Tax Office workers protest
By Chris Slee
Members of the Community and Public Sector Union employed by the Australian Taxation Office have completed two weeks of rolling stoppages to protest management's plans to sack up to 50 workers in the individual non-business tax area.
CPSU members refused to start work before 10am and picket lines were set up outside each office on its strike day. The picket at Melbourne's Casselden Place office involved more than 50 people.
The tax division of the Australian Services Union refused to support the stoppages and encouraged its members to cross the picket lines. However, some ASU members joined the pickets at Casselden Place and Moonee Ponds.
Supporters of CPSU National Challenge and the Members First network in the ATO, while helping to build the Tax Office pickets, have called for Australian Public Service-wide action to fight the sackings.