NBN START OF DAY CASE HEARING THIS WEEK

We claim that the 30 minutes log in/driving at SOD and EOD is work, and therefore must be paid as overtime. The case is to be heard this Thursday and Friday in the Industrial Relations Court of NSW. While the claim if for one person, it is recognised that the outcome will apply to all CWU members in NBN. (We do not ask NBN to not non-members).
Usually a Decision will be reserved and so we may have to wait some weeks for the Decision.

TELSTRA PUBLIC HOLIDAYS ON AN RDO

We have reports that Telstra is refusing an additional day off, or a day's pay when a public holiday falls on a Flexible Working Arrangement RDO. We provide an extract from the EBA below. Please let us know asap if you are having problems with your RDO when if falls on a public holiday. We will follow up.

TELSTRA EBA EXTRACT RDO ON PH

38.5. Public holidays for employees on particular hours arrangements
a) If you work full-time under one of the following arrangements:
i) a scheduled hours arrangement;
ii) a shiftwork arrangement;
iii) the Flexible Working Hours Scheme; or
iv) a 9-day fortnight; and
a public holiday falls on a day when you could have been scheduled to work ordinary hours but were not scheduled to work, you will receive either:
v) an additional day's pay, or
vi) a day off in lieu to be taken within 4 weeks of the public holiday.
b) If this day off in lieu is not possible, we will pay you an additional day's pay. The calculation of an additional day's pay will be based on your average daily hours excluding penalties. Payment will be adjusted proportionately where only part of your ordinary hours fall on a public holiday.

BARGAINING AT BAI: HAVE YOUR SAY

Bargaining for a new Enterprise Agreement (EA) with BAI will commence shortly. CWU will be representing members' interests at the negotiating table - but before we go in, we want to hear from you.
To ensure our log of claims reflects the real priorities of our members employed across BAI, we've developed a short online survey to collect your feedback. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and tell us what is most important to you and your families. All responses are confidential.
BAI EA Member Survey 2026 The survey is now open and will close 17 April 2026.

NATIONAL WAGE CASE 5% SOUGHT

The National Wage case is under way with Unions seeking a 5% increase to the minimum wage, and to all Awards. The FW Commission will determine the increase which is usually effective from 1 July.

ADULT WAGES OR 18YO AND OVER

Half a million young Australians working in the retail, fast food and pharmacy sectors are set for a wage increase after the Fair Work Commission abolished junior pay rates for those aged 18 and over. The wage rises will be phased in over 4 years in a landmark change that unions compared to the introduction of equal pay for women in the 1970s. Under the relevant awards, those aged 20 are paid 90% of the adult rate, while 19 year-olds are paid 80% and 18 year-olds 70%.

PAUL LIGHTFOOT MEMORIAL - FRIDAY 27 MARCH, 2026

See our tribute to Paul.

Paul was involved with the "techs Union" (the ATEA) after moving into the Technical grades from the Lines Grades, and joined us in March 1990 after being involved in the then Lines Union (APTU) for some time previously. So that's around 36 years as a member of our Techs Union, and a number of years as APTU member in the Lines area.
I first came across Paul in his Technical role at the Telstra Mobiles depot and office in 301 Middleborough Rd, Box Hill Sth (previously Clarice Rd) in the mid 90's. Paul worked with a number of our good members Ian Macallum, Gerry Scarcella, Neil Walker, Peter Clifford, Paul Kunek, Greg Halley, Rod Wilcox, Peter Buissink, to name a few. Let's just say there was an interesting bunch there, and a number of local challenges.
Paul and Paul Kunek (PK) came to prominence in Union circles where they successfully (after a lot of Telstra legal and management manipulation) were re-instated back into Telstra, although not into the Mobiles area, around 2006. The cause of the dispute was a failed attempt by a local manager to get rid of them by a "reduction of numbers in a group" redundancy selection process carried out by a local manager, who subsequently ended up getting moved to the Global Operations Centre at Clayton and gathered a further reputation there. Paul and Paul Kunek were the only ones in my history in the union (from 1994 on) who achieved re-instatement back into Telstra there have been very few over the years.
In true Telstra tradition, after getting a slap from the Fair Work Commission, both were reinstated to rather menial, untenable field positions, and both subsequently resigned. Most of you Telstra people will know there was considerable resistance to Paul and PK being reinstated into Mobiles.
According to our (less than perfect !!) membership records and notes, Paul went on to be a member of the Victorian Branch Committee of Management when Len Cooper was Branch Secretary, around 2011, and was subsequently elected Victorian Branch President on a number of occasions, whilst I was Branch Secretary.
Paul was also elected over time, at a national level, as the Branch's Divisional Conference Delegate, and Divisional Executive member.
Paul went on to be involved with a number of technical training roles, including Holmesglen TAFE. Involved in many. As a result of his work in this field, he became involved in many circumstances where the Union needed advice and assistance and was recently involved as our rep on various National Industry Training Board roles, with previous ATEA National Secretary Kevin Fothergill and others.
Paul was made a life member of this Union, shortly before his passing. We have set high hurdles to reach that award, and Paul satisfied all of those. The Branch will sorely miss Paul's sage advice at BCOM meetings and we honour his contribution.
Vale' Comrade Paul Lightfoot. Thanks for your lifetime contribution to the Union movement, your workmates, the technical workforce, and in particular, your tireless work for the members of the Techs union in its various iterations and amalgamations. We also thank you for your dedicated support and assistance to the Telecommunications & Services Branch and its officials.
John Ellery Assistant Secretary