From: Peter ODonoghue To: Delegates, Sub-Division Executives CC: Council From: Peter O'Donoghue, Division Secretary Subject: reports File No: 011.20/10-17 Date: 15 May, 1996 Colleagues, The purpose of this memo is to provide some current information about key events - delegate elections, Council Meeting 17, SDF progress, Remuneration Work Group 'road show', industrial legislation and the public sector cuts. DELEGATE ELECTIONS I remind you that nominations are open for the position of Delegate. If you are intending to nominate, or you have arranged for a replacement nominee, please ensure that the nomination form is lodged with the Returning Officer no later than 12 Noon on Wednesday, 22nd, May. This may be faxed on (03)92857149. This term of office is for 12 months as will be subsequent terms. COUNCIL MEETING 17 The next in-face meeting of Council will be held in Melbourne on 15th and 16th June. I anticipate that the agenda will be circulated in early June and this will be discussed at your next Sub-Division Meeting. If you have items you wish to raise, please contact your Councillor. SDF PROGRESS Not surprisingly, progress on conversion to SDF has tapered off and I thank everyone for their efforts on this. However, considerably more needs to be done and further effort will be greatly appreciated. The conversion rate for each Sub-Division is: ACT - 405 of 728 members(55.6%) Northern Australia - 76 of 103 members(73.7%) NSW - 599 of 1137 members(52.7%) QLD - 253 of 393 members(64.4%) SA - 163 of 276 members(59%) Tas. - 162 0f 205 members(79%) WA - 148 of 231 members(64%) Vic 783 of 1209 members(64.8%). Congratulations to Tasmania for leading the charge and to Human Nutrition (Glenthorne) where all members are on SDF. If you want the number of conversions in your workplace, please contact Leanne or Barbara. REMUNERATION WORKING GROUP ROAD SHOW At this point, the RWG has decided to embark on a road show as part of the consultation process. I will provide more information about the content of the draft report soon. With your consent, I plan to organise meetings of the Sub-Division Committees in order that the there is greater understanding of the issues and a union position developed, which I consider will be necessary. The location and date of the presentations which are open to all staff are as follows: Brisbane - 29th May (most likely at St Lucia) - 9.00 a.m. Sydney - 29th May - Lindfield - 3.00 p.m. Melbourne - 6th June - Clayton - 9.00 a.m. Geelong - 6th June - Wool Technology - 2.00 p.m. Hobart - 7th June - Castray - 1.30 p.m.(?) ACT - 17th June - Entomology(?) - 3.00 p.m. Adelaide - 3rd July - Waite Campus - 2.00 p.m. Perth - 4th July - Floreat - 10.00 (?) Most of the presentations will be made jointly by the Co-Chairpersons - Peter O'Donoghue and John Radcliffe. Other members of the Joint Remuneration Working Party ( Bruce Walker, General Manager, CHR most likely) will attend each presentation. INDUSTRIAL LEGISLATION PETITIONS A number of petitions have been forwarded to this office and I assume that others have been sent to the PSU Group office in Sydney. Thank you to the Delegates who have done this. The closing date for return to the National Office is Monday 27th May (original memo stated incorrectly the 29th May). I would appreciate your assistance in obtaining as many signatures as is possible from members, work colleagues family and friends as the union wishes to impress on the Government and the Senate minor parties the extent of opposition to the proposed changes to industrial legislation. Please remember that to conform with Senate guidelines, the signatures must be on the same page as the preamble. Tomorrow (16th May) has been designated as a special signing day by the union and a number of activities will be held across the public service as part of this. This day is the when the third component of the APS Enterprise Agreement salary increase is paid. PUBLIC SECTOR CUTS As you are aware, cuts to staffing and running costs are occurring across the APS as part of the Governments first stage of the reduction of the alleged $8 billion budget black hole. Most members probably consider these steps by the Government will have no impact on CSIRO. While this is probably right as far as corporate CSIRO is concerned, with the exception of the 2% cut in recurrent expenditure, the impact at the Divisional level may be greater. The 2% cut will be manageable if it applies to the non-science component of the budget (30%), approximating $2.9 million per annum, but considerably more difficult if it applies to the whole appropriation, approximately $8.6 million. The less obvious impact will arise from diminished opportunity for collaboration with Government Departments and Agencies due to : 1. the $350 million reduction in the Government IT programs and strategy, 2. cut to the budgets of all Departments and Agencies, including the Statutory research funding bodies (eg, RIRF's), 3. the larger cuts in Department of Industry Science and Tourism, AUSINDUSTRY - AUSTRADE and AID. The budget may generate bigger problems in that major programs in R&D such as syndication, CRC's and other support for business are likely to be eliminated or reduced. Cheers, Peter. delmemo3.doc,15/5/96