Telecom lines engineers plan national day of strike action

21 August, 2009

Up to 900 Telecom lines engineers will be taking nationwide strike action on Monday to protest Telecom's attacks on their incomes and employment rights.

The strike coincides with the first redundancies in Auckland and Northland and follows a series of strikes and work-bans that have seen at least one broadband supplier, Orcon, advise customers of significant disruption.

EPMU national industry organiser Joe Gallagher says the lines engineers' fight is more than just a challenge to a radical change to their employment.

"This goes to the heart of what it means to be an employee and a union member."

"Telecom is trying to strip away every protection and right they have as an employee and trying to force them to sign up to a contract that an independent commercial barrister says places heavy burdens on the engineers and gives all the control to Telecom and its contractor, Visionstream."

"If Telecom succeeds with this, New Zealand industrial relations goes backwards 150 years. That's how bad this is."

According to independent analysis, Visionstream's model would members would take a 50-66% drop in income, would have no guarantee of regular work and would have to shoulder huge business risks for little return.

Engineers would also have to take on up to $60,000 in debt to buy their own van and tools and set up a business.

"This is not a model our members see a future in for themselves and their families," says Gallagher, "they're basically fighting for their livelihoods here."

Telecom's model is also starting to affect engineers working for contractors in other parts of the country.

"Just this week Transfield Services made 154 workers redundant to meet the Telecom's demands," says Gallagher, "while our members at Downers are being threatened with redundancy and being rehired on piece rates for up to 25% less.

"The common problem facing everyone here is Telecom's contracting model, which plays contractors off against each other in a race to the bottom on wages and the stability of the network."

Gallagher says the dispute has gone nationwide and international, and Telecom can only expect the campaign to keep on growing.

"The New Zealand union movement is going to pull out all the stops to support these engineers because we understand the importance of fighting this kind of naked attack on workers' rights. Telecom needs to understand the scale of opposition it faces."

But fighting back costs money. The EPMU is currently organising a fundraising campaign to support members and their families say no to this attack on their rights, even as they are made redundant.

You can help now by calling 0900 STAND TALL to make a $10 phone donation, by printing off this fundraising flyer, by visiting the Donate section of our campaign website or by joining the Facebook supporters' group here.

For more information about the Telecom dispute visit www.epmu.org.nz/telecom

You can also download our FAQ on the Visionstream dispute here.

A schedule of Monday's protest action follows:

Whangarei

Far North members travelling by minivans to Whangarei
Picketing CBD all day

Auckland

Transfield and Downer members will meet at Western Park, Ponsonby at 7.30am for BBQ breakfast and picketing
Hold a demonstration outside Telecom House
Members will be dispatched around the city to gather signatures for the petition and handing out flyers
Meet back at Western Park at lunchtime for a BBQ

Waikato/BOP

Stopwork meetings by members in Hamilton and Rotorua in morning to plan day's events

Wanganui/New Plymouth

Members are meeting in Wanganui early in the morning.
2 van loads of members will drive across to New Plymouth and meet up with fellow Transfield members there.
The day will be spent on activities around the city - petitions, flyers.

Wellington

BBQ breakfast and protest outside Telecom House at Frank Kitt's Park on Jervois Quay at 8am
Lunchtime - Lambton Quay handing out leaflets and petition to sign

Blenheim/Nelson

Details available later today (members are having their mass meeting today)

Christchurch

Members will meet at EPMU offices (298 Cashel St) at 11am
They will proceed on a fundraising march towards Telecom Offices
Meet back at EPMU offices for a BBQ at 1pm