Australian telecommunications operator Telstra has announced that it will sack another 752 employees from its workforce as part of the company’s overall plans to reduce its overall staff by a quarter.
This is the second large job culling by Telstra following its decision to terminate the contracts of 1100 staff last August. The Community and Public Sector Union confirmed in a statement that it has been informed of the job losses which were offset by the creation of 347 new jobs at the operator.
CPSU deputy national president Brooke Muscat-Bentley expressed his dismay and bitter sympathy for those who have lost their jobs at the Australian operator.
He said, “This is extremely disturbing news for Telstra workers and customers alike. Telstra is pushing on with its self-destructive and short-sighted plan to slash a quarter of its workforce, ignoring the harm that will cause to staff and Telstra services. Each and every one of these 752 people makes a valuable contribution to Telstra. The impact from a mass sacking on this scale won’t just hit these workers and their families. It will be felt throughout the entire organisation."
In June last year, Telstra chief executive Andy Penn declared that the company would effect a net reduction of 8000 employees and contractors by 2022 and reduce two to four layers of management, leading to the cutting of one in four executive and middle management roles.
“Sadly we believe this is just the start for the jobs apocalypse planned by Telstra management. Clearly sacking one in four workers isn’t going to help with faltering customer satisfaction in Telstra’s services," Muscat-Bentley said.
“Telstra isn’t treating those workers who will remain any better, with the telco continuing to stand in the way of trade union efforts to negotiate a fair and decent enterprise agreement. Of particular concern is Telstra’s continuing refusal to agree to provide a dignified redundancy process, and that the company is still pushing what’s an effective wage cut on its staff.
“The only way for Telstra to halt its sad decline is for the company to recognise that its workforce is the company’s best asset. Industrial action is a possibility as we explore ways to make Telstra management see sense.”
