The Professional Officers' Association, Commonwealth Public Service, was registered federally in 1917 and operated until 1975. It then became the Professional Officers' Association, Australian Public Service. The Union continued operating under this name, despite a merger in 1991 with the Australian Government Lawyers' Association.

In 1992, the Professional Officers' Association, Australian Public Service was amalgamated with the Australian Public Sector & Broadcasting Union, Australian Government Employment and became the Australian Public Sector Professional & Broadcasting Union, Australian Government Employment. Later in the same year, a further amalgamation with the Professional Radio & Electronics Institute of Australasia saw another name change. The union became known as the Public Sector Professional Technical Communications Aviation & Broadcasting Union.

In 1993 the union amalgamated with the newly formed CSIRO Staff Association to become the Public Sector Professional Scientific Research Technical Communications Aviation & Broadcasting Union. The following year members from the deregistered State Public Services Federation joined the Union, prompting another change of name to the Community & Public Sector Union [CPSU]. In 1997 the original Professional Officers' Association name came into use again, when the Professional Officers' Association of Victoria (POAV) was formed by CPSU members who had become disillusioned with the response of the CPSU to their industrial and other needs.

References:
Australian Trade Union Archives website http://www.atua.org.au/biogs/ALE0718b.htm
Professional Officers' Association of Victoria website http://www.poa.net.au/.

More Information