CWU T&S WEEKLY BULLETIN NO 2020 / 28
SUPERANNUATION PT 7
The Government is allowing the withdrawal of two lots of $10,000 during Covid19. How would that affect my super? We can give some indication by simulating a withdrawal during the GFC. We have done an analysis based on a real fund of $100,000 from 2008.
We amend the investment by taking out $10,000 just before the GFC in 2008. The result is that there will be $22,251 less money following Covid 19.
We amend the investment by taking out $10,000 during the GFC in 2009. The result is that there will be $27,038 less money following Covid 19.
See our Superannuation fact sheet where full details are listed.
POST SPF MEDIATION
The mediation is expected next week (after 26 July). The mediator is expected to be former FWC Commissioner Roe.
TELSTRA XMAS SHUT DOWN
Telstra has advised staff: Back in January we announced we would make the summer shutdown an annual occurrence for our employees based in Australia, however at the time we did not specify dates. I am now writing to advise you that this afternoon Telstra has announced dates for our Summer Shutdown 2020/21. Dates announced - Tuesday 29th December 2020 to Friday 8th 2021.
TELSTRA JOB PROFILES
The following letter has been sent to Telstra:
It has come to our attention that Telstra is currently undergoing a process of reviewing and updating their job profiles (formerly success profiles) and work codes. We have contacted Telstra who have advised that there are no changes being made to Core Job Descriptions, nor to the day to day duties of individuals, however they have also conceded that the there are approximately 20 workstream individuals whose workstream band may change (vertically or laterally) as a result.
While Telstra say that no individual will be negatively affected by this, we have some serious concerns about the potential flow on effects from these changes. We have requested detailed information be provided to us on the proposed changes on a role by role basis.
POST TECHNICAL ARRANGEMENTS MELBOURNE
The Vic T&S Branch has written to post as follows:
In recent months, there appears to have been an outbreak of some untrained non-technical staff at the Somerton facility (Melbourne North Parcel Delivery Centre) performing technical functions under the guise of "Operator Care".
These functions appear to be breaching LOTO as well as any agreed arrangements regarding the limitation of non-technical staff performing technical roles, and entering zone 3 protected areas.
We seek an urgent assurance that this unsafe practice has ceased at this facility. We advise that the matter is of considerable concern to the technical staff at this facility, as long standing arrangements with the operational staff have clearly defined the roles of each group of workers. These arrangements cover the safety of individuals, as well as machine functionality.
THE POST MOU - VIC BULLETIN
We reproduce in full a Bulletin issued by the Vic T&S Branch:
The A/Post MOU - in whose interest?
Last Tuesday, (7th July), the Divisional Executive of this Union endorsed a "Memorandum Of Understanding" (MOU) with A/Post that claimed to protect jobs as a result of the "every second day metro delivery proposal" ( the so-called Alternating Delivery Model - ADM). This ADM has been approved by the government, and currently subject to a "disallowance" motion being debated in the Senate. Part of that Senate process is a committee that is inquiring into the Government's proposal, which was held (and televised) last Wednesday in Canberra. Clearly, Australia Post support the reduction in delivery schedules, and now it appears that the Union also supports the reduction.
Three of the seven branches present voted against the acceptance of the MOU, namely Victorian P&T, Victorian T&S, and the NSW T&S. Branches that supported the MOU were NSW P&T, WA, SA/NT and Qld.
The MOU places a number of conditions upon the Union as a whole. These include:
A further halt to the stop/start EBA bargaining for a period of 12 months (i.e. until 9 August 2021).
No pay rises in that period.
No opposition to the every second day delivery proposal.
No industrial action, protected or unprotected, until 9 August 2021.
See the "Memorandum Of Understanding" (MOU)
For their part, A/Post will:
1) Not seek to terminate the current EBA following expiry in August 2020, but only up to August 9, 2021. What happens after that is unknown at this stage.
2) Conditionally not have any forced redundancies - but this is only for redundancies aside from the Covid 19 based redundancies, and in particular areas, NOT including Postal Techs. So every redundancy will now obviously be related to the volume reduction in letters supposedly caused by Covid!
3) Pay a Shift Allowance for delivery posties who had changes to their shifts as a result of the ADM.
This MOU is being painted by the Divisional Office of the Union as a "massive" win for postal workers, but it really isn't even a registered agreement - it can be regarded as "non binding". Typically, it appears that the detail in the actual MOU words has been missed. In reality the Union has conceded to a zero pay rise for at least 12 months, no further EBA bargaining for 12 months, and a dubious commitment from A/Post on forced redundancies (that A/Post can drive a truck through), but with a bit of a win on Shift allowance maintenance for postal delivery staff or to delivery staff who have not been receiving the 15% loading.
There is no protection against forced redundancies at all for the Postal Techs (aside from the current RRR Agreement) and no pay increase. So where does that leave the Techs and the rest of the Postal workforce? Clearly the "temporary reform" is just the start, how long will the "temporary" be for and what does temporary mean? We wait for a major structural upheaval in Post that will leave many postal workers without jobs - something that the Union should have been campaigning about strongly and loudly. Now, it will be nothing more than a whimper, having been shut down by a dubious set of words from the employer and endorsed by a number of Union branches.
Yours faithfully, JOHN ELLERY
TELSTRA NEEDS YOUR HELP
[From our T&S Vic Branch] We need your help!!!!!!! What has the foremost Australian telco employer come to? The recent email (shown below) from the head of Networks & IT, pleading for volunteers to work unpaid(?) to resolve a major lack of staff in Consumer and Small Business.
The help that is needed is to cover disgraceful decisions made to outsource Australian work places such as the GOC/Infosys "partner" Help Desk arrangements to offshore call centres in Pune, India. That cost cutting strategy, has left Australia's customers without proper customer service, and vulnerable to major meltdowns, outages and security breaches.
Perhaps the best help that can be provided is to employ Australians to do the jobs that once were on shore, before the bean counter driven madness took hold. That will take some guts from a management group who have taken the once great Telstra down this dead end street of reliance on other outsourced, cheaper hires.
And why would you volunteer to cover up the disaster of the Management's off shoring strategy?
Telstra should be assisting with keeping our economy going by keeping Australians in paid work.
You're worth it! Are you valued, or exploited? (Ps Don't forget to book some leave to help the CEO)
Many of you will be aware that parts of our international workforce has been severely impacted by COVID-19 restrictions in their respective cities. It means that we are experiencing a number of challenges in meeting the needs of customers, specifically in our C&SB contact centres. While we are working on enabling as many direct and partner employees as possible to work from home, we need to do more to increase our workforce capacity and support our customers.
This is where you can help. We need some more volunteers to help us better service our customers in these key areas:
Messaging: Responding to customers enquiries such as simple billing and account questions via through messaging on the My Telstra app.
1. Simplex Complaints: Basic triage from the online webform
2. Other Complaints: These require some investigation as well as some existing product and process knowledge. Only those with previous experience would be matched to this area.
Prior customer management skills and access to Siebel would be great, but not essential. Full training will be provided, you will have access to SMEs, and you can continue to work from home. You also don't need to volunteer full time - you can commit for 3-4 hours continuous blocks of time.
To register, you just need to complete this webform which captures your availability, skills and systems access and where you think you can best contribute. Once submitted, you'll be assigned to a virtual team and your virtual leader will reach out to you about next steps.
I urge you to seriously consider volunteering. Our customers and our colleagues need our help, and I would really like to see the N&IT team step up and get involved.
USEFUL QUICK LINKS
Forced ARL Fact Sheet
Forced LSL Fact Sheet
Telstra EBA Notes
Telstra EBA19
Telstra EBA19 Undertakings
Superannuation Fact Sheet
Optus EBA18
Post EBA9
Authorised by Dan Dwyer Branch Secretary
CWU Telecommunications & Services Branch, Sydney City, NSW.