August 9, 2009

Media Release

Telecom lines engineers begin nationwide strike tomorrow

Telecom lines engineers will begin a second round of nationwide strike action tomorrow over their employers’ refusal to offer redundancy protection at a time of uncertainty in the industry.

The nationwide strike action will affect Telecom’s phone, internet and eftpos services from Invercargill to Kerikeri, and will involve 900 workers from Telecom’s Australian-owned contractors Transfield Services and Downer EDI.

The action comes as North Shore lines engineers enter their fifth day of ongoing strike action.

EPMU national industry organiser Joe Gallagher says the lines engineers are striking for redundancy protections in an industry increasingly destabilised by Telecom’s contracting model.

“This strike action is a direct result of 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.

“Our members in Auckland and Northland are up against an attempt to force them into dependent contracting by Telecom’s new contractor Visionstream.

“Independent analysis shows that under this model lines engineers would see a 50-65% drop in income, would have no guarantee of regular work and would have to shoulder huge business risks for little return.

“Meanwhile members at Downer EDI are being forced to choose between giving up wages and working for piece rates or taking on the same dependent contractor sham that Visionstream is trying to force.

“Telecom’s short-sighted business model is putting not just our members’ livelihoods but the entire stability of the network at risk. Forcing lines engineers to do more jobs in less time can only lead to more network failures and the loss of hundreds of highly skilled workers overseas for better conditions and more secure employment.

“That’s not good for our members, it’s not good for the public and it’s certainly no good for the future of New Zealand’s vital telecommunications infrastructure.

“This is an industry in crisis, but Telecom has told us it’s not interested in negotiating. Our members have been left with no other option but to strike.”

Public protests have so far been confirmed for Whangarei, Kerikeri, Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Wellington and Christchurch.

EPMU members have made themselves available to Telecom’s contractors to ensure that emergency services are not affected by strike action.

ENDS

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