Wednesday 20 November 2024
After seventeen years at the Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association (CPSU/CSA), including twelve years in leadership, CPSU/CSA Branch Secretary, Rikki Hendon, will soon depart the union to become the Secretary of UnionsWA, the peak body for the trade union movement in Western Australia.
During Hendon’s time in leadership at the CPSU/CSA, her major achievements have included securing reclassifications for dental health workers and family support officers, increased funding in Child Protection and a Conversion-to-Permanency process that delivered secure jobs to over 10,000 Western Australians. The CPSU/CSA’s joint work with the Public Sector Alliance, led by UnionsWA, saw the WA Labor Government break wages caps three times in 2022, finally ditching the caps altogether in 2024, with Western Australian public sector workers now seeing gradual real wages repair.
Hendon’s work with the CPSU/CSA also saw her take on other leadership roles within the union movement, including Vice-President of UnionsWA and then President of UnionsWA, and National Vice President of the Community and Public Sector Union - State Public Sector Federation (CPSU-SPSF), the latter in which Hendon led work for a unified national campaign for child protection resourcing to the Federal Government.
Outgoing CPSU/CSA Branch Secretary/incoming UnionsWA Secretary, Rikki Hendon, said working on behalf of the public sector of Western Australia for the past 17 years had been an absolute honour, and looked forward to continuing that work, as well as for all workers of Western Australia, as the Secretary of UnionsWA.
“I want to thank the members of the CPSU/CSA, hard-working and dedicated public sector workers from all walks of life, from all over the state, who have supported me to be an elected leader of their Union for over a decade now. They are the heart, soul and true strength of this union, and I'm incredibly proud of everything we've achieved together.
“Taking on the role of Secretary at UnionsWA could not come at a more crucial time for workers in Western Australia. September polling from IPSOS found 64% of Western Australians ranking the cost of living in their top five issues, up from 24% at the last state election, and 53% of Western Australians listing housing in their top five, up from 26%.
“Workers in WA are facing some big challenges, and as we head into federal and state elections in the next six months, their issues need to be high on the political agenda. Peter Dutton has already admitted he will dismantle the Better Jobs, Secure Pay legislation if elected Prime Minister. Workers simply can’t risk a Dutton Liberal Government that will strip their rights at work.
“I commit to the workers of Western Australia that I will lead a strong and collaborative trade union movement, that all workers can rely on to keep them safe, put food on the table and live a good life.”
ENDS
- Rikki Hendon’s resignation from the CPSU/CSA will be effective from 11:59pm Sunday 1 December 2024, and she will begin as Secretary of UnionsWA on Monday 2 December 2024.
- The CPSU/CSA will have more to say on its leadership following the evening Council meeting on Wednesday 27 November 2024.
- Note to Journalists: Please ensure the full acronym, “CPSU/CSA” when mentioning us. “CPSU” is typically used to refer to the Union that covers Commonwealth, ACT and NT public sector workers. We are related but separate organisations.
For more information or further comment from Rikki Hendon:
Alex Wallace
CPSU/CSA Media and Stakeholder Officer
M: 0421 934 794 E: [email protected]
or
Philip O’Donoghue
UnionsWA Media Officer
M: 0417 923 029 E: [email protected]
