights, and the ongoing failure to defend members' interests in the workplace they should join us in building a positive change in the culture of the CPSU."
Members First is calling on the CPSU to hold urgent mass meetings across the public sector to vote for a national day of action as a first step to defend jobs and conditions under threat from the Coalition government's May war budget.
"The Members First team offers a democratic alternative to the current top-down status quo", Hall said. "Its approach is based on traditional values of solidarity and collective action to turn around the tide of retreat.
"If elected, Members First will campaign to:
"(1) Democratise the union and provide leadership through handing back decision-making to members through members' and delegates' meetings, and holding officials accountable to those decisions;
"(2) Move towards pattern bargaining across agencies as a first step towards industry-wide bargaining.
"(3) Improve conditions and job security by fighting against privatisation, understaffing and long hours, and for a 35-hour week without trade-offs;
"(4) Fight against victimisation of union delegates and active members.
"(5) Actively fight against market testing, individual employment contracts and agency bargaining;
"and, (6) join with other unions campaigning for the public sector, a decent welfare system, human rights and against warfare and scapegoating of refugees."
To contact Members First, phone 0438 624744 or email <membersfirst@bigpond.com>.
From Green Left Weekly, April 16, 2003.
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