CSIRO staff to launch strike action on Thursday morning

Date
    November 18, 2015
    Canberra Times

Hundreds of staff at the government's peak science agency are expected to walk off the job on Thursday morning, frustrated by a breakdown in negotiations and a belief their conditions are under attack.   :(

The three-hour strike action by CSIRO staff comes after union members joined half-day strikes across the bureaucracy in June and threatened industrial action earlier in the year.

CSIRO Staff Association Secretary Sam Popovski​ said his members had endured years of funding cuts and were frustrated by ongoing negotiations with management.

"CSIRO staff have witnessed dramatic funding cuts; seen critical research abandoned and suffered a 20 per cent reduction to the workforce over a two-year period," he said.

"Now CSIRO management are proposing to slash conditions and workplace rights; in keeping with the federal government's unfair bargaining rules.   :(

The current workplace agreement expired in August 2014 and scientists and researchers have not had a pay rise since mid-2013.

Mr Popovski said union members were concerned by the proposed reduction of the agreement from 94 clauses to 59. The size of the document would also be reduced from 103 pages to 46.

He said it was not surprising staff were willing to strike given they had witnessed one in five jobs cut from the agency in two years. 

"Management's pay offer is poor and will take CSIRO staff backwards in real terms; 1.5 per cent per annum over 38 months," he said. 

"However when the delays are taken into account, the most generous calculation translates to an actual pay offer of no more than 1.1 per cent per annum, well below current inflation rates."

The strike action was announced on the same day the Australian Tax Office presented a 6 per cent pay increase to nearly 20,000 public servants, including a 3 per cent increase in the first year.

Last week, the agency confirmed it was pressing ahead with plans to trim its workforce despite reports the federal government is planning to restore funding to its information technology research agency.   :(

The merger of CSIRO and National ICT Australia to create the Data61 agency was announced in February and formally endorsed in August, with up to 200 public servants expected to lose their jobs as a result.

Mr Popovski said the association was willing to negotiate with management although staff were committed to continuing industrial action unless concessions were made.

"The government's unworkable bargaining policy is causing chaos across the public sector and it's high time for the implementation of a new policy that treats workers with dignity and respect," he said.

A CSIRO spokesman said contingency plans were in place to ensure the vital work was continued with minimum disruption

"CSIRO will continue to negotiate with staff and bargaining representatives to deliver the best possible pay and conditions in the current environment," he said.

No surprise here - you elect a bunch of grubs into government and it is no shock to see what you get.

The Public Service should not be immune from a contracting economic environment.  The Public Service has to contract with it.

Maybe thumb twiddling CSRIO staff need to experience a real job in the real world for 5 minutes and they'd quit their belly aching.... :D

Dnarever wrote on Nov 19^th, 2015 at 6:49am:

No surprise here - you elect a bunch of grubs into government and it is no shock to see what you get.

And the long term damage to our economy of destroying our scientific establishment.

Wages growth is too slow, time for some action to lift it!

Swagman wrote on Nov 19^th, 2015 at 7:10am:

The Public Service should not be immune from a contracting economic environment.  The Public Service has to contract with it. Maybe thumb twiddling CSRIO staff need to experience a real job in the real world for 5 minutes and they'd quit their belly aching.... :D

The CSIRO employ some of the best minds in the country and their work is result based and recognised world wide for its quality.

The offer made to them is an effective pay cut as it is way less than inflation.

Jovial Monk wrote on Nov 19^th, 2015 at 7:14am:

Wages growth is too slow, time for some action to lift it

Yes, productivity needs to increase.  How do you propose to do that Monk?  Go on strike for more money?  ::)

Dnarever wrote on Nov 19^th, 2015 at 7:17am:

Swagman wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:10am: The Public Service should not be immune from a contracting economic environment.  The Public Service has to contract with it. Maybe thumb twiddling CSRIO staff need to experience a real job in the real world for 5 minutes and they'd quit their belly aching.... :D The CSIRO employ some of the best minds in the country and their work is result based and recognised world wide for its quality. The offer made to them is an effective pay cut as it is way less than inflation.

Well if they are so good at their work they should move to a job that rewards their efforts in the Private Sector, instead of advocating a tax increase on the rest of the work force.

Swagman wrote on Nov 19^th, 2015 at 7:10am:

The Public Service should not be immune from a contracting economic environment.  The Public Service has to contract with it. Maybe thumb twiddling CSRIO staff need to experience a real job in the real world for 5 minutes and they'd quit their belly aching.... :D

Then we have the joke of Scott Morrison saying that wages growth is too low when this is the policy his government has been pushing across the board in both the private and public arena.

You are a comic, Swag, but one desperately in need of new material.

Killing science is not exactly good for productivity.

Time to get rid of the neoconservatism that is strangling the economy.

Swagman wrote on Nov 19^th, 2015 at 7:19am:

Dnarever wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:17am: Swagman wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:10am: The Public Service should not be immune from a contracting economic environment.  The Public Service has to contract with it. Maybe thumb twiddling CSRIO staff need to experience a real job in the real world for 5 minutes and they'd quit their belly aching.... :D The CSIRO employ some of the best minds in the country and their work is result based and recognised world wide for its quality. The offer made to them is an effective pay cut as it is way less than inflation. Well if they are so good at their work they should move to a job that rewards their efforts in the Private Sector, instead of advocating a tax increase on the rest of the work force.

I think you would find that their work results in much of Australia's wealth - they produce a net gain for Australia and effectively cost very little to the tax payer.

Get rid of all the useless chaplains in schools, use that money to boost CSIRO wages/hire more staff.

Dnarever wrote on Nov 19^th, 2015 at 7:22am:

Swagman wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:19am: Dnarever wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:17am: Swagman wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:10am: The Public Service should not be immune from a contracting economic environment.  The Public Service has to contract with it. Maybe thumb twiddling CSRIO staff need to experience a real job in the real world for 5 minutes and they'd quit their belly aching.... :D The CSIRO employ some of the best minds in the country and their work is result based and recognised world wide for its quality. The offer made to them is an effective pay cut as it is way less than inflation. Well if they are so good at their work they should move to a job that rewards their efforts in the Private Sector, instead of advocating a tax increase on the rest of the work force. I think you would find that their work results in much of Australia's wealth - they produce a net gain for Australia and effectively cost very little to the tax payer.

MUCH of australia's wealth?  A bit over-stated, isn't it?  You are perhaps not aware that innovation, new technology and research occurs is places other than CSIRO?  I am not criticising them, but they are only one part of the picture.

mariacostel wrote on Nov 19^th, 2015 at 7:54am:

Dnarever wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:22am: Swagman wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:19am: Dnarever wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:17am: Swagman wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:10am: The Public Service should not be immune from a contracting economic environment.  The Public Service has to contract with it. Maybe thumb twiddling CSRIO staff need to experience a real job in the real world for 5 minutes and they'd quit their belly aching.... :D The CSIRO employ some of the best minds in the country and their work is result based and recognised world wide for its quality. The offer made to them is an effective pay cut as it is way less than inflation. Well if they are so good at their work they should move to a job that rewards their efforts in the Private Sector, instead of advocating a tax increase on the rest of the work force. I think you would find that their work results in much of Australia's wealth - they produce a net gain for Australia and effectively cost very little to the tax payer. MUCH of australia's wealth?  A bit over-stated, isn't it?  You are perhaps not aware that innovation, new technology and research occurs is places other than CSIRO?  I am not criticising them, but they are only one part of the picture.

You are perhaps not aware that innovation, new technology and research occurs is places other than CSIRO?

I didn't think we were talking about the US or China ?

The other primary is of course our universities which fall broadly into the same category with legislative changes employment pressure and vulnerable to the same claim of being a tax burden.

Dnarever wrote on Nov 19^th, 2015 at 8:00am:

mariacostel wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:54am: Dnarever wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:22am: Swagman wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:19am: Dnarever wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:17am: Swagman wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:10am: The Public Service should not be immune from a contracting economic environment.  The Public Service has to contract with it. Maybe thumb twiddling CSRIO staff need to experience a real job in the real world for 5 minutes and they'd quit their belly aching.... :D The CSIRO employ some of the best minds in the country and their work is result based and recognised world wide for its quality. The offer made to them is an effective pay cut as it is way less than inflation. Well if they are so good at their work they should move to a job that rewards their efforts in the Private Sector, instead of advocating a tax increase on the rest of the work force. I think you would find that their work results in much of Australia's wealth - they produce a net gain for Australia and effectively cost very little to the tax payer. MUCH of australia's wealth?  A bit over-stated, isn't it?  You are perhaps not aware that innovation, new technology and research occurs is places other than CSIRO?  I am not criticising them, but they are only one part of the picture. You are perhaps not aware that innovation, new technology and research occurs is places other than CSIRO? I didn't think we were talking about the US or China ? The other primary is of course our universities which fall broadly into the same category with legislative changes employment pressure and vulnerable to the same claim of being a tax burden.

And once again you seem to be unaware that private companies also do research and innovation and development. Look at the majority of our technological society. Most of it was developed by private companies.

Again, not criticising CSIRO. Simply saying they are a lot of other innovators and researchers outside of them.

Hmm..I thought the libs be happy if there were less scientists.  Less rational people in the society should give their vote a big boost.

stunspore wrote on Nov 19^th, 2015 at 1:17pm:

Hmm..I thought the libs be happy if there were less scientists.  Less rational people in the society should give their vote a big boost.

That's a stupid thing to say, to put it mildly. Nice to see you subscribe entirely to partisan perceptions and nothing else. It must be very comfortable in your little hovel of delusion.

mariacostel wrote on Nov 19^th, 2015 at 3:43pm:

stunspore wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 1:17pm: Hmm..I thought the libs be happy if there were less scientists.  Less rational people in the society should give their vote a big boost. That's a stupid thing to say, to put it mildly. Nice to see you subscribe entirely to partisan perceptions and nothing else. It must be very comfortable in your little hovel of delusion.

LONGY wrote that last para  :D :D :D ;D ;D ;D

Jovial Monk wrote on Nov 19^th, 2015 at 7:14am:

Dnarever wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 6:49am: No surprise here - you elect a bunch of grubs into government and it is no shock to see what you get. And the long term damage to our economy of destroying our scientific establishment. Wages growth is too slow, time for some action to lift it!

Swaggy will just nourish everyone in his(/her?) pouch and feed them beer when in need at the cost of zero tax dollars whilst expecting primary industry to continue with the numbers that always existed but with more smoothness and non-sinusoidality and therefore more business certainty will reign until the names of Howard and Costello are once again proselytised (did i get the spelling right... google can't even tell me  :D :D :D :D :D :D) forever and ever and stuff  ;) ;) ;)

Jovial Monk wrote on Nov 19^th, 2015 at 7:27am:

Get rid of all the useless chaplains in schools, use that money to boost CSIRO wages/hire more staff.

Girls hate soccer anyway  :D :D

Swagman wrote on Nov 19^th, 2015 at 7:17am:

Jovial Monk wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:14am: Wages growth is too slow, time for some action to lift it Yes, productivity needs to increase.  How do you propose to do that Monk?  Go on strike for more money?  ::)

Swaggy doesn't realise primary production relies on pure science- the act of acting on pure science allows technological progess and thus civilisations develop!

The lib voters of Australia- once proud farm people with inheritance they brought to the city- are apoplectic with your every ignorant utterance! You are nothing!!

You are lesser and lesser than spit with everything you say  ;)

If the industrial revolution was all about the improvement of every process where does your statement take the world???????????????????????????????????????????????

mariacostel wrote on Nov 19^th, 2015 at 8:08am:

Dnarever wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 8:00am: mariacostel wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:54am: Dnarever wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:22am: Swagman wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:19am: Dnarever wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:17am: Swagman wrote on Nov 19th, 2015 at 7:10am: The Public Service should not be immune from a contracting economic environment.  The Public Service has to contract with it. Maybe thumb twiddling CSRIO staff need to experience a real job in the real world for 5 minutes and they'd quit their belly aching.... :D The CSIRO employ some of the best minds in the country and their work is result based and recognised world wide for its quality. The offer made to them is an effective pay cut as it is way less than inflation. Well if they are so good at their work they should move to a job that rewards their efforts in the Private Sector, instead of advocating a tax increase on the rest of the work force. I think you would find that their work results in much of Australia's wealth - they produce a net gain for Australia and effectively cost very little to the tax payer. MUCH of australia's wealth?  A bit over-stated, isn't it?  You are perhaps not aware that innovation, new technology and research occurs is places other than CSIRO?  I am not criticising them, but they are only one part of the picture. You are perhaps not aware that innovation, new technology and research occurs is places other than CSIRO? I didn't think we were talking about the US or China ? The other primary is of course our universities which fall broadly into the same category with legislative changes employment pressure and vulnerable to the same claim of being a tax burden. And once again you seem to be unaware that private companies also do research and innovation and development. Look at the majority of our technological society. Most of it was developed by private companies. Again, not criticising CSIRO. Simply saying they are a lot of other innovators and researchers outside of them.

Technology is the application of pure science: YOU ARE SUCH A JUNIOR  :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

TELL ME WHICH COMPANIES THAT GIVE PROFITS TO INVESTORS INDULGE IN PURE SCIENCE!

YOU CAN'T BECAUSE YOU ARE A PLANET ACCOUNTANT .ie foreign vested interest who hates the country of Australia!

Yeh, go on and make me take that back  :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)