Deputy PM Julia Gillard and new National Secretary Nadine Flood at Governing Council
Following a unanimous vote at last week's Governing Council meeting, Nadine Flood has been endorsed as the new National Secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU).
Ms Flood replaces Stephen Jones who has resigned from his position after 17 years with the CPSU to contest his hometown seat of Throsby for the Labor Party in this year's federal election. You can read Stephen's farewell statement here.
Top priorities
Addressing the CPSU Governing Council, Ms Flood said her top priorities as National Secretary are:
finding a better way to bargain and moving towards a single set of pay and conditions for all Commonwealth public sector workers
continuing to pursue positive changes for members through the Agenda for Change initiative
delivering strong results for CPSU members outside the Australian Public Service (APS) including the ABC, NTPS, ACTPS and Telstra
ensuring CPSU members get a voice in the debates that impact on their industries
building a modern, inclusive and progressive union, including a merger with the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance to form a single voice in broadcasting.
Agency bargaining has run its course
"There are obvious structural and organisational problems across the APS which this Government inherited but can no longer be ignored," she said.
''Over the last decade Government departments were broken down into single business units, making it harder to work collaboratively and build meaningful public sector careers.'
"There are people in one agency being paid thousands of dollars less than people in another agency for doing identical work. It’s inequitable and doesn’t deliver ‘joined up’ government. Having 100 different agreements and 750 single different pay points has created massive inflexibility.
"While the Labor Government is taking some encouraging steps in terms of streamlining bargaining, it’s time for us to work together to break down the barriers to mobility and co-operation." Ms Flood said.
Honoured and humbled
Ms Flood said she felt both honoured and humbled to be chosen by Governing Council to lead the CPSU at such an important time in the union's history.
"It is a great honour and a great responsibility to lead this union. I thank you for it. I am particularly proud of being the first woman since Wendy Caird in 1994 to become National Secretary.
"In accepting this role I'd like to acknowledge the enormous contribution of Stephen Jones. Over his 17 years in the union movement he demonstrated the courage, values, vision and commitment it takes to achieve real change. He'll be a great representative for the people of Throsby and a great advocate in Parliamant for the values that we all share.
"The next 12 months will be a critical time for CPSU members.
"The Government has an ambitious reform agenda that stretches from human services to health, education to taxation.
"At the same time it is reviewing the shape and direction of the public service it needs to deliver those reforms. And the Government will shortly bring down its first Budget following the global financial crisis.
"Under my leadership, the CPSU will do everything we can to ensure the voices of CPSU members are heard in these crucial debates.
"Now is the time to tap into the potential of our public sector workers. The people who actually make policy and design the programs, and those on the front line who can find better answers to the challenges facing government.
"Better answers means better services for the Australian community and better jobs for our members. Better answers means making the right savings - though smarter solutions, not simply cutting budgets," she said.
About Nadine
Ms Flood was brought up in a public service household in Canberra. Her father, Philip Flood, was a distinguished diplomat whose career included serving as Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and Ambassador to Indonesia.
After studying Economics at Macquarie University and being a union delegate in universities and local government, Nadine began as an organiser with the CPSU in 1995, representing members across government agencies and in Telstra. She has also worked with the ACTU and with international unions such as the SIEU in America.
In more recent times, Nadine has represented CPSU members in agencies such as DEEWR, ABS and the APSC as well as directing the CPSU's involvement in the Your Rights at Work campaign.
New CPSU Executive Committee arrangements
As a result of Stephen Jones' resignation and Assistant National Secretary Mark Gepp’s decision to take long term leave and seek a new career outside the union, the Governing Council has endorsed a number of consequential changes to the CPSU's Executive Committee. A by-election for the National Secretary position will be held in November as per CPSU Rules.
