Telstra Workers Say “No” To 10%

Date: 20 December 2002

Telstra workers employed in the Infrastructure and Services Business Unit, who are made up of frontline field operations and support staff, responsible for telephone installations and repair work on Telstra's telephone network, have rejected a 10% pay deal over a 30-month period, following the counting of votes returned by workers yesterday.

The Communications Electrical Plumbing Union (CEPU) NSW State Secretary, Mr Jim Metcher, said: "The opposition by Telstra's workers to accept the 10% pay deal was at no surprise and believed that the Senior Telstra Management were clearly out of touch with its workforce and should contemplate being considered for extras in the next 'Jurassic Park' movie."

Mr Metcher claimed "Telstra workers were understood to be seriously upset when savaging Telstra management representatives during recent workplace briefings where management attempted to sell not only the acceptance of the new pay deal, but a new employment category described as a "Supplementary Worker" who would be engaged for a minimum of 500 hours per year under flexible hours of work over a 7-day period.

He said: "The 10% pay deal was just no match to win over workers' job security concerns with the Federal Government's future plans to fully privatise Telstra, the unwillingness of Telstra to provide assurances with permanent full-time employment and the ever rising costs of living and housing in the eastern States."

The CEPU is planning to initiate new negotiation processes that include the ability to commence protected strike action.

Mr Metcher was of the view that a new wage deal addressing workers' job security concerns was achievable without having to resort to strike action; however, he said that would depend on Telstra and how seriously they consider the concerns of their employees.

For further information

Contact:	Jim Metcher, Branch Secretary
Union:	Labor Council of NSW
Phone:	(02) 9893 7822
Contact Mobile:	0418 656 262

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