Telstra workers prepare to strike: ACTU calls for new IR umpire

Stuart Corner
Monday, 03 November 2008 09:06

IT Industry - Strategy

The ACTU has called on the Government to create a new industrial umpire with dispute-settling powers to break a long-running stalemate between Telstra and its unions that is threatening to escalate into strike action.

The CEPU announced on 3 November that it would apply to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) to seek approval for a ballot of members to commence urgent industrial action across the country.

CEPU national president, Ed Husic, blamed the move on "Telstra's failure to negotiate a collective agreement with its employees...It's unacceptable that the only offer Telstra has put forward so far is a non-union deal that is below inflation."

He said that the CEPU had repeatedly tried to negotiate with Telstra in good faith, "but the company has rejected our requests to get back to the bargaining table. We've spoken with our members coast to coast and they have said they want a union negotiated deal and are prepared to act to get that deal."

The Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU), Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) and Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers Australia (APESMA) in conjunction with the ACTU are calling on Telstra management re-enter negotiations over a new collective agreement and transition arrangements for staff on AWAs.

According to the ACTU, "The Industrial Relations Commission has found that Telstra has not acted in good faith, but it has no power to order the company to negotiate with unions."

The ACTU claimed there was "overwhelming evidence of persistent breaches of good faith by [Telstra's] senior management [but] under current WorkChoices laws the Australian Industrial Relations Commission is unable to order management back to the negotiating table."
It has accused Telstra management of "persisting with a strategy of ignoring workers' democratic rights to be represented by unions despite a non-union deal being rejected by the workers in September."
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