Terry Costello, Melbourne
The March 25-28 national council meeting of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) adopted the ACTU executive's "criminal conduct policy" resolution with only two votes against. The resolution was motivated by ACTU secretary Greg Combet, who was a guest speaker at the meeting.
The ACTU resolution "condemns the use of criminal, violent and intimidatory conduct in industrial and political activity". Combet failed to mention that under existing legislation, refusing court orders to leave a picket line could be considered "criminal conduct".
He said that the resolution "is not about burying a militant or attacking an individual" and "it might seem that the resolution is coming out of the blue". However, he did make references to a 2001 industrial dispute in Melbourne for which former Australian Manufacturing Workers Union Victorian secretary Craig Johnston is facing trial on May 10, indicating that the resolution could be used to prejudice Johnston's trial.
Telstra is about to launch yet another round of job cuts with work being outsourced offshore. National council members from the left-wing Members First caucus moved a motion calling on the CPSU to organise an industrial campaign to fight outsourcing. The motion also called on the CPSU to make links with workers in other countries that do work for Telstra.
After trying to persuade Members First councillors to withdraw the motion, the CPSU officials moved a substitute motion which stated that the negotiation of awards, media campaigning, website campaigning and "political" campaigning amounted to a comprehensive approach to fighting Telstra's planned job cuts. The officials argued that the union couldn't take industrial action because Telstra is an "aggressive" employer.
The officials' motion was adopted, resulting in the Members First motion lapsing.
Responding to a Members First motion on workers' right to use public service email and internet facilities, the council passed an internet and email policy motion. However, it was unwilling to endorse a national campaign to win these rights or to intervene in workplaces where access is denied or where workers are victimised for using email and internet facilities for political or organising purposes.
Management in some government departments even bans workers from viewing the CPSU website.
Similarly, the officials pre-empted a motion calling for a return to Australian Public Service-wide bargaining by moving a much weaker motion of their own.
Motions on solidarity with Iraq and on CPSU policy in federal elections were not discussed due to lack of time.
While none of the Members First motions were passed, it is unlikely that the officials would have put up motions on Telstra jobs and internet and email use if Members First had not put these issues on the agenda.
[Terry Costello is the Victorian CPSU telecommunications section secretary.]
From Green Left Weekly, April 7, 2004.
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