WE WANT AN ACTIVE, FIGHTING UNION
The deficits of service model unions
One of the top priorities of A Voice For Members is to rebuild the democratic structures within our union. The CPSU operates using a service model of unionism, where members are entirely isolated from the governance of our union and all political decisions are made by elected officials.
But why are member-controlled democratic structures in a trade union so important? Why do we need to reject a service model of unionism? Why can’t the elected officials just run the union for us?
What is a service model union?
A service model of unionism fails to leverage the collective power that lies at the heart of trade unionism, and instead encourages workers to pursue their industrial issues individually. It steers workers towards seeing the union as nothing more than a temporary service they can use as an individual, and then disengage from when that service is no longer required.
How many conversations have we had, as unionists, where our non-union colleagues respond to our efforts to recruit them with some iteration of “being a member isn’t worth it for me right now,
I don’t have any problems at work”?
A service model turns the union member-base into a revolving door, failing to provide workers with a reason to be a part of the union beyond the utility of individualised industrial support. It is therefore a strategic dead-end when it comes to building union density across the public service long-term, which in turn weakens our power at the bargaining table.
Fair Work
An industrial strategy that tackles problems on behalf of individual workers is also heavily reliant on the Fair Work Commission for outcomes. A union’s power comes from its ability to conduct strikes, not from court rulings, and union compliance with several decades of conservative court rulings have dealt a significant blow to the Australian union movement’s ability to conduct effective industrial action.
The recent Fair Work ruling that striking Woolworths workers were “failing to engage in good faith bargaining” by defending their own picket line against a multi-billion-dollar corporation is only one example of many where our right to strike, and defend our strikes, has been systematically eroded by an institution set up to crush the labour movement.
What can we do?
Convincing public servants that our ability to affect long-term change in the public service is something we wield collectively, not something we individually request from the union bureaucracy or from the courts, is an important step towards building a union that is capable of fighting for industry-wide change.
We, the members, are the union – and we know that the confidence of our membership to fight for better working conditions, for a better society, can only be built through our ability to participate democratically in the decision-making structures of our union.
Our demands will not be met in the courts, and they will not be met in one-on-one meetings with our bosses and industrial officers – they will only be met when we build a confident, active and militant rank and file that is willing to leverage its only real power: the collective withdrawal of our labour.
Join A Voice For Members – a Rank and File group of CPSU members committed to a democratic, member-led, fighting union for Victorian Public Servants.
MEMBER PROFILE – GEORGIA
What’s your name?
Georgia Minner Saines
How long have you been in the union?
12 months
Where do you work and what do you do?
I’m a Legal assistant at Victoria Legal Aid. I work in the Civil Justice division with a team of lawyers specialising in Mental Health and Disability Law.
Why did you join?
I joined A Voice For Members because I felt like there was zero communication about decision making from the top of the hierarchy. I also joined because I want a union that takes action on social issues affecting workers and human rights.
What’s your vision for the CPSU?
I want CPSU to be led by its members. For decisions to be made democratically, and for a membership fee structure that makes sense for all of our colleagues.
WHAT’S ON
INAUGURAL A VOICE FOR MEMBERS MEETING
THURSDAY 30 JANUARY 2025
6PM – 8PM
FOLLOWED BY SOCIAL DRINKS
BAGUNG MAGALI – COMMUNITY ROOM
BARGOONGA NGANJIN, NORTH FITZROY LIBRARY, 182 SAINT GEORGES ROAD, FITZROY NORTH
MCED BY PURPLE PINGERS (AKA JORDAN VAN DEN LAMB)
ANNOUNCING!
KEYNOTE SPEAKER – ELLEN DAVID FRIEDMAN
AUTHOR OF “WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR UNION BREAKS YOUR HEART”
This event has been held, thank you all for attending!
You can listen to a recording from the meeting thanks to our friends at 3CR.