Well done everyone, Telstra ready to talk

May 26, 2009


The newspaper headlines say it all:‘Telstra deals unions back in game’, ‘Telstra calls truce with unions’ , ‘Telstra ends dispute and wants new union talks’.

If you haven’t already caught the news, on Monday Telstra management announced that it would begin negotiations for a new enterprise agreement. Read all the memos to staff here.

This is a belated acknowledgement that staff must be treated with respect, and that the aggressive and confrontational strategy of the Sol Trujillo era has been a dismal failure.

This change of approach is a credit to your courageous campaign for your rights to bargain collectively for a fair outcome for all staff, and to be represented by your union.

It was only a matter of time before management would realise its hardline stance was untenable, and the only surprise is it has taken so long.

New federal industrial relations laws which begin in July will strengthen workers’ rights to collective bargaining and outlaw bad faith and capricious behaviour – so clearly the writing was on the wall for Telstra.

But the announcement is only a first step towards a fair and rewarding agreement for all Telstra employees.

A new enterprise agreement must be an option for all staff, including those on Australian Workplace Agreements that are yet to expire, and those who had been forced onto non-union employee collective agreements (ECAs) in recent months.

Thousands of Telstra employees have not had a pay rise for almost two years and we look forward to sitting down with the new management as soon as possible.

Unions will be consulting with all members about next steps and the issues that are important for you in a new agreement.

If you are not yet a member, now is the time to join so your views can be represented.

Join online, or phone 1300 486 466.

Written by TelstraUnions · Filed Under News 

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