Dear members,

As the aftermath of the election is being digested, I wanted to give you a brief overview of your union’s campaign activities and what we achieved.

We know that to effect change on issues of concern to members we must engage in the political process. In the 2010 election, our campaign objectives focused on three key areas; improvements to Industrial Relations laws, uniform and harmonized national OHS laws and our Better Banking charter. We took these steps because members across the country believe that reform is necessary to change the current system that is putting so much pressure on them at work through heavy workloads, poor short term decision making and a global race to the bottom through off-shoring and cost cutting.

On your behalf, I wrote to the two parties who were most likely to be able to form a Government i.e. Labor and Liberal as well as the Greens, seeking their views on our campaign objectives. We detailed the responses in the FSU Election 2010 Policy Guide sent to you before the election. 

Regardless of the outcome of the political discussions and machinations that are now underway as both Labor and the Coalition seek to form a stable, minority Government, I am confident that due to our combined actions, the FSU has laid the political foundation to continue to push for change on issues of importance to members.

In addition to the responses received from the political parties on our issues, we have secured direct support for our Better Banking agenda from 21 people who will take a seat in the new national parliament.

The FSU’s focus during the life of this parliament, irrespective of who forms Government, will be to:

1. ensure that there are no attacks on or attempts to reduce your rights at work;
2. continue working with those members of parliament who backed our initiatives during the election campaign;
3. build the support for our issues in the parliament by lobbying those MP’s and parties who haven’t yet signed up; and
4. improve the working lives of finance sector workers by achieving real reform to workplace OHS, industrial relations and critically, Better Banking in Australia.

I will keep you informed of our progress on these matters.

Regards,

Leon Carter
National Secretary, Finance Sector Union