Let’s make sure it’s change for the better

CPSU members in the public sector will face many changes during 2010. A Federal election, the Moran review of the Australian Public Service (APS) as well as a raft of other reforms - all of which will affect CPSU members and the public they serve.

In what promises to be an exciting and challenging year, the CPSU is committed to ensuring members are kept informed and get a say, and that any changes have a positive impact on staff, jobs and services.

We need change that delivers for all

Through the Agenda for Change process last year, CPSU members identified a range of crucial campaign issues for the next five years including: securing decent funding for quality public services, closing pay gaps between agencies through a service-wide agreement; protecting and promoting the role of the public sector and improving work/life balance for public sector workers.

The changing role of the APS

The Rudd Government also has an ambitious national agenda which includes an expanded role for the public sector in tackling challenges such as climate change, fair workplace laws, border security, education and health reform. The government has launched a number of major change initiatives which will have profound impacts on APS employees, jobs and services including:

• the Moran review - the first comprehensive review of the structure, role and operation of the APS in 40 years (read the CPSU submission here)
• a review of service delivery in all Human Services agencies
• the Henry review of the tax system and the Cooper review of pensions
• PS innovation review, the Gershon Review of ICT and the Government 2.0 initiative
• the strategic reform program in Defence
• new APS agreement making arrangements which give all new agreement a common end date of June 30, 2011.

Can the APS meet the challenges ahead?

Currently the APS is structurally fragmented - a myriad of single agency silos which can prevent effective whole-of-government responses to issues. Did you know, for example, that there are more than 100 separate agency agreements in the APS right now with more than 750 different pay points?

These silos also make it harder for staff to share their talents and skills between agencies. If we are ever going to win equal pay for equal work and ensure that agencies are properly funded for pay rises, we need to win the right to bargain collectively across the entire APS.

Tough economic situation

While the government's billion dollar stimulus package helped Australia escape the worst of the global financial crisis, it has also put enormous downward pressure on future public spending decisions. As the government tries to recoup the stimulus spending and move out of deficit, we can expect a series of tight Federal budgets for the public sector, including pressure on agencies to deliver staff savings and lower pay rises.

For example, the Government has already told APS agencies to impose a 3% wage cap on all future agency agreements. However in our budget submission we have called for the government to address the growing pay gaps between agencies and remove the remaining 1.25% efficiency cut on APS budgets.

And if that's not enough action, there's also a federal election

A Federal election is expected to be called sometime after July 2010 and the outcome will have a huge impact on the size, role and direction of the APS. The Opposition are already planning major cuts across the service, though they are refusing to say where.

As in previous years, the CPSU will campaign during the election around issues that matter to CPSU members such fair workplace laws and the protection of essential public sector jobs and services.

Thinking national, acting local

At the individual level, CPSU delegates and organisers will continue to provide individual advice, services and support to thousands of members on issues including workplace bullying, compensation, health and safety, superannuation, hours of work and much more. Find out more here.

At the agency and workplace level, CPSU representatives will be busy this year pursuing positive outcomes in new agency agreements; enforcing current agreements to ensure people get what they bargained for and taking up your agency-specific issues.

A key part of ensuring members get the support they need in their own workplace is training and supporting workplace delegates. More than 1000 new workplace delegates were elected and trained during 2009 and even more will come online this year. Becoming a delegate is a great way to learn new leadership skills, and find out more about how your agency really work. Find out more about  becoming a delegate here.

Thanks for your ongoing interest and support. Please feel free to have your say on the year ahead by posting a comment below.