National day of Telecom strike action planned

August 21, 2009
Media Release

National day of Telecom strike action planned

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 telecommunications organiser Joe Gallagher says Telecom’s contracting model is putting the future of New Zealand’s network at risk.

“This dispute isn’t just about our members’ employment but about an industry that has been run-down and squeezed for profit until it is dry.

“A lot of our telecommunications infrastructure dates back to the thirties and many of our exchanges are a decade past their use-by date but instead of investing in the skilled workers needed to keep it running and improve it Telecom are driving them out of the industry.

“Our members from the Philippines are shocked when they come to New Zealand and see just how ancient our network is and many of them have to learn the old tricks to cope with a network so far behind what they are used to.

“What the public need to understand is that the kind of disruption caused by this dispute will become the status quo if Telecom succeeds in destroying our members’ jobs.”

The EPMU represents 1500 telecommunications workers of which around 900 are directly involved in this dispute.

A schedule of 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

ENDS

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