The Communications Union (CEPU) has elevated hopes of fairer working conditions for Telstra employees upon the announcement of Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo’s imminent departure from the company.
CEPU spokesperson BJ Jafari said, “This could not come at a better time, when Telstra is employing anti-worker tactics to deny their workforce certainty with a new fair wage and conditions agreement”
“We call on Telstra to use this as an opportunity to replace Sol with a CEO that values the contribution of Telstra workers in delivering important services”
Telstra are currently in deadlock over a new wage deal with their workforce that includes workers preference to be represented by their union. Instead Telstra are attempting to roll out inferior wage deals, by breaking up their workforce into smaller groups and offering them Employee Collective Agreements (ECA) that are no different to AWAs that have been outlawed by the new Rudd Government.
“This is the latest in a long line of actions taken by Telstra management under Sol Trujillo’s leadership, to silence the voices of their workers so that their executives can continue to cash exorbitant paycheques at workers expense along with the expense of Telstra stock investments made by thousands of mums and dads across the nation”
”Last year Telstra forked out 13.4 million dollars to pay for Sol Trujillo, a 14 percent wage increase in 12 months, yet he still refuses to make the time to sit down and talk with workers representatives and negotiate a new fair wage deal for all employees.”
“This is a golden opportunity for Telstra to make a break with the union busting tactics of the former Telstra boss and return back to the negotiating table with the union”
“We hope that whoever takes his position remembers that Telstra is an iconic Australian company and that they are representatives of that brand. All Australians believe in the idea of a fair go, that’s all Telstra workers are asking for”
Currently Telstra still continue with their failed attempts to introduce ECA’s before the Federal Governments introduction of the Fair Work bill despite Telstra workers rejecting and voting down these inferior substandard offers in overwhelming numbers.
~ends~
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