August 26, 2009

Media Release

Visionstream claims incorrect - EPMU

Visionstream’s claim that it has signed up more than 70% of its field workforce is simply incorrect, says the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union.

EPMU national secretary Andrew Little says Visionstream is running a dishonest campaign to pressure workers into signing.

“Of the potential workforce Visionstream is seeking to engage from a pool of 700 we know that close to 600 are EPMU members who are refusing to sign.

“Our best information suggests Visionstream has perhaps 100 lines engineers signed up, and this includes existing owner-operators in the Auckland and Northland patch. This also includes staff who have been signed up on wages and salaries. That’s well short of the 600 Visionstream needs before October 1st to avoid the network falling over.

“The only explanation for these claims is Visionstream’s increasing desperation to find staff. We know they’ve already tried and failed to recruit workers in other areas due to lack of interest, now they’re resorting to scare tactics to try and force these engineers to sign up against their will.

“The reality is our members don’t want to sign a contract that has no guaranteed income, no guarantee of regular work and according to independent analysis could lead to a drop in income of more than 50%. They also don’t want to take on up to $60,000 of debt in the middle of a recession.

“The dependent contractor model is putting the entire network at risk, but Telecom won’t act and Visionstream refuses to even negotiate. We’re calling on the Government to intervene and sort this out for the sake of the network.”

Copies of the EPMU’s independent accounting and legal advice on Visionstream’s proposed contract are available at the links below:

http://www.epmu.org.nz/assets/Electrocomms/PETER-CASTLE-OPINION.pdf

http://www.epmu.org.nz/assets/Visionstream/Acura-Accountants-Analysis.pdf

An FAQ of the dispute is available at:

http://www.epmu.org.nz/assets/Visionstream/Telecom-FAQ.pdf

 ENDS

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