Communication Workers Union

 
CEPU members gave strong support to the mass meeting and protest rally outside the Telstra T Life Shop in Melbourne yesterday, Wednesday 5^th May 2010. 
 
After reports and discussion about the latest phase of the negotiations over the EBA, and considerable discussion about the various options and possible implications of the various decisions we might take, a unanimous decision was taken to reject Telstra’s latest offer of 2% + 2% + 2% +2% over 2 years. 
 
The motion carried unanimously by CEPU members was as follows: 

“CEPU members attending the mass meeting at the Victorian Trades hall Council and regional meetings, on Wednesday the 5^th of May 2010 consider that the pay increases being offered by Telstra Management as part of “good faith bargaining” are inadequate and discriminatory. 
 
We believe that at the very minimum, Telstra should be required to pay the same annual rates of pay to EBA based employees as paid to those employees employed on the non-union ECA contracts doing the same work. 
 
We call on the union to continue to campaign to “close-the-gap” and to make it clear to the Telstra Management that the dispute will only be resolved when they treat their EBA and expired AWA employees with the dignity and respect they deserve.” 

A number of examples were given of management attempting to pressure members not to take the stoppage action today and also management giving “false and misleading” information to members in an attempt to intimidate them into not taking the action. 
 
The union will follow these cases up as they appeared to be illegal, adverse actions against our members exercising their workplace rights. 
 
The rally outside the T Life Shop was a great success. Adam Bandt, Greens candidate for the federal seat of Melbourne and Dean Mighell, Secretary of the Electrical Trades Union (ETU), spoke and offered their support to Telstra workers. “Read Before You Buy!” leaflets were distributed outside the T Life Shop, along with postcards to be delivered to David Thodey. 
 
Check the web site for rally photos -http://cepu.net.au/content/stop-work-and-protest-rally-pictures