BY SARAH STEPHEN
The McClure report is the recently released federal government inquiry into welfare "reform". The report canvasses shifting functions undertaken by Centrelink to private or non-profit providers. It also suggests further tightening of "mutual obligations" and eligibility criteria for social welfare services.
The national leadership of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), whose members work in public welfare agencies including Centrelink, has discussed mounting a national campaign against Centrelink functions being outsourced. However, the CPSU leadership has unilaterally decided not to take a position on other proposals in the report, such as the extension of "mutual obligation" to single parents and disability pensioners.
The Western Australian Council of Social Services, the Sole Parents Union, a range of disability groups and the Greens, the Australian Democrats and the Democratic Socialist Party have opposed the extension of mutual obligation. The CPSU could add significant weight to this opposition if it decided to join a united campaign, particularly if the union was willing to organise an industrial campaign. Broad mobilisations that could put massive pressure on the federal government to back down would be more possible.
What excuses have the CPSU leadership offered for refusing to take up a broad community and industrial campaign opposing the social, economic and political framework of the report?
Excuse 1: "We can't take a position on mutual obligation because it's controversial and union members have different views."
The real issue is what role should a union leadership play in relation to these different viewpoints? Either all viewpoints are accepted without question or union meetings involve members and encourage information, education, discussion and genuine debate around issues. Unions should lead the resistance to neoliberal attacks on employed and unemployed workers, and help to shape their members' collective anti-capitalist consciousness and class solidarity.
The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union in Victoria provided an example of this through its active support for the September 11-13 protests (S11) against the World Economic Forum in Melbourne. It also distributed information to its members supporting the International Women's Day and Reclaim the Night marches. The majority of the AMWU's membership are male and likely to have been influenced by sexist views of one shade of another.
Instead of saying, "We won't touch that issue, it's too controversial", the Workers' First group that leads the Victorian AMWU branch chose to challenge and undermining sexist attitudes that divide and weaken the working class.
Unlike the pro-Labor CPSU leadership, the Victorian AMWU has not lost members, because they are also prepared to organise and involve union members in the fight for real improvements to wages and conditions.
Excuse 2: "We can't take a position because it doesn't directly affect our members."
This implies that mutual obligation and increasing government control over the unemployed and low-income welfare recipients is of no interest or importance to Centrelink workers. This ignores the fact that the impact of welfare "reform" is not simply on the statistics but affects the real people with whom Centrelink workers deal with daily.
Unemployment issues may not immediately affect union members — until they lose their jobs — but many would know family or friends forced to make do on social security.
Unemployment and social welfare issues are issues that every trade union should take a stand on. Increasing job insecurity, increased temporary and casual work and periods of unemployment are a reality for more workers than ever before.
Welfare "reform" is about the erosion of working people's basic social rights. The government uses words like "breaking the culture of welfare dependency" as if the plight of the poorest sections of society is poor's own doing — yet government statistics show that there are six applicants for every job vacancy advertised. The CPSU should be demanding that the government meet its obligation to provide meaningful work for all, and an adequate income when it does not.
Excuse 3: "We can't take a position because unions should only be concerned with 'industrial' issues."
Trade unions should take up all the issues that affect the quality of life of their members. Most significant progressive social movements, such as the movement against the Vietnam War, the feminist movement, the peace and environment movements and the recent anti-globalisation protests against the World Economic Forum in Melbourne have had substantial union involvement.
There is not a wall between union members and the rest of society. Workers and their families make are the big majority of the population. Unions should be prepared to fight all social justice, whether a narrow "industrial" issue or not.
The CPSU national leadership decided in September to hold a two-month "campaign". Union delegates attended briefing sessions in each state. Ideas raised included producing badges and stickers, and leaflets to distribute at train stations, universities and to Centrelink clients. At this stage, no material or direction has been provided from the leadership.
It seems the CPSU officials think calling something a "campaign" is sufficient. But it's glaringly true in this case that if we don't fight, we will lose.
It won't just be Centrelink employees who suffer from job losses and the downgrading of conditions. It will also be single parents struggling with work and the increasing cost of childcare, the tens of thousands of people reliant for their survival on the disability pension, and unemployed people, shunted off to the Salvos or Anglicare to beg for money to feed the their kids and to pay the rent.
A national network of CPSU activists, Members First, advocates a democratic social justice approach to trade unionism. It supports a community and industrial campaign against the McClure report proposals. If you are interested contact us on <membersfirst@bigpond.com>.
[Sarah Stephen is a CPSU delegate in Centrelink in WA and a member of the Democratic Socialist Party.]