Find your people

Starting out in the APS can be overwhelming. There's a lot to learn and it's not always easy to connect with people who share your interests and values.

Joining the CPSU Grad Network means being part of a diverse and inclusive community that is united by a shared purpose and supports its members both professionally and socially.

Find community, purpose, and support by joining the CPSU. It's a great way to meet people.

Be involved

Becoming a union member means being aware of the issues impacting workers in your workplace.

It also means playing an active role in shaping the conditions and policies that impact workers across the APS.

By joining the CPSU you’ll gain a unique insight into how decisions are made and get the opportunity to have your say on the issues that matter to you.

If you want to know what is going on at work and be part of the important conversations, join the CPSU.

Make a difference

We all want to feel like we’ve done something meaningful and significant to change things for the better.

By working together, union members have a powerful collective voice to advocate and campaign for positive change both inside and outside of the workplace.

The CPSU is a union led from the workplace. Members are encourage and supported to get involved on the issues and campaigns that matter most to them.

CPSU membership is a great way to access mentoring and support to develop your campaigning and advocacy skills so you can make a difference to the issues you care about.

Better pay, better conditions

Becoming a CPSU member is the best way to support better treatment, better pay, and better conditions at work.

CPSU involvement in APS negotiations and workplace issues means workers are more likely to have:

• real wage increases
• improved conditions, like flexible work and WFH
• better leave entitlements, including parental leave
• safer workplaces
• more control over their professional and personal lives

Learn more here.

Support at work

As a CPSU member, you have access to advice, support and advocacy on a range of workplace issues including:

• pay, allowances, and super
• your agreement, policy and legislation
• leave and hours of work
• performance, permanency, and career development
• work health and safety.

Learn more here.

Protecting your rights

The CPSU protects and enforces your workplace rights to ensure that members are treated with fairness and respect, and are safe at work. Learn more here.

Member resources

CPSU members have access to an exclusive range of guides, fact sheets, webinars, and events that help you get the most from APS common conditions and workplace policies. Learn more here.

Member discounts

CPSU members get a better deal both inside and outside of the workplace. The CPSU Member Advantage platform helps members save hundreds (and even thousands) each year by providing discounts on a range of everyday and occasional purchases, including groceries, fuel, electronics, appliances, entertainment, and more. Learn more here.

Online learning

CPSU members can access self-paced professional development courses through our Aspire online learning platform. Learn more here.

Journey insurance

CPSU members are automatically covered by journey insurance that protects their income in case of injury when traveling to and from work. Learn more here.

Free legal will

CPSU members can access a free legal will through Slater+Gordon lawyers. Learn more here.

Social events

Throughout the year and around the country CPSU Grad Network members are invited to exclusive functions and events including: pets in the park, dinners, cultural events, tours, and social drinks.

Accessibility Network

The CPSU Accessibility Network is a union community committed to exploring and addressing the challenges faced by members living with or impacted by disability.
cpsu.org.au/accnet

CALD Network

The CPSU Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Network (CALD) provides members with an opportunity to shape CPSU advocacy and improve representation on CALD issues in their workplace. cpsu.org.au/cald

NATSIC

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Caucus (NATSIC) is a CPSU member network that provides a united voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members, delegates, activists and workers.
cpsu.org.au/NATSIC

Queer Network

The CPSU Queer Network is a group of LGBTIQA+, queer, and/or gender diverse CPSU members who work together to discuss and campaign on issues that affect our rainbow community in the union space.
cpsu.org.au/queernetwork.

Why is there a cost for CPSU membership?

What an individual can achieve for themselves and others when negotiating with their employer is limited by an imbalance of power and resources. Protecting and improving your rights at work requires organisation, expertise, and time. By working together CPSU members create a more equal position from which workers can achieve change. Membership fees fund the CPSU's bargaining and advocacy activities, as well as support broader social, legal, and political campaigns that advance the rights of APS workers.

How much does CPSU Grad Network membership cost?

CPSU graduate membership costs $6.05/week and is tax deductible. If paid by direct debit, member fees are charged fortnightly. If paid by credit card, you have the option of paying either monthly or quarterly.

CPSU member fees are based on salary tiers, so that contributions are scaled to income. This means that members on a lower salary pay a smaller fee. In this way all workers are able to contribute to and benefit from CPSU support. The CPSU Grad Network provides membership at the lowest cost tier for a 12-month period.

How will being a CPSU member benefit my career?

CPSU members are generally more informed about workplace issues, better connected with their colleagues, and more actively involved in shaping the APS. Many CPSU Grad Network members become senior workplace delegates with regular access to SES staff and leadership opportunities.

Members also have access to resources that help them advance within the APS, including professional development courses in the CPSU Aspire online learning platform and our Land the Job You Want webinar series.

The CPSU also supports members to address workplace issues like performance, permanency, and job security. Union members also have additional legal and workplace rights, and discrimination against employees on the basis of union affiliation is illegal.

What does being a CPSU member involve?

CPSU members decide their own level of involvement. There are opportunities for members to take a leading role in campaigns and negotiations, or to participate in democratic processes that determine overall union priorities, leadership, and workplace activities. The most important part of being a CPSU member is having the opportunity to have your say on the issues that important to you and supporting a strong public service in public hands.

I'm not interested in politics, is CPSU membership right for me?

Yes. Regardless of your level of political interest or activity becoming a CPSU member contributes to better conditions for APS workers and supports a more capable and effective public service for everyone. CPSU members hold a diverse range of political, religious, cultural, and personal beliefs.