Its full name is the Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia as it represents workers in all of these industries.

At a state level many of the unions exist completely separately.

In February 2020 the CEPU was penalized by the Federal Court of Australia for breaches of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 (Cth), after proceedings were commenced by the Registered Organisations Commission (ROC) in 2018.

[2] CEPU was affiliated with the Australian Council of Trade Unions.

After the ACTU’s support for a federally administrated CFMEU the Union officially disaffiliated on the 5th of September, 2024, following a vote.