JOINT NSW & VIC T&S PHONE HOOKUP
We are joining with our fellow workers in Victoria in a regular telephone hook-up. John Ellery (Vic Asst Branch Secretary) hosts this meeting. I will also attend. All members welcome to phone in.
TELSTRA EBA - HOOK-UP TUESDAY - 14 May - 7.30pm
Dial In: (03) 8687 0635 or (02) 9696 0774 Guest Code: #

EBA - NO PROGRESS YET IN RESUMED BARGAINING TALKS.
Following our effective industrial action, Telstra approached CWU seeking talks. The bans were lifted as Telstra wanted to put an offer. Obviously it had to be better than 1.5%. CWU met with Telstra last Tue 7 May. Unbelievably, Shane Murphy put an offer to Telstra on wages. Shane Murphy asked Telstra to consider a 2.5% proposal from the union!
Apart from the incredibly poor negotiating tactics, there was no need to put a low pay offer. He should have waited till Telstra put their number on the table. Telstra is now going away to think about it. Bargaining will continue on Tue 21 May.

EBA - A FAIR PAY RISE
There is no doubt that Telstra, being a highly profitable company, a company slashing staff, a company needing commitment from the remaining staff and a company with a very significant superannuation holiday (for 3 years) would offer 3% at least. The Reserve Bank would welcome it. Even the Liberal Party would welcome it as they see low pay rises as a negative. While not ideal, we can retrieve the situation.
At the next CWU Telco Committee, our Branch and at least 2 other branches will press to have the Murphy offer withdrawn.

EBA REPORTS IN MORE DETAIL
It is clear that the selective targeted action by members, particularly in areas of high reliance on the provision of Telstra services to the "big end of town" (such as cutovers and high level service affecting faults), brought Telstra back to the table. Members who participated in the bans and stoppages are to be congratulated - it's all about what you have done to progress this problematic and frustrating negotiation - but given the history of how Telstra runs its Employee Relations agenda, and its relationship with staff and the Unions, nothing surprises us. Don't ever forget that the Telstra Employee relations group were at the forefront of rolling out the much hated agenda of Howard's Workchoices laws (including being lead house with some mining employers on the roll out of AWA's, non-union ECA's etc). The 2008/09/10 Telstra EBA dispute reflected this right wing agenda.

In an act of goodwill by the Union, the overtime and recall bans were suspended (around April 24) , and whilst we understood that Telstra had no real issue with the 1 hr stoppages prior to paid start time, they were, after Tuesday the 30th of April, not re-notified. So at this stage in the EBA dispute, we currently have no bans or stoppage action in place. This is leaving the negotiations vulnerable, as our only pressure points on Telstra come from an ability to take protected industrial action. This is leaving the negotiations vulnerable, as our only pressure points on Telstra come from an ability to take protected industrial action.

REDUNDANCY AGREEMENT NOT IN THE MIX
Telstra has not changed its position. No changes are proposed to the TRA in the EBA. Despite the whispering campaign that is being peddled, (particularly where redundancies are hitting) the outcome of redundancy is protected. Even at the current time, an expired EBA still protects your redundancy outcomes. There is no real ability by Telstra to reduce the 80 weeks.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
We need a fair and reasonable pay outcome. Union members need to decide whether the current bargaining position is endorsed. For instance, should we formally withdraw the stated offer? Are we prepared to fight for it? Are we prepared to sign up every non-member in our work place? Are we prepared to financially support further action so that we can target our action with smaller number of members involved (a voluntary levy)? We will set up a feedback survey line or you can join the Tuesday phone hook-up or reply to this bulletin with comments.

ELECTION RESULTS NSW T&S
Its election time in CEPU again and ballot papers will go out in about 2 weeks. However, in our Branch a new team has been elected unopposed. It comprises Telstra, Optus and Postal members. The new President is Glen Falls. The new Secretary is Dan Dwyer (previously appointed). The new Assistant Secretary is Peter Wasilewski. For a full list of the new Branch Committee of Management see our web page.

ELECTIONS - DIVISIONAL OFFICE
There is an election for our National Officials with contests for Divisional President, Divisional Secretary, Divisional Assistant Secretaries and Vice Presidents. The AEC runs the election. (The authors are not contestants in those elections).

SHANE MURPHY AND GREG RAYNER BLOCK YOUR VOICE
Murphy and Rayner have both refused to accept our T&S Branch representatives at Divisional Executive and National Council meetings. They claim some legal defect exists. Both Lee Walkington and Dan Dwyer have been EXCLUDED from meetings of the union. They claim to have legal advice but refuse to share it! They made the same complaint about a legal defect to the Australian Electoral Commission last week claiming that Dan Dwyer was ineligible to stand for the position of Branch Secretary. The AEC rejected their complaint outright and declared Dan Dwyer elected unopposed. Notwithstanding, following that ruling by the AEC, Murphy still refuses to recognise your representative.
We note that the Postal Branch continues to try to poach our members. We don't see much solidarity from the Postal Branch!

NEW CFW 6 INSTALLER/REPAIRER FIELD JOBS
Telstra has advised us that it has created a new core job description. It said:

Telstra recognised the requirement for a new CFW6 (Installer & Repairer) core job description to bridge the gap between the current CFW5 (Installer & Repairer) and CFW7 (Installer & Repairer) roles. The business is confident in the differences in accountabilities, competencies and technologies between the C FW5, CFW6 and CFW7 core jobs. The creation of this new core JD will not result in an impact to current employees at the CFW5 or CFW7 banding. Rather, this will allow the business to recruit field based roles at the CFW6 level.

We will seek a meeting with Telstra to discuss the development. We are already aware of great dissatisfaction with grading with many CFW4s doing higher level work (eg DOT) and similarly for CFW5s. We have been preparing claims and will raise these with Telstra. See New CFW6 Classification for details.

OPTUS MEETINGS
We are still pressing Optus for meetings re the situations at Belrose.

POST SPF MEETING
We met with Post last week and the agenda dis not progress beyond OHS matters. Another meeting is scheduled for Monday 13 May. The agenda from our Branch includes the following:
+ OHS Issues not addressed for some years
+ Recalling Comcare to review previous undertakings
+ Removal of 1 week notice for shift swaps
+ Copies of alleged agreements on issues
+ Review of qualifications and electrical licences

The agenda we notified stated:

NSW T&S BRANCH - AGENDA ITEMS FOR SPF CHULLORA MEETING 13 May 19.

1. Failure by Post to take OHS seriously
We have issues that have been on the Register for years without resolution. These are serious issues without safe "work arounds". Post must commit to urgent resolution of these matters through consultation with technical staff, not incompetent and failed unilateral actions.
 Ladders. The issues include
 LOTO equipment and LOTO.
 Training program for staff.
 ULD line crossing.

2. Comcare Undertakings
We seek that Comcare be invited to attend to review the undertakings given by Post over a year ago in relation to a number of OHS issues..

3. Shift Swaps
Shift swaps were unilaterally terminated by Suresh. The swaps were working well. The current proposal for a trial is as follows:
Swap proposal
1. Body to body swaps up to four weeks will be approved by the Team leaders
2. Swaps greater than 4 consecutive weeks are to be accompanied by a work place flexibility request and considered by FTM
Ground rules:
3. No impact to business.
4. Reason for body to body swaps to be communicated via e-mail to the team leaders/ FTM by both staff involved. All requests will be captured during the review period of three months and the process will be monitored for improvements
5. If a swap request is to be refused, then the reason needs to be explained
6. Notice period - Request for swap to be submitted by 6am on the Monday a one week prior to the week being swapped. If the notice period cannot be met please advise FTM and provide reason
7. Ensure staff have sufficient break between shifts
8. Regular ongoing review by LWG of the swap process
We will agree to the trial subject to the following: