CEPU Communications Union

26 July 2010

Dear CEPU Member

In line with normal practice, we provide you with a copy of the audited Financial Report of the Branch for the year 2009/2010 financial year.

The attached report will be put before a special General Meeting of CEPU members to be held at 6PM on Wednesday 25th August 2010.

Members can participate in the meeting either at 1st Floor, 139 Queensberry Street, Carlton South or 47 Henderson Road, Clayton.

LEN COOPER
Branch Secretary
CEPU (T&S) Vic

Recent events have cast doubt on Telstra’s “good faith” in EA bargaining.

In recent weeks it has come to the CEPU’s attention that a number of Telstra managers who are not union members have been monitoring members-only hook-ups, despite the CEPU issuing clear warnings against such actions. This has allowed Telstra to have access to internal CEPU discussions about directions and tactics in the current EA campaign.

The CEPU believes that this activity not only constitutes a breach of members’ privacy but is contrary to the good faith bargaining requirements of the Fair Work Act.

These oblige those bargaining to “refrain from capricious or unfair conduct that undermines freedom of association or collective bargaining”.

Telstra management continue to campaign to sell their pay offer as "fair and reasonable in all the circumstances". At the same time they are declaring their "offer" as final again and therefore the best you are going to get. Despite that campaign by management, they squeal when the CEPU answers that campaign by pointing out that the pay offer is inadequate and discriminatory. They say the CEPU officials should be "impartial" and let members decide.

What sort of twisted logic is that? Management can sell their unilaterally declared pay increase but the union leadership is not allowed to put their views. The arrogance of this management is breathtaking is it not?

WHAT ARE THE FACTS?

Let us look at the facts.

Telstra’s managers are rushing around doing all they can to end the industrial dispute at present, on their terms.  Reports from members indicate that managers are telling lies about the loss of the redundancy agreement if we don’t sign up now, telling lies about the legal status of the industrial action, and declaring that Telstra will “never, ever” make a better offer.

Telstra’s managers are desperate to end the dispute because it is hurting them.  It is hurting productivity, it is hurting customer relations, it is hurting the day-to-day management of the business and it is hurting employee/manager relations.

Who’s fault is it that there is a dispute and that it has run on for so long?

Telstra management is asking you to evaluate it's latest "final" offer on the pay increase to apply in a new EBA. They also are asking you to pass on your views to your "bargaining agents".(They used to be called unions) We agree you should evaluate it properly and that means look at it from all angles and don't just consider any "hard sell" one way or the other. Clearly Telstra management are keen to "offer" you a vote on an agreement by April-May, therefore you should fully understand not only what is on "offer" but also what it means if you accept after going to a formal vote. They appear to be unsure of how this “final/last” offer will be received, hence the “straw poll” approach they are embarking on again.

This is the leaflet that the CEPU distributed at the Telstra CEO's meeting with some employees held at the Sofitel

YOU CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT US DAVID!

MR THODEY. We guess you’ve got about the most difficult corporate gig in Australia. You have the sharks coming at you from all directions no doubt.

Customer service issues, governance issues, shareholder issues, the NBN rollout and all of its hazards, fierce competition in many segments of the market, quickly changing technology impact and the disastrous Trujillo legacy, etc.