Private sector agreements

Optus CEO, Paul O’Sullivan, has put forward a number of controversial proposals for the future management and governance of the National Broadband Network (NBN). In line with Optus’ increasing concern that the NBN may become “another lumbering monopoly”, O’Sullivan suggested that its management could be put out to tender either on a national basis or even state-by-state to keep it

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Skills related to both the construction and use of the National Broadband Network should be put high on the national training agenda the CEPU has said. The comments were made in the Communication Division’s submission to a House of Representatives inquiry into the role and potential of the NBN.  The inquiry will focus on the role that superfast broadband can

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The CEPU have met again with Telstra to discuss how its $100 million government grant for NBN-related training will be used. The CEPU has been concerned to ensure that it had a role in oversighting the training programme. The union wants to make sure that any of its members affected by the NBN project have the best possible opportunities for

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Members would be familiar with a situation last year which saw subbies all over the country walk off the job due to unfair rates. Subbies were being paid below industry standard rates for “Digipath” installations. Eventually, a fair rate – with back pay – was afforded to subbies for installing the Digipath devices. Angry Foxtel subbies have again raised the

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Negotiations for an Enterprise Agreement with Visionstream have been progressing. The New EA will replace the current non-Union Employee Collective Agreement and Australian Workplace Agreements used by Visionstream under the Howard Workchoices legislation. There remain some key issues that are still require further negotiation, including salary increases and redundancy provisions. Visionstream members will be kept informed of progress.

The CEPU is seeking the views of its Optus members and other employees as to the content of the next Optus Employee Partnership Agreement (EPA). Although the current Optus EPA does not reach its expiry date until October, the company has begun what it describes as “discussions” with employees about the content of the new agreement.  In correspondence with the

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CEPU members in Silcar are currently voting on an Enterprise Agreement proposal for the second time. In June, the CEPU Divisional Executive agreed to recommend two new agreements to its Silcar members, one for  Silcar Communications which provides a range of telecommunications access services and another for  Silcar Telecommunications which covers telepower functions. Both agreements provided minimum 4% annual pay

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The CEPU Communications Divisional Office has had contact with Commander Management regarding the next round of pay offers. Commander reported a net loss of $244.8 million in the half year to December 2007, reflecting asset write downs of $193 million.  It has shed about a quarter of its staff this year and has sold off several of its business units

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