Critical Times

Your article in The Guardian (April 5) “Bosses prepare for class war” and the OPTUS Human Resources Manager’s comments to a right wing-think tank seminar, clearly hit the nail on the head.

Up to 70 OPTUS field technicians from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane have just been sacked in what we believe to be the first example of big business using the new workplace laws for sham redundancies.

The employees were notified by text message to attend a meeting where they were told they were being made redundant. They were then invited to an outplacement seminar not only dealing with how to write a CV but also to facilitate them applying for their jobs back as independent contractors.

Contractors

We estimate that as contractors they will lose between $200 and $300 per week. Telecommunications contractors are required to pay their own superannuation, workers’ compensation, public liability insurance and to provide their own materials and equipment, along with the purchase of a suitable van. OPTUS quoted them $10,000 to $12,000 to buy their existing vans.

It is not known how many of the workers will be re-employed by OPTUS because at the time they were being sacked, on the same site, contractors were being trained to take their jobs. The telecommunications industry is embracing the use of contractors in order to cut costs, by cutting workers’ wages and conditions. Workers not only lose money but also their entitlements to paid sick leave, public holidays and annual leave.

OPTUS a chequered history

OPTUS was established in 1994 under the general push for deregulation and privatisation. Since that time it has benefited from enormous taxpayer funded support at both the State and Federal Government level.

Despite Howard’s strategy for little or no Government involvement in telecommunications, it is somehow Okay for the Singapore Government to control OPTUS. Part of Australia’s defence capability comes under the OPTUS network. The unions are also concerned that OPTUS Health and Safety standards already under scrutiny by WorkSafe, ComCare and the unions will be compromised as contractors are forced to cut corners in order to meet unrealistic performance targets.

Where to now?

The CEPU, ACTU and the Victorian Trades Hall Council have thrown their support behind the sacked OPTUS workers. A major publicity, political and industrial campaign is underway to show OPTUS Directors and their highly paid CEO that the workers will not just go away.

Already the sackings have received widespread publicity via all the media outlets, a large multi-union rally was held outside the OPTUS Centre and the legal battle has just begun. These new IR laws are a disaster for OPTUS employees most of whom have families, mortgages and other financial commitments. On a positive note the actions by OPTUS and other employers around the WorkChoice legislation is galvanising support for a collective response. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures shoe that the trade union movement grew by 70,000 in 2005. Yours In Solidarity

Burt Blackburne
Assistant Secretary CEPU (Communications Division, Victoria)