Fees, Services and other Affiliation Matters

No significant changes to current fee structures or official
remuneration.
This aspect of our platform is one of the few areas where we maintain a general
alignment with the incumbent CPSU leadership. We believe that the current fee
structure and remuneration of officials is generally appropriate. Current CPSU
executives are paid significantly less than what a comparable Senior Executive
Service member of the APS would be, and we appreciate that. Further, we believe
the current progressive fee schedule for CPSU members is equitable.
We will monitor fees and remuneration with reference to CPI and evaluate if we can
or need to make any changes on an ongoing basis.

Review the Members’ Service Centre
Unfortunately, the Members’ Service Centre often disappoints members and
delegates in terms of the provision of industrial advice to members in a timely
fashion. This has significant impacts for workers in terms of having representation
and support at difficult points in their individual cases. This is not to attack the
Members’ Service Centre workers, who work a difficult role under resource
constraints. Our critique is structural, rather than individual.
As a matter of urgency, a Members United CPSU leadership would conduct a review
of the MSC and determine whether the current approach to providing industrial
advice out of what is effectively a call centre in Sydney is appropriate.
In particular, we will look to determine whether the current model is sufficiently
staffed, whether the staff are appropriately qualified in the provision of industrial
advice, whether there needs to be greater engagement of employment lawyers in
particular cases, and whether the centralised remote model should be abolished
in favour of industrial officers appearing on site to represent members in individual
matters.

Adopt a constructive and critical stance within the ACTU
We say that while it is important to work cooperatively across the whole of the
labour movement, we believe it is important to engage both constructively and
critically with the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
For this reason, a CPSU under our leadership would be prepared to dissent from
certain ACTU positions where appropriate. Further, we would open a dialogue with
the unions involved in the 2024 Trade Unions for Democracy Summit and consider
potentially requesting membership of the Trade Unions for Democracy Organising
Committee, subject to guidance from the membership as a whole.