Communication Workers Union

This Letter is written with the authority and at the direction of the Victorian T & S Branch Committee of Management. It concerns anonymous, defamatory and false material posted to members of the Branch during the current election campaign.

The material circulated makes extraordinary and false allegations about the Branch, the Committee of Management and candidates for the offices of Divisional President, Divisional Secretary, Divisional Assistant Secretary (and also the Branch Secretary of the Victorian (P & T) Branch.) It is contained in an anonymous flyer and a fake “newspaper” article posted to members.

The claims purport to be in part based on CEPU meetings and financial reports and from branch administrative staff.

The Branch Committee of Management is concerned by the material at a number of levels:

·         The anonymous postage of such outrageously and manifestly untrue material represents a new low in election campaigning within the Union;

·         Allegations are made that are defamatory of the members of the whole of the Branch Committee of Management and its conduct of the affairs of the Branch, not to mention the individual candidates who are attacked;

·         The material brings the Branch and Union into disrepute in the eyes of Branch members and involves allegations of criminal conduct including by third parties; and

• The material includes a newspaper article that is a forgery.

For the record the Branch Committee of Management notes that:

• Arrangements between the Union and Work Partners are the subject of formal arrangements and Work Partners categorically denies making any payment or offer of employment to any office of the Branch;
• The Branch’s financial affairs are managed by the Committee of Management who are satisfied  that they are in order and have been appropriately audited, managed and reported; and
• The Welfare Fund of the Branch was properly managed and audited and applied to members in accordance with its purpose. Funds were not paid to individual officials of the Union.

The Branch Committee of Management will through the Secretary request that each of the other candidates for the relevant offices in this election disassociate themselves from the publication and circulation of these reprehensible and cowardly allegations. Their responses will be advised to members.

Material of the kind referred to has no place in any work place or union election.

Yours sincerely

On behalf of the Committee of Management