And why this one matters even more!
When union elections come around, it’s easy to miss them.
No paid ads. No voting booths. Just a ballot from the Australian Electoral Commission, often buried in your letter box.
But that ballot? That’s your chance to decide what kind of union we have for the next four years. And right now, it matters more than ever.
Because a union is only as strong as its members – and only as democratic as we make it
The CPSU hasn’t had a contested leadership election in over 30 years. Thirty years. That means generations of union officials have remained in power without being tested, without being challenged, and without being accountable to the people they’re meant to represent.
Union Democracy
Union democracy isn’t a nice extra. It’s the core of a fighting union.
When members have a say, when they organise together, and when they elect leaders who answer to them – that’s when a union wins.
When decisions are made behind closed doors and leadership feels untouchable, the union weakens – and the bosses know it.
This union signed off on a 3% pay deal while the cost of living soared. It stood by as restructures gutted teams and insecure work spread like wildfire. It claims there was nothing that could be done, but we call it giving up before the fight even starts.
Voting for change
Voting is how we change that.
It’s how we replace passive unionism with active, member-led organising.
It’s how we put pressure on both the employer and our own structures to deliver for working people.
Across the VPS, members are doing it tough. Frontline workers are burning out. Admin staff are collapsing under workloads. Communities are suffering from cuts and a casualised workforce. And too often, the union is nowhere to be seen.
But you are not alone. You are not powerless. And this election is a chance to be part of something bigger. A movement to rebuild the union from the ground up.
A Voice for Members
That’s why A Voice for Members is running. We’re public servants like you.
We’re organisers, activists, delegates and health and safety reps. We’re from right across the public service – lawyers, policy workers, ministerial staff, housing workers, prison officers, data analysts, intelligence officers, and more.
We’re tired of being ignored.
And we’re ready to fight – for better wages, more secure jobs, and a union that listens.
So don’t let this vote pass you by.
Keep an eye on your letter box for a ballot from the Australian Electoral Commission. It will look similar to the ballot for your local council.
Vote for A Voice For Members.
It takes 60 seconds – and it means everything. We only get to vote every four years. Let’s make this one count.