CEPU : Connecting our community

Telstra EA update (20/8)

(20 August, 2009): Talks have continued to progress as well as could be expected given the range and sometimes complexity of the issues needing agreement.

The issues important to members so far covered and negotiated in considerable detail can be listed as follows:

  • performance management principles and fairness
  • performance bonus and pay systems currently existing in the company and any principles that might apply if those systems are extended
  • the retention of all current conditions of employment
  • the retention of the redundancy entitlements and other protective elements of the current redundancy agreement
  • the structure of any agreement (eg Part A/Part B or otherwise)
  • how to deal with the two separate banding systems currently existing (one that’s been negotiated with unions and the other that hasn’t)
  • dispute settling processes and whether they should include negotiation, mediation and last resort arbitration
  • the rights of employees on AWAs, ITEAs and ECAs vis-à-vis any future voluntary transfer to the EBA
  • the future new employees and how their wages and remuneration should be treated
  • the need for common conditions of employment for all EBA employees
  • additional conditions such as salary sacrifice, purchase of extra annual leave, and the cashing in of annual leave
  • delegates rights

As yet there has been no formal discussion around the question of salary increases and their application date, or the updating of the various allowances.

The parties have set weekly negotiations until the end of August and as yet nothing beyond.

We’re hopeful that an agreement architecture should be well shaped by then and the parties will most likely be in a position to judge whether a satisfactory agreement is possible or not. We think continued hard work and flexibility will deliver an agreement.

Obviously, any draft agreement which emerges from the negotiations with Telstra will only be valid and applicable following its support in a ballot of all employees on the current union negotiated EBA and all employees on expired AWAs.

Please don't hesitate to contact us with your views and suggestions - or email us via feedback@cepu.asn.au