CPSU incumbents returned on reduced vote
By Bruce Marlowe
The Wendy Caird leadership of the Community and Public Service Union (CPSU) has been returned in elections for the main national office-holder positions in the union.
With over 95% of the ballot counted as Green Left Weekly goes to press, Caird has won 68% for the position of national secretary, followed by 17% for Bob Ryan of the Food Inspection Group and 15% for Val Edwards of CPSU National Challenge.
In the ballot for national president, Caird supporter Margaret Sexton leads with 60.5%, followed by Kim Sumner (National Challenge) and Rob Stainsby (Red Tape), both on 19.7%.
The participation level was considerably lower than in previous polls, with around 25% of CPSU members bothering to vote. This contrasts with a 38.5% participation rate in the 1993 ballot.
This lower level of interest would seem to reflect a disenchantment with the union leadership's failures to mount a successful resistance to Howard's plans for the public sector. At the same time, the divided left opposition is not yet seen as a feasible alternative to the Caird incumbents.
However, where the left has a strong alternative profile, it succeeded in maintaining its position. This was the case in the election for the executive of the ACT branch of the union, where the progressive BEST team swept all positions.
In the ACT, the Caird candidate for branch assistant secretary also lost to independent activist candidate Jennifer Eccles.