Latest news with #CPSU
ABC News
2 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
CSIRO could be facing hundreds more job cuts this year, union warns
There are fears hundreds more Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) jobs could be axed this year, the union has warned. The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) issued a statement on Thursday morning saying that Australia's national science agency was enduring its "biggest job cuts in a decade". Last year, 440 positions were slashed, and the CPSU said "approximately 200 contract jobs were left to expire, with hundreds more cuts expected to be made to research units later this year". The union said it had made a submission to the Economic Reform Roundtable, warning the nation's capacity for productivity and innovation was being "actively undermined". The union is calling for the federal government to intervene to prevent further proposed cuts. CSIRO Staff Association section secretary Susan Tonks said there was a "clear disconnect between the government's talk about boosting productivity and their failure to support the very institution that helps deliver it". "But deep job cuts at the CSIRO are directly undermining Australia's ability to innovate, compete and grow. And this will continue to be the case as long as this government sits on its hands while hundreds of staff at the CSIRO are shown the door with little to no explanation. "If this government is serious about productivity, it must step in, stop the cuts, and back our country's peak science institution." The CSIRO has been contacted for comment. Ms Tonks said concern among staff was high. "If you're looking at the May budget papers and the workshops … there's workshops coming up to assess what science will be done, and what research will continue in September," she said. "And looking at all the numbers and everything that's coming up, it's looking highly likely that there will be similar numbers [to last year's cuts] coming across the research portfolio. "There's still assessments to be done, but given what we've just come out of, the anxiety and the concern and anger from staff is high." She said it was "hard to say" which areas within the CSIRO would be targeted. "But I think everything's going to be looked at," she said. "Looking at recent conversations with staff in preparation for some of those that are going to go through, there's quotes like, 'We need to be simpler as an organisation, we need to exit some areas and do fewer things better.'" She said it was "unsettling" for staff who had already been through recent changes, and warned some might not remain at the CSIRO if uncertainty lingered. "It's worth noting, public investment in research and development is what delivers innovation, it increases productivity," Ms Tonks said. "The CSIRO's been behind some of the most important scientific innovations that we've had in Australia. "We need to make sure that we back it."
ABC News
30-07-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Tasmanian senator Josh Dolega addresses queer youth in maiden speech
Tasmania's first openly gay Labor senator, Josh Dolega, has used his maiden speech to "give a sense of hope" to young queer people wanting to enter politics. Previously a Public Service Union (CPSU) organiser, Senator Dolega filled the vacancy left by Anne Urquhart, who vacated the role to successfully run in the lower house seat of Braddon in the federal election. Despite having a low public profile, Mr Dolega beat secretary of Unions Tasmania, Jessica Munday, and the party's former state secretary, Stuart Benson, to fill the position. Addressing the Senate on Wednesday, he said his responsibilities were not lost on him. "Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would be here," Senator Dolega said. "I hope me being here today can give hope to young queer people that you, too, can come to this great place. Senator Dolega revealed he had been the subject of bullying as a young person growing up in Devonport, in the state's north-west. "There were some dangerous times when I was faced with violence and hatred," he said. "There were times when I wondered if I'd ever find someone to love and to love me back. "I don't bring all this up as a sign of weakness, but to give a sense of hope and a shining light to young queer people." Tasmania was the last state in the country to decriminalise homosexuality, changing its anti-homosexuality laws in May 1997. Up until that point, the maximum penalty for homosexuality in Tasmania was 21 years in jail. The state has since become the first to officially recognise those who identify as asexual, aromantic or agender. And in September last year, the Tasmanian government introduced a financial compensation scheme for people convicted of historical criminal offences of homosexuality and "cross-dressing". In his speech, Senator Dolega gave a nod to Tasmanian gay rights and equality activist Rodney Croome, who was a central campaigner in the fight for anti-homosexuality laws to be changed. "I acknowledge the efforts of Tasmania's Rodney Croome, his struggles and his strength and his outstanding contribution to gay rights and equality in Tasmania," Senator Dolega said. "My state was the last to decriminalise homosexuality and the only state to criminalise cross-dressing. "That's hard to imagine in this time — where RuPaul's Drag Race is an international phenomenon — that such laws ever existed." Before working as a union organiser, Senator Dolega worked for 15 years at the Australian Tax Office in Burnie.
Sydney Morning Herald
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
The newly elected militants leading the public sector union
Militant unionists elected by a disengaged workforce now face twin battles to activate Victoria's public servants while taking on a government preparing to slash jobs. For the first time in 32 years Victoria's Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has a new leadership, with newly elected state secretary Jiselle Hanna and her ticket swept to power by the base it has vowed to grow. The rare successful challenge that replaces Karen Batt, whose tenure stretched back to the start of the Kennett years, with a more hardline leadership will be a fresh pain for the Allan government heading into an election year. Labor is poised to announce widespread job cuts and a reshaping of public entities as part of the Silver review to ease pressure on the state's finances. But Hanna and the new leadership from A Voice for Members are not about to organise a strike. She accepts that low membership rates will limit the CPSU's ability to fight. Only 15,000 public sector workers signed up to the union, between 15 and 25 per cent of all the possible workers the CPSU could cover, which is a point of contention. The grouping set a target to increase membership to 20,000, including by cutting fees, by the next union elections in 2028. 'But it's not density alone. You can have high density, but a de-politicised, demotivated, disengaged membership,' Hanna told The Age on Friday as she prepared to finish her job at Corrections Victoria. Some workplaces within the public services could have high density. 'There is a lot of rebuilding of this union required,' the 45-year-old said. 'One of the smears that was run against us was that we're going to organise strikes tomorrow. We're not idiots.' The ticket's campaign statement said members should lead union decisions but promised to 'stand ready to take strong industrial action, including strikes, to secure meaningful wins for members'.
The Age
16-07-2025
- Politics
- The Age
The newly elected militants leading the public sector union
Militant unionists elected by a disengaged workforce now face twin battles to activate Victoria's public servants while taking on a government preparing to slash jobs. For the first time in 32 years Victoria's Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has a new leadership, with newly elected state secretary Jiselle Hanna and her ticket swept to power by the base it has vowed to grow. The rare successful challenge that replaces Karen Batt, whose tenure stretched back to the start of the Kennett years, with a more hardline leadership will be a fresh pain for the Allan government heading into an election year. Labor is poised to announce widespread job cuts and a reshaping of public entities as part of the Silver review to ease pressure on the state's finances. But Hanna and the new leadership from A Voice for Members are not about to organise a strike. She accepts that low membership rates will limit the CPSU's ability to fight. Only 15,000 public sector workers signed up to the union, between 15 and 25 per cent of all the possible workers the CPSU could cover, which is a point of contention. The grouping set a target to increase membership to 20,000, including by cutting fees, by the next union elections in 2028. 'But it's not density alone. You can have high density, but a de-politicised, demotivated, disengaged membership,' Hanna told The Age on Friday as she prepared to finish her job at Corrections Victoria. Some workplaces within the public services could have high density. 'There is a lot of rebuilding of this union required,' the 45-year-old said. 'One of the smears that was run against us was that we're going to organise strikes tomorrow. We're not idiots.' The ticket's campaign statement said members should lead union decisions but promised to 'stand ready to take strong industrial action, including strikes, to secure meaningful wins for members'.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
NTPC REL adds 97.5 MW capacity at Khavda solar projects in Gujarat
New Delhi: NTPC Renewable Energy Limited (NTPC REL), a wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC Green Energy Limited , has declared commercial operation of a total of 97.5 MW additional solar capacity across two projects in Khavda, Gujarat, from 00:00 hours on June 30, 2025. According to an official release, a 32.8 MW capacity (Second Part) of the 300 MW Khavda Solar Energy Project under the 450 MW Hybrid Tranche-V scheme was declared commercially operational. The First Part of this project, comprising 142.2 MW, was made operational on June 28, 2025. Simultaneously, NTPC REL commissioned 64.7 MW capacity (Third Part) of the 1255 MW Khavda-I Solar PV Project, being developed under the CPSU Scheme Phase-II, Tranche-III. The First and Second Parts of 110.25 MW and 146.7 MW, respectively, were declared commercially operational earlier on June 6 and June 28, 2025. The projects are part of NTPC REL's solar development portfolio at Khavda, Bhuj, in Gujarat. The company is executing large-scale solar projects as part of India's national renewable energy expansion programmes. NTPC REL is undertaking solar installations under government schemes including the CPSU and Hybrid initiatives aimed at boosting domestic renewable capacity.
