Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia
Encyclopedia
The Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers Australia (APESMA) is an Australia
n employee association registered under state and federal industrial relations acts. This makes it, effectively, a trade union
for the purposes of worker-employer bargaining; APESMA is affiliated with the Australian Council of Trade Unions
(ACTU). APESMA acts to service member needs, primarily in terms of salary
and industrial advice. This places APESMA within the services model of trade unionism. It also performs many of the functions of a professional association.
APESMA has approximately 25,000 members from the following professions: engineers
, scientists
, managers
, architects
, IT professionals
, pharmacists
, veterinarian
s, surveyors
and collieries staff
in addition to student members. APESMA is an example of a union that is organised along occupational lines. For this reason its coverage areas overlap substantially with industry unions which now represent the majority of union members in Australia.
APESMA was created by a process of mergers of white collar
, professional and management employee associations over a long period of years, however it has grown rapidly in the recent past.
APESMA celebrated its 60th anniversary of foundation in 2006. APESMA began as The Association of Professional Engineers, Australia which formed in 1946 and registered as an industrial association in 1948. APESMA has recently grown by merging with the following organisations:
APESMA's bi-monthly published journal to members is the Professional Network
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n employee association registered under state and federal industrial relations acts. This makes it, effectively, a trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
for the purposes of worker-employer bargaining; APESMA is affiliated with the Australian Council of Trade Unions
Australian Council of Trade Unions
The Australian Council of Trade Unions is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions.-History:The ACTU was formed in 1927 as the "Australian Council of Trade Unions"...
(ACTU). APESMA acts to service member needs, primarily in terms of salary
Salary
A salary is a form of periodic payment from an employer to an employee, which may be specified in an employment contract. It is contrasted with piece wages, where each job, hour or other unit is paid separately, rather than on a periodic basis....
and industrial advice. This places APESMA within the services model of trade unionism. It also performs many of the functions of a professional association.
APESMA has approximately 25,000 members from the following professions: engineers
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, scientists
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, managers
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
, architects
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, IT professionals
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
, pharmacists
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
, veterinarian
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
s, surveyors
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
and collieries staff
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
in addition to student members. APESMA is an example of a union that is organised along occupational lines. For this reason its coverage areas overlap substantially with industry unions which now represent the majority of union members in Australia.
APESMA was created by a process of mergers of white collar
White-collar worker
The term white-collar worker refers to a person who performs professional, managerial, or administrative work, in contrast with a blue-collar worker, whose job requires manual labor...
, professional and management employee associations over a long period of years, however it has grown rapidly in the recent past.
APESMA celebrated its 60th anniversary of foundation in 2006. APESMA began as The Association of Professional Engineers, Australia which formed in 1946 and registered as an industrial association in 1948. APESMA has recently grown by merging with the following organisations:
- 1991 : The Association of Professional Scientists, Australia
- 1991 : The Local Government Engineers Association of New South Wales
- 1994 : Senior Managers (Telstra & Australia Post) Association
- 1994 : ABC Senior Executives Association
- 1995 : Association of Architects of Australia
- 1997 : Salaried Pharmacists Association
- 1997 : Association of Railway Professional Officers of Australia
- 2001 : Australian Collieries' Staff Association
- 2004 : Managers & Professionals Association
- 2006 : Professional Officers Association of Victoria (POAV) (formed as POA in 1917)
APESMA's bi-monthly published journal to members is the Professional Network
APESMA Owned Companies
APESMA owns several subsidiary companies that help support the union's operations and which in 2006 were placed under a CEO distinct from that of the union. The APESMA National Assembly appoints the directors to the boards of the companies including a number of independent directors.- Chifley Business School is Australia's business school by industry for industry. It provides business and management education for professionals in engineering, science and technology. Its programs include short courses, certificate and diploma programs and postgraduate programs including the Chifley MBA and nested awards.
- Member Advantage develops and manages Benefits Programs to assist clients in addressing reward, recognition and retention issues.