Communication Workers Union

URGENT, IMPORTANT MEMBERSHIP CONFERENCE

The EBA in Telstra, and The Future.
New Decade, New Ideas, New EBA required.

The CEPU is organising an urgent, important conference of members to discuss the current union EBA campaign in Telstra and future activities.

The conference will be on Saturday 30^th January from 9.30am to 4pm. It will take place in the union headquarters, 1^st floor, 139 Queensberry Street, Carlton South.

Obviously, it is important for all interested members to attend to exchange views about the EBA campaign and to decide on future activities.

Please mark these dates down in your diary to help make sure you don’t miss the conference.

More information will be circulated shortly

EBA INDUSTRIAL ACTION

The following legal, protected industrial action has been notified to Telstra for all members throughout Australia:

*         Overtime and Recall bans all members until at least the 15^th January 2010.

*         An “unlimited stoppage” for all members for each day until at least the 15^th January 2010.

Further action is being considered as more members return to work later in January 2010. As usual, formal written directives will be issued to members by the Branch Office as required.

This email is a formal written directive to all CEPU members to ban all overtime (paid and unpaid) and all recalls until at least the 15^th January 2010

Any recalls or overtime work which management claims is required due to “life and limb”, needs to be cleared with the CEPU office (Len Cooper 0438 389 302 or John Ellery 0419 823 580) before any work is carried out.

Members will be kept informed of developments.

SO-CALLED “NON PROTECTED” ACTION

Telstra management continue to “infer” that the CEPU’s industrial action is illegal and unprotected. Most of the “inferences” in this regard are word of mouth and not in writing.

The management claim is untrue:

*         Management has never legally challenged the overtime and recall bans action.

*         The full bench of Fair Work Australia (FWA) gave no directions to the union about its industrial action notices.

*         The full bench of FWA simply stated that the information on the notices before it, which notified of an “unlimited number of indefinite stoppages for all members in Australia”, should be sufficient to put the employer in a position to make reasonable preparations to deal with the effect of the industrial action.

*         The CEPU has subsequently (since the full bench decision and based on legal advice) changed its notices to an “indefinite stoppage each day for all members. Telstra has not legally challenged the new notices which have been issued since the 15^th December 2009.

The CEPU considers all of its notices to date meet the requirements of the act and are therefore lawful and protected.

The current industrial action therefore is legal, protected action.

WELFARE FUND
Members who are not involved in the key area action, should donate to the CEPU Member Welfare Fund to help sustain those members who are out on strike for extended periods in the key areas.

The details of the welfare fund payment process are as follows:
Direct debit through your financial institution or EFT to: CEPU Welfare Fund. BSB: 063262 Ac No: 10454772
Cheque or money order made out to CEPU Welfare Fund and posted to: CEPU Welfare Fund, 1/139 Queensberry Street, Carlton South 3053.
Credit Card over the phone to the Branch - 03 9349 4411

There is no BPAY facility

To Apply To Claim On The Fund
If you wish to make a claim to help with any hardship being experienced, please contact JOHN ELLERY Branch Assistant Secretary, in the first instance: 0419 823 580

LEN COOPER
CEPU Branch Secretary
M. 0438 389 302