| REMINDER: TELSTRA EA SURVEY Bargaining for a new Enterprise Agreement (EA) in Telstra is due to start in May. In preparation for negotiations, the CWU has been sounding out members about their priorities for this round of bargaining. Membership meetings are being held and membership surveys are being circulated by state branches. So far the issues identified by members as being of most importance are those that might be expected: * Hours of duty, including the availability of RDOs * Redundancy entitlements * Leave and of course – * Pay rise. Members have also identified performance management and assessment, particularly in the field workforce, and opportunities for skill development as areas of particular concern. Your union needs your feedback as we get closer to the beginning of negotiations. If you have not yet filled out the branch survey please do so now. Alternatively you can fill out the survey on-line at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NL6WTTG. Þ If you have a problem with the link highlight, right click and open hyperlink. The current CWU agreement covers staff working at, or in connection with, the Network Operations Centre. However there are also three other Enterprise Agreements (EAs) operating in NBN Co, each covering different sections of the workforce and involving different unions. All are facing the same difficulties as a result of the federal government’s policy of demanding trade-offs for any wage rise, even ones below inflation. The government also says that there can be no back pay in the new EAs, a policy obviously designed to “starve” staff into accepting cuts to conditions. Meanwhile, Joe Hockey saves money for his budget! On 20 March the CWU met with the other unions involved in NBN Co to consider how to progress negotiations and to examine the options available to employees and their representatives under the Fair Work Act. Meanwhile, negotiations between individual unions and NBN Co are set to resume. The CWU will next meet with company representatives on Tuesday 31 March. TELSTRA REPORTS ON NBN TRAINING Under the deed finalised with the Commonwealth in 2011, Telstra receives $100 million to retrain staff who are likely to be made redundant as a result of the NBN project. Telstra may also use the grant to train staff to meet the overall needs of the project, though obviously minimising staff losses should be the first priority. At the 25 March meeting Telstra reported to the unions and to the Department of Communications on training activities over the first three months of this year. These have involved continuation of programmes that have been underway for some time, such as training Customer Service Delivery (CSD) staff in NBN installation work, and the development of new programmes that reflect the expanded role that Telstra is now playing in the NBN project. Newer programmes include: · expansion of the NBN installation programme to allow Telstra staff to do both the lead-ins and the internal work on customer premises (mainly in relation to commercial premises); · FTTN planning and design training plus development of an FTTN field inspector role; · Further development the Digital Office Technology (DOT) training to expand the number of functions that employees can perform in the smart home/smart office environment. The CWU has long argued that this last area of work represents a major market opportunity for Telstra and a source of ongoing work for our members. We also argued, at the time this $100 million programme began, for training that would allow staff to work on both sides of the NBN network boundary. The CWU is pleased to see Telstra moving in these directions as they should provide both present and future opportunities for employees. CWU MEETS WITH TELSTRA ON PERFORMANCE PRINCIPLES Under the current Enterprise Agreement (EA), such consultations are scheduled to take place on a quarterly basis –or more or less often if that is agreed. The CWU last met with Telstra on the issues last year when both the performance pay matrix and the introduction of My Future were discussed. At the most recent meeting, Telstra provided further information about the use of My Future and about other changes to their approach to performance assessment and management. These involve: A change to the grading system, with a numerical range (1-5) replacing the current performance categories (Meets Expectations etc). § A “success plan” replacing the PDRP. § A reduction in the number of “goals” against which performance is assessed (from 8 to 5). § More regular and targeted performance discussions during the 12 month assessment period. Telstra says its aim is to encourage a more developmental approach to performance management but as the unions pointed out much will depend here on the willingness and ability of local one-up managers to implement such a change. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating. The CWU would welcome an approach to performance that emphasised development, through training and mentoring, rather than simply providing management with a crude tool to reward or punish employees. But such an approach should also involve limiting the proportion of an employees pay that is “at risk” through performance assessment. CWU continues to oppose a system which gives management the wide discretion over pay outcomes that currently exists under Telstra’s Job Family model. UPDATE YOUR CWU MEMBERSHIP DETAILS Union membership cards were mailed out to members in March – did you receive yours? If you have moved recently, have you advised us of your new address? Have you notified us of your new credit card expiry date or change of bank details? Do you check your credit card and bank statements? The union doesn’t know if you’ve taken redundancy. You need to tell us. If you wish to cease CWU membership, the union must be advised in writing (email is fine) and you must be financial. CWU has an associate membership ($50 p.a.) for members who have left the job but want to support the union and use the union services. Please call – 9663 6815 or email us cdtsvic@cwu.asn.au
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