Unions Call on Telstra to Accept Employee Vote on New Job Practices
Australian labour unions have urged Telstra's management to respect the rights of its workers to be represented by unions after the company’s offer of a non-union job contract was rejected by employees.
“Telstra workers have been treated very badly by the company’s management and it is no wonder they have rejected this non-union job contract,” said ACTU Assistant Secretary Chris Walton. “Telstra employees have been denied their right to union representation and subjected to almost every trick in the book by management.
The offer to the 380 workers in the Wholesale and Service Advantage divisions was the template for what Telstra has planned to roll out across the rest of its workforce.
“Management should take heed from the clear message in this result: drop the Work Choices tactics, improve your pay offer, and return to the negotiating table with unions,” Mr Walton said.
“Telstra proceeded with the vote despite criticism of the content of its non-union job contract from everyone from the Deputy Prime Minister down.
“Both the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and the Federal Court have found serious faults with Telstra’s behaviour by not bargaining in good faith, and the terms and conditions in the proposed offer.
“Management spent tens of thousands of dollars to apply the pressure on these workers to agree to the deal, including a threat to freeze their pay for 12 months. In doing so, they have caused immeasurable damage to the relationship with staff.
“Following this result, it’s clear that the current offer from Telstra will be rejected by the rest of the workforce. It’s also imperative that legislation to abolish Work Choices is introduced very soon, and is supported by the Senate.”
“Unions are ready to help management rebuild a co-operative relationship with the Telstra workforce but only if management abandons its Work Choices tactics and respects workers’ rights to collective bargaining and union representation.”
Posted to the site on 8th October 2008
