Corporate greed is alive and very, very well at Telstra.
AN INSULTING PAY OFFER
Telstra have formally announced its pay offer for this round of EBA talks — a measly 1.5% p.a. For some of Telstra’s lowest paid workers, that means less than $2.50 per day. And if you are a Job Family employee, it’s not even guaranteed as Telstra have rejected all the combined Unions’ claims for parity across Job Family and Workstream.
Furthermore, they’re seeking to remove all pay principles linked to variable remuneration, performance pay and the annual bonus from the EBA to have them dealt with in Policy. This means less transparency overall.
So, despite net profits being up $3.9 billion in the last annual report and returning $1.3 billion to shareholders in March this year, including Andy Penn who himself holds over 1.3 million Telstra shares, this once iconic Australian corporate giant is wanting you to pay the price for its cost cutting exercise.
UNILATERALLY REMOVING YOUR REDUNDANCY BENEFITS
Telstra are pushing ahead with their controversial proposal to transfer members’ employment from Telstra to other companies without paying redundancy benefits.
What this essentially means for members is Telstra can set up a new subsidiary company tomorrow, transfer business, along with your employment, to that business and then seek to terminate the agreement covering you — including your redundancy provisions.
By doing this, Telstra totally escapes its obligations to ever pay you redundancy benefits in line with those contained in the EBA — benefits which Telstra was quick to announce to the media it would be maintaining after an expressionless Andy Penn stared down a TV camera lens and announced he would be putting 8000 Telstra working families out on the street.
Furthermore, this would relieve the “new company” of their obligation to provide you with current Award and EBA conditions such as your 36.75 hour week, current sick leave provisions, superannuation above the government guarantee and the Telstra additional day (Picnic Day).
REACT AND HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD
We can’t allow any of this to happen. The combined Unions’ Single Bargaining Unit intends to meet further with Telstra to attempt to shift them from this appallingly disgraceful and unfair position.
But, members need to be ready to react at any time if Telstra decides to proceed to an employee vote on this current offer.
However, in the meantime, Telstra is seeking feedback on this disgraceful offer and members need to let them know exactly what they think of it.
You can do so by emailing: Telstra.Bargaining@team.telstra.com or via their dedicated intranet site by clicking here or via the EBA group discussion on Yammer by clicking here. (Note – you must be on Telstra’s internal network to access the intranet site).
MEMBER TELECONFERENCES
Following further talks next week, the Branch is planning to hold teleconferences for members to hear directly from their Union on what the next steps will be.
An SMS and email will be sent to members at this time to advise them of teleconference dial in details, dates and times.
YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT
Have something to say? We want to hear from you. Let us know what you think by emailing feedback@cepu.org.
TIME TO STEP UP
Ask your colleagues who are not yet CEPU members to join today.
Our strength is in numbers and a strong CEPU is how we will put members in the best possible position to protect and advance your hard-won conditions in this round of EA bargaining.
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