Telstra could learn from Terria

November 10, 2008

The looming trouble at Telstra is in sharp contrast with constructive negotiations for a workplace agreement with the Terria consortium that is also bidding for the multi-billion dollar National Broadband Network project.

Telstra is playing a dangerous game in its hardline stance towards the government and unions, which has the potential to jeopardise its chances of winning the tender.

According to sharebroking analysts, failure to win the bid could wipe $11.9 billion off Telstra’s value.

Unions are close to securing a memorandum of understanding with Terria for a co-operative and constructive workplace relationship would give the Optus-led consortium the ability to recruit a highly-skilled and motivated workforce for the project.

It would also provide extra security that the consortium would deliver the project on time and on budget.

Should the Terria bid succeed, the MOU agreement would commit unions and Terria to negotiate a collective agreement in good faith, and to the joint development of initiatives to assist Terria in recruiting, training and deploying the employees it will need.

This is an important agreement and a major step forward for workers in the communications industry.

The agreement would recognise that in order to construct and operate Australia’s new high speed network, Terria needs to have productive, dynamic workplaces and motivated employees and that it would need to quickly recruit a highly skilled workforce.

The agreement is also recognition that fair and efficient industrial arrangements are a critical component of ensuring that major projects are delivered effectively and to the best standards by a productive and appropriately rewarded workforce.

It is essential for major projects such as the national broadband network to be underpinned by a stable and secure enterprise agreement.

Other large infrastructure projects do this and the broadband network should be no different.

The high speed broadband network is a critical piece of national economic infrastructure. It will provide tremendous job opportunities for the communications industry and will also have enormous positive flow-on effects for business and the Australian community.

Workers in the communications industry are keen to be involved in the project, but their experience and skills need to be properly recognised and appropriately rewarded.

In correspondence with the ACTU, Terria chairman Michael Egan  said “Good management, of course, requires good industrial relations and a harmonious work-place”.

He has suggested that the MOU with unions could be along the lines of the “Olympic Agreement” between the New South Wales Government and the trade union movement which successfully delivered infrastructure and services for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Written by TelstraUnions · Filed Under Union bulletins 

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