Julia Gillard warns Telstra: “I don’t think it’s in its interests to be trying to squeeze the last bit of bitter lemon out of WorkChoices”

August 10, 2008

On Insiders this morning on the ABC, Deputy PM had a stern warning for Telstra following its behaviour to its staff in the last few months. You can watch the video and read the transcript (relevant part copied verbatim below) here.

BARRIE CASSIDY: ..you might have a fight on your hands with Telstra. A very big employer and they’re effectively saying they’re through with the unions. Can they do that?

JULIA GILLARD: Well I would say to Telstra and I would say that anybody else, that number one, at the last elections, Australians voted against WorkChoices and I don’t think it’s in anybody’s interests, whether it be Telstra or anybody else, to be continuously associated with WorkChoices. I don’t think it’s in Telstra’s interests to be seen to be the company that is still trying to implement WorkChoices. Number two, you know, democracy’s got some important hallmarks, having adult universal voting is one, having a free press is one, having an independent judiciary is one, and having a free trade union movement is one. And in a democracy, if people want to be a member of a union, then the union’s got a right to represent them and companies right across the country should recognise that.

BARRIE CASSIDY: But if it is a free country, can they walk away from the unions?

JULIA GILLARD: Well, if a Telstra worker wants to be represented by a union then that’s their right. Obviously if they choose not to be represented by a union, that’s their right too. When our new industrial relations model is in full operation, it will be a fair and balanced system and it will certainly say to Telstra and to other companies than if the majority of employees want to try collectively bargaining then their employer has to join them at the bargaining table and have a go at it in good faith and if someone wants to be represented by their union then that’s their right.

BARRIE CASSIDY: Well what they’re saying they’ll leave two thirds of their work force on AWAs indefinitely. For how long can they keep them on existing contracts?

JULIA GILLARD: Well Telstra needs to think about the long term shape of its industrial relations. I don’t think it’s in its interests to be trying to squeeze the last bit of bitter lemon out of WorkChoices. There are no new AWAs. So if someone was joining Telstra today, they could not be on an Australian Workplace Agreement.

BARRIE CASSIDY: But existing contracts will last for how long?

JULIA GILLARD: Existing contracts last for their term and that term can be up to five years. But AWAs cannot be amended so if people want to move to new arrangements then they need to move to a new industrial instrument. And then as I say when our model is there in full operation, it’s a fair and balanced system, it’s got balances and checks on both sides. One of those is if the majority of employees want to try collectively bargaining with their employer, then they’ve all got to sit around a table and talk to each other in good faith. We think that’s the fair thing to do.

BARRIE CASSIDY: So in a nutshell, what’s your message to Telstra?

JULIA GILLARD: In a nutshell, my message to Telstra and my message is to everyone is we expect to see fair and balanced industrial
relations in this country. WorkChoices is going. It’s not going to be part of this nation’s future. It’s not a long term industrial relations strategy. Its extremism and the Australian people rejected it. The only people who still believe in WorkChoices are those who populate the Liberal Party in Parliament.

Written by TelstraUnions · Filed Under Telstra HR's dodgy dealings 

Comments

One Response to “Julia Gillard warns Telstra: “I don’t think it’s in its interests to be trying to squeeze the last bit of bitter lemon out of WorkChoices””

  1. Fed up with Lies on August 19th, 2008 8:54 am

    I am fed up with the lies from both parties..Julia is acting like that toothless tiger teh ACCC. Warning Telstra to get back to the bargaining table and negotiate and forget about work chooices..Grow some balls Julia and demad / force tehm back and to dump the workchoices and the current AWAs. The Australia people voted you in to get rid of work choices and AWAs and what teh hell have you done…NOTHING…well austrailian people do not forget and can easily vote you out..I for one am sick of the non actiopn and if need be I will change my vote to independant. we at telstra are getting well and trully screwed over. As fro the lies from Telstra well they try to convince staff that what they are doing is good but I know differnetly because I keep my eyes and ears open. How can they say they respect their staff and will do things to help their staff when they are putting more and more staff off Experienced and good staff. and then they the big hob nobs take massive pay increases that opnly we can dream about. Get real you, go and work in the feild and see what has to be done to get our poultry amount of money and then to have the audacity to use supperannuation to reduce our take home pay. Well thats not fair either. So what I am saying again to Julia Gillard, grow some massive bloody balls at fix this damm problem before you have a walk out and a voter backlash as you saw at the last election with the Liberals.

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