CEPU Telserv: CEPU Bulletins

CEPU Bulletins

Telstra general

03/12/2009
CEPU Members to Strike on Friday 4 December

CEPU Members to Strike on Friday 4 December

CEPU members are advised that the Union has decided to re-commence the industrial campaign in support of our claim for a fair and reasonable EBA outcome

This action will be in conjunction with members Australia-wide and follows membership consultation that strongly rejected Telstra’s attempts to divide staff with varying wage offers.

Members are concerned about the unfair and unjustified disparity between the EBA wage offer and those that were offered to ECA staff last year.

EBA Negotiations Stalled

The CEPU has re-instated strike and industrial action because talks with Telstra have stalled over the inadequacy of the Telstra pay offer.

Basically, Telstra is offering 2% + 4% +4% over three years (the first 2% has already been paid by Telstra without agreement), with a 2.5% one-off lump sum payment to be paid “up-front” as an off-set because EBA staff have not had an increase in the last 12 months.

This “offer” leaves the EBA-based employees with only a 10% increase over 3 years compared to the ECA employees’ increase of 12.5%. ECA employees had back pay to October 2008; there is no back pay for EBA employees. Overall, you can compare the ECA increases with the EBA increases “on offer” from October 2008 to October 2011, by way of example:

- A CFW4 on the EBA will be behind their ECA counterpart doing similar work by $9,627.92 over the life of the agreement

- A CFW7 on the EBA will be behind their ECA counterpart doing similar work by $11,878.26 over the life of the agreement.

When the ECAs expire and the ECA population becomes part of the next EBA bargaining round how will this pay anomaly be fixed? Will it ever be fixed if it’s not fixed now? If not, why should EBA employees become the poor cousins of Telstra?

The Action

Industrial action will be ongoing and involve indefinite stoppages.

On Friday 4 December all CEPU members will stop work for one shift and this will be followed up with Overtime and Recall Bans over the following weekend (5/6 December).

Selected industrial action will also take place before and after December 4 where members are directed by the CEPU. Members will be advised directly in these cases.

Please note the Important Advice below and if members have any questions about the action please contact Ian McCarthy (0407 232 634) or Alex Jansen (0418 231 146).

Ian McCarthy
Branch Secretary

IMPORTANT ADVICE FOR MEMBERS:

To take part in this CEPU authorised Employee Claim Action:

1. Currently employed within Telstra.

2. A current member of the CEPU - if you are not a member you can join now online at
http://www.cepuconnects.org.

3. Employed under the terms and conditions of the current Enterprise Agreement (EA) or
an Australian Workplace Agreement (AWA) which has already passed its nominal
expiry date.

4. Only the action notified in the places listed in the notices can be taken – no other
action can be taken by anyone other than those working within the workplaces listed in
the notices.

5. Emergency and life threatening services should always be carried out. Call the
Union if you are unsure about the nature of the work assigned to you during Protected
Industrial Action periods.

6. Members are to contact their Union immediately if any manager threatens to injure
your employment in any way for taking part in any authorised Employee Claim Action.

If you require any further information in relation to protected industrial action at Telstra,
please contact your State Branch.

Ian McCarthy Alex Jansen
Branch Secretary Branch Organiser
0407 232 634 0418 231 146

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