Communication Workers Union

Telstra has announced to staff that it is now prepared to bargain in good faith for a new EBA for EBA based employees and for employees on expired AWAs.

This declaration by Telstra is of course nothing more than an announcement that it will comply with the new industrial laws which begin on July 1. Obviously Telstra’s declaration that it will comply with the law is welcome but of course they have no choice.

However there are unanswered questions in this regard.

Why wait until July 1^st? There is nothing in the current laws that prevent negotiations beginning right now and finishing before July 1^st.

Are Telstra going to hide behind the minimum requirements in the law? They make much of the fact in their statement that the law doesn’t require an agreement and it doesn’t require a finishing date for the talks.

It is interesting to note that Telstra clearly wants to exclude any possibility of employees on AWAs and employees on ECAs from being part of the EBA negotiations. If Telstra waited to be forced to bargain in good faith after July 1 there is a possibility under the new laws that all of these employees could be included. This is an issue yet to be resolved in the period ahead.

One wonders whether this is just more Telstra spin. They make the point in their statement that “…..we will continue to emphasise the employee-manager relationship”. It is this philosophy that helped create the mess in the first place. A new HR philosophy is required.

Some elements in Telstra still clearly see the game being played in accordance with the old rules of engagement despite the new laws. Hopefully the new CEO will see the benefit in less confrontation and conflict particularly after the disaster of the NBN rollout etc.

The CEPU has always been prepared to engage in meaningful discussions with Telstra and we have approached them in that regard many times. Time and events will tell the tale.

In the material circulated by Telstra they state that the current protected industrial action must cease on the 30^th June 2009. We should add to this information that under the new laws the union can apply for another strike action ballot from July 1. Given that the last ballot had over 90% support, Telstra would be foolish to think they are off the hook.

The CEPU will be talking to Telstra quickly and we will keep members informed.

In the meantime the pressure must be kept on. The current industrial action will continue. The Wednesday stoppage of CEPU members will proceed. It is important to keep the pressure on at least until a number of the above questions are clarified.

LEN COOPER
CEPU Branch Secretary/Divisional President
M. 0438 389 302