NBN DO NOT SIGN NEW CONTRACTS!

This week we received several reports of NBN members being bullied to change their employment contracts to one now preferred by management. This situation had reportedly come about due to NBN management not wanting to pay appropriate overtime rates and to cover up an under resourcing issue of managements own doing.
Following representations we made to NBN, all activity in this regard should have ceased.
Members should advise us of any further bullying activity. Also, if any members did change contracts due to this coercion, you should contact us for assistance. NBN HR have advised us that any change of contract should only be voluntary.
Ken Hardisty

TELSTRA DRIVER FATIGUE MONITORING TRIAL

Telstra has begun conducting a limited trial of the Seeing Machines - Guardian Generation 3, an AI powdered fatigue and distraction monitoring system, in approximately 20 operational fleet vehicles across Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
The company sought expressions of interest from a small group of employees to participate. Material from Telstra shared with your Union outlines how the system works, including in cabin alerts, drowsiness and distraction detection, and the involvement of the external Guardian Monitoring Centre.
CWU is actively consulting and seeking critical clarifications
As the consultation process continues through the trial, the CWU has raised a number of concerns and requested further detail to ensure the system is safe, transparent, and does not create unintended consequences for members.
The Union has now formally sought clarification from Telstra on a number of key issues, including:

• System Monitoring: What indicators are tracked to assess fatigue and how frequently is driver data assessed or recorded?
• Alerts and Triggers: What alerts are issued (audio, visual, haptic) and under what conditions are they triggered?
• Actions Following Alerts: What happens after an alert is triggered, are events logged or escalated to team leaders and what instructions are given to employees at the time?
• Work Health & Safety Implications: What WHS risks have been assessed and how does Telstra ensure the system supports safety rather than distracts drivers or creates new risks?
• Consultation to Date: Were HSRs or WHS committees consulted and, if so, how was their feedback incorporated?
• Policy Impacts: Has Telstra changed any safety policies or driver procedures as a result of the system?

• Data must not be used for disciplinary purposes.
• Members must be clearly informed about what is collected, who can access it, and for what purpose.
• The system must not create additional distraction or WHS risk in the vehicle.

What members need to know right now
This is a trial only, that involves voluntary participants and their vehicles. At this stage, Telstra nor the Union have endorsed the system.