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Issue No. 236 | 03 September 2004 |
Interest Overboard
Interview: True Matilda Politics: State of Play Industrial: Capital Dilemmas Unions: Rhodes Scholars National Focus: Rennovating the Lodge International: People Power Economics: A Bit Rich History: Mine Shafts Safety: Sick Of Fighting Organising: Building a Wave Poetry: Anger In The Bush(es) Review: The Battle Of Algiers Culture: The Word On The Street
Sprung: Howard Liberal with Truth Health Warning for Bank Robbers Offensive Toilets Threaten Pupils Telstra Dials Workplace Acquiescence Privatisation Debate Energised
The Soapbox Politics Postcard The Locker Room Postcard
Co-operating At All Costs Fan Mail All Good Except You
Labor Council of NSW |
News Telstra Dials Workplace Acquiescence
Australia's biggest company has informed thousands of employees they can only have "certainty" in their "employment relationships" if they sign up to the individual, non-union agreements. The CPSU is advising members to sit on the offers and accusing the company, which has shed more than 50,000 jobs in the past decade, of "shedding crocodile tears". "It is a bit rich for Telstra to suddenly express concern for employees' job security, given the corporation has axed 50,000 jobs in the past decade, 15,000 of them in the last four years," the union website advises recipients of the latest push. It was responding to a letter from the company's group general manager, Bill Scales, that expressed "concerns" about ALP policy to abolish AWAs on the expiry of existing contracts. Scales said Telstra's new AWA campaign was driven by its commitment to ensuring "employees have certainty in their employment arrangements". The CPSU says Telstra isn't just pitching to existing AWA staff but also bidding to sign over workers on collective agreements prior to the election. It advises Scales to "take a chill pill" and accept the election result. ALP front benchers Craig Emerson and Lindsay Tanner have waded into the argument, demanding that Telstra come clean on what Labor policy would mean for AWA employees and end its scare campaign. "Labor calls on Telstra to make it clear to employees that any condition of employment that can be in an AWA can also be in a collective agreement," Emerson said. The latest question and answer document circulated to Telstra managers supports ALP and union claims that AWAs are not individually negotiated agreements but take-it or leave-it positions generated by the employer. Telstra managers are told to tell employees "no" if they asked whether or not they can vary wording in company AWAs. "Whatever the second A in AWA stands for, in Telstra's case, it is certainly not agreement," Emerson said. "Perhaps it's acquiescence."
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