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 - 7 May - 7.30pm
Dial In: (03) 8687 0635 or (02) 9696 0774 Guest Code: # see email

EBA TALKS TO RESUME WITH TELSTRA
EBA talks are scheduled for next Tuesday. All industrial action has ceased. We will advise of progress via the hook-up above, web page and by bulletins. Watch the Current EBA Action Page

POST SPF MEETING
Our Branch expects to meet Post and HR on next Monday to discuss a number of issues. We have notified an agenda including shift swaps, safety, qualifications, Eastern Creek PDC and disciplinary action.

OPTUS MEETING
We have written to Optus again (and followed up with phone calls) seeking a meeting re issues at Belrose.

TELSTRA PHONE TRACKING
Several members have reported concerns with possible phone tracking by Telstra, and particularly the Samsung S9. We wrote to Telstra with a number of questions. In a notice to us re Promise in GBS, Telstra confirmed our some of our concerns: Some extracts are:
+ We are now implementing "Promise" to all field technicians.
+ Allows for potential future introduction of "Where's my Tech" functionality.. which enables Telstra's customers to map the progress of their CT
+ GPS Tracking feature will only activate when the Promise app is opened
The Vic and NSW T&S Branches met with Telstra this week. At the meeting Telstra confirmed that Telstra can track phones, but would only do so in limited circumstances. The issue is complex and we are arranging a further meeting with Telstra people who have detailed knowledge. The following short notes will give you an appreciation of the difficulty in defining the limits of privacy.
+ Telstra can see your billing information and the phone calls you make
+ Telstra can demand access to your phone to see if you have abided by their reasonable use policy
+ Access would include access to your SMS, photos, documents etc
+ We have suggested that you have the right to delete all personal information on the phone when returning the phone
+ The Samsung will have special software called Knox
+ With Knox, Telstra can push apps onto your phone - (apps can provide tracking information)
+ Tracking can already be used eg for legitimate law enforcement, to find lost or stolen phones
+ We needed more information about "Where's my Tech?" tracking.
+ We needed more information about whether the function can be turned off?
+ We need to know if Promise is to be put on phones as well as Tablets.
We will be seeking more details and particularly full disclosure of the issues that relate to privacy. In some states such as Victoria, your consent is required.

TELSTRA REDUNDANCIES
Telstra has flooded us with notices of potential redundancies across all states. We had an all-day meeting on Tuesday with several branches participating. The outcome was not satisfactory. The main themes are that Telstra does not have the same amount of work to do, because Telstra cut capital expenditure. This is T22 at work and the famous "pillars". 5G will be done by an unnamed "partner". Some work can be better done in the Philippines and India by "partners". Australia does not have the university graduates (in IT) to take the jobs, so Telstra is going to offshore "partners". NBN is not giving work to Telstra - Telstra does not know why. "Agile" (another feel good program) is being rolled out in several business units, but this will not affect staff numbers. We asked for the business plan for a number of changes - apart from a 1 or 2 page summary, Telstra has not costed the changes. Unbelievable!

MAY DAY RALLIES NSW
Come and join with members and friends at the May Day rally. This is an election year and workers need to stand together and demand better pay, restoration of penalty rates and an end to discrimination of unions in the bargaining process.
Sydney May Day - Sunday May 5 Hyde Park Sydney 11am. The Sydney rally will be addressed by ACTU Secretary, Sally McManus and then march to Prince Alfred Park (behind Central Station) for a family day picnic with food and attractions for the kids. The CWU will be marching together with its Retired Members and at the end of the march we will repair to the Tudor Hotel at Pitt and Redfern St, Redfern for refreshments. (children welcome)
Wollongong May Day, Sat May 4, Lowden Square, opposite Wollongong Station. Rally begins at 10am and finishes 12noon in Crown St

VIP - CONTACTING US - NEW PHONE NUMBER
Please note the following changes as we simplify our phone numbers
0428 942 878 dan.dwyer@cwunion.net Dan Dwyer Secretary/Lawyer - for industrial matters & advice
0428 942 878 reception@cwunion.net Administrative eg payments, applications, change of details

Authorised by Dan Dwyer Branch Secretary
CWU Telecommunications & Services Branch, Leichhardt, NSW.