CEPU National President Ed Husic said the union action follows Telstra’s failure to negotiate a collective agreement with its employees.
“While Telstra’s Chief Executive Sol Trujillo makes a massive $13.4 million in pay this year, the company refuses to sit down and collectively bargain with unions to secure a decent wage for Telstra’s employees.
“It’s unacceptable that the only offer Telstra has put forward so far is a non-union deal that is below inflation.“The CEPU’s repeatedly tried to negotiate with Telstra in good faith, but the company has rejected our requests to get back to the bargaining table.
“We’ve spoken with our members coast to coast and they have said they want a union negotiated deal and are prepared to act to get that deal.
“Our members have families, mortgages, are forced to cope rising costs of living: everyday stresses that someone like Telstra’s CEO – on a pay packet of $257,000 a week – will never understand.
“Enough’s enough – we have to take this step to ensure our members are heard.”
Unless Telstra opposes the ballot, union members might be asked to vote very soon – but did you know only members can vote and take action? Update your details TODAY
CEPU Communications Divisional President Len Cooper said management’s two previous non-union deals had been voted down by Telstra workers.
Mr Cooper added that opinion polling showing overwhelming support from the Australian public for workers to have the right for unions to represent them at the bargaining table had also been ignored by Telstra.
“This proposed industrial campaign is likely to be prolonged, largely because Telstra has demonstrated time and time again that it won’t be moved by a one or two day strike. We really have no alternative to demonstrate the depth of feeling among our members.”
Mr Cooper said the CEPU will go to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to ask its members to support a ballot that allows the following industrial action:
- An unlimited number of four hour (4), twenty-four (24) and forty-eight (48) hour rolling stoppages of work;
- An unlimited number of indefinite or periodic bans on overtime (paid and unpaid), recalls/call backs, performing higher duties and not attending management meetings; and/or
- An unlimited number of indefinite stoppages at work.
Mr Cooper assured members of the public that the industrial action would aim to “send a strong message to Telstra, while minimising the effect on the Australian public”.
The union said that members will be available to assist with all emergency calls during any anticipated industrial action.
Let us know what you think – email us at feedback@cepu.org
IMPORTANT – if you haven’t updated your membership details (e.g. work or home address, phone numbers, home email addresses) – email us at admina@cepu.org
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