The president of the Public Service Association, Sue Walsh, is taking legal action after discovering the contents of her office packed in boxes.

Ms Walsh, who is a Labor Party member and part of the so-called "rank and file faction" aligned with the previous PSA leader John Cahill, said on Tuesday that she had moved to suspend the union's general secretary, Anne Gardiner.

Ms Gardiner, a member of the Greens Party and a career public servant employed by WorkCover, was elected on a ticket representing a faction known as "the progressives".

She said the president held an honorary role and was expected to work outside the PSA headquarters in Sydney's CBD.

Under the previous general secretary, Mr Cahill, Ms Walsh was seconded to work in the PSA office.

"I ended that secondment some time ago," Ms Gardiner said. "The president has a laptop, internet connection, mobile phone and all consumables provided for them at home as is reasonable for an honorary official."

Ms Gardiner said she had received numerous complaints about Ms Walsh "standing over staff".

As the first general secretary directly elected by the membership, Ms Gardiner said she was elected "to create significant change in the union and that's what I've done".

"I know the president is part of the old regime and has a different view," Ms Gardiner said. "But I am undertaking my work with the best interest of the staff and the members as my priority. I'm very comfortable with all the decisions I have made."

Ms Gardiner said Ms Walsh had no power to suspend her.

The PSA rules give the president power to suspend any officer of the union until the next council meeting for misappropriation of union funds, gross misbehaviour or gross neglect of duty.

Ms Gardiner and assistant secretary Steve Turner, an ALP member who was elected on Ms Walsh's ticket, worked well together and would run together on a unity ticket next year.

In May, Ms Gardiner banned union member funds being donated to any political party and introduced proportional representation.

Ms Walsh said she is taking legal action and had told members that Ms Gardiner is "totally out of control".

"The latest thing she has done is to expel me from the building. My lawyer wrote her a letter saying she can't do that and she didn't respond," Ms Walsh said.

"At the weekend she brought in the firm Grace and they have packed up all my personal belongings and work files and I walked into an empty office.

"Today, I gave her a letter which was a notice I was suspending her and she just totally ignored it."

Ms Walsh said Ms Gardiner had restructured the union and sacked staff.

"She is running the union like it is a government department," Ms Walsh said.