Media Release

Naming and shaming bad employers - Vodafone fits the bill

Unite Union is accusing one of the country's largest Telco's - Vodafone - of being a bad employer after the highly profitable company refused a pay increase to most of its lowest-paid, most vulnerable employees for the second year running.

"Prime Minister John Key has challenges us to name and shame bad employers and Vodafone fits the bill", says Unite National Director Mike Treen.

"This foreign-owned company's commitment to making large profits far outweighs its commitment to its workforce." "Vodafone expects most of our union members employed at its contact centres in Auckland to continue going backwards despite the company having a tremendous year reaping windfall revenues off the back of Telecom's XT troubles."

Last year Vodafone blamed the recession for the decision to freeze pay and we expected this year the company would ensure everyone received a pay increase. Alas, with Vodafone there's never a good time to ask for a pay rise.

Over half our union members, despite performing very well in their jobs, have been given the fingers by Vodafone.

Most of our members at this giant foreign Telco will have gone three years without a pay increase by the time pay reviews are considered in 2011. That's unacceptable. Vodafone expects employees to keep going backwards in a year when inflation is predicted to rise to between 5 and 6%.

Unite members will be working together to target the Vodafone brand in a bid to win public support for the company's contact centre employees. This company could be another early target of Unite Union "UTU (Unite The Union) squads" - unless progress can be made.

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