CSIRO strike grows to 2000 nationally

Strike action across the nation will be ramped up as Australia's leading scientists continue their push for more pay.

More than 2000 staff at 43 CSIRO sites in every state and territory are expected to stop work from Tuesday.

The number has grown from an estimated 500 staff in Victoria and NSW flagged last week, as staff at the national science and research centre continue their push for a 4.6 per cent pay rise.

The CSIRO executive has offered pay rises of between 3.25 and 3.75 per cent annually.

Members of the CSIRO staff association voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action after a protected action ballot early this month.

Association spokesman, Sam Popovski, said the offer devalued the staff, in terms of pay and consultation.

"On pay, management's offer of three per cent per annum over the next three to four years does not cover rising living costs and means that CSIRO will struggle to retain and attract world-class staff," Popovski said,

"If the government wants scientists in the CSIRO to provide the best advice on climate change and continue to deliver solutions for the community on energy and water, then it has to do better."

The agency is denying staff the opportunity to input into major organisational changes, the union claims.

"Their increasingly top-down, bureaucratic management's approach has led to poor decisions being made on science and research directions, without sufficient input from staff," Popovski said.

A CSIRO spokeswoman said negotiations were ongoing and it was hoped a mutually satisfactory resolution was agreed soon.

"We believe most people in CSIRO trust in a good outcome from the negotiations," the spokeswoman told AAP.

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