Telecom admits industrial action causing significant delays
Telecom has conceded for the first time that some customers are suffering major delays as a result of the EPMU-lead industrial action against owner-operator contracts being offered to lines engineers.
Chorus spokesman Robin Kelly today told NBR that some Telecom customers, especially is Northland, had experienced significant downtime and connectivity issues.
Mr Kelly said this was due to the backlog of work created during EPMU’s industrial action, which has included a series of strikes plus a so-called "broadband ban" on provisioning new internet connections, or servicing existing accounts.
The backlog is now being cleared, thanks in part to Chorus' new contractor, Visionstream, putting a number of owner-operators to work ahead of its October 1 deadline. But certain customers many have to wait three weeks to a month.
Chorus has previously stated that the backlog is three or four days (on top of the usual 24 hours), while the EPMU has insisted that some are waiting weeks for phone line or broadband fixes.
Meanwhile, in the latest development in the dispute today, a small group of line engineers recently made redundant protested outside of Telecom’s head office in Auckland this morning.
Around 200 engineers lost their jobs two weeks ago when Visionstream won the contract ahead of Downer EDI Engineering and Transfield to manage Telecom’s line in Auckland and Northland.
EPMU communications advisor Rob Egan said the line engineers were offered work with Visionstream as depended contractors, which means the workers would need to buy their own vans, pay for their own insurance and would no longer be waged workers entitled to overtime.
But Telecom spokesperson Robin Kelly said the workers were offered financial assistance and interest free loans.
Mr Kelly said Telecom was moving toward the international model of line maintenance, where workers have an opportunity to run their own businesses and become owner operators.
Mr Kelly said Visionstream had offered the workers $3000 grants, a 36-month interest free loan to buy tools and other equipment and “considerate backup support.”
“This is a significant opportunity to increase income and flexibility in how they work, to have a successful business.”
Many of the workers made redundant have signed contracts with Visionstream and will continue to work on Telecom lines.
EPMU national industry organiser Joe Gallagher said the takeover marked a significant change in the way Telecom maintained the network.
Mr Gallagher said the changeover had caused EPMU members “huge distress.”
EPMU is the country’s largest private sector union; it represents 45,000 workers across 11 industries.
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Comments and questions29
just spoke to an installer who has not had 1 install since he started at v/s,, they have only been giving faults . so he has to take the fault or get nothing!! then he finds out they've been giving the installs to some electricians!!!! yeah thats right, some electrical co.!!!!!.
Bring on the bad weather. 1.5 inches of rain today in Whangarei so far, this will make those protesters happy.
Just think all those faults that will be coming in, who is going to fix them?
Ah poor Sodastream scrabs, they won't be able to cope and will be floundering around with our old cables and exchanges scratching their heads.
Just wait for the lightning. THAT WILL STUFFUM ALL.
STAY STRONG GUYS
WE HAVE THE POWER
Has anyone noticed if you goggle "Visionstream" amongst the many hundreds of listings you will find a blog site called nominister.blogspot. Goggle has referenced other blog titles from this site. Amusedly the words vile & violently ill immediately preface visionstream. Maybe Goggle are trying to tell us something....
The blog itself is quite good. The link is
http://nominister.blogspot.com/search/label/visionstream
Hi guys, you may rememeber me from the field and some union meetings, I wish you all well!
Please stop wasting your energy by venting your frustrations on NBR or any other site as this is just a "relief valve" for disgruntled workers! Anyone of any importance to your cause doesnt read your posts or give two sh**s about what is posted here.
Focus your energies on getting jobs outside of Telecommunications.
I hope you all understand that by making yourselves "unavailable" to this industry, that the industry will awaken to find itself unable to carry-on without you and then, and only then, will your true worth be recognised,respected,sought after and paid for, in the manner in which it deserves.
In other words, find another job until they beg you to come back and are willing to meet ALL of your salary and benefit demands.
Unil then, remain silent. I have spoken with the leader of the National party, and a Labour big wig heads our union, both parties demonstrated that neither one is willing to champion our cause. I think that both parties would like to see this business model in place here in NZ, to lower labour costs across all industries hence, their unwillingness to correct the situation. So don't email your MP's because it is just a waste of your time.
For your sake and the sake of your families I implore you all to turn your backs on this whole debacle and move forward by leaving the industry. Your families will thank you and you will feel better, I know I do!!
I wonder if Telecom remember putting us all through "Putting People First" back in the 80's before the laid a heap of people off
What a disgrace it is that we want to work for Trico Ltd who is a sub contractor to vissionstream but its up to vissionstream that we can be employed with Trico ltd.
Trico ltd are offering wages to telco staff, but Vissionstream are the final option as Trico have to approch Vissionstream as to weather to employ any technician that wants to work for Trico and if vissionstrewam say NO then thats it . Vissionstream are worried that Trico will get to big and have more techs who want to work but Vissionstream want all them techs who wantb to sign with Trico to sign with Visssionstream as to put them into dept for life.
So we all need to stand up Newzealand and make a stand and tell this corrupt company VISSIONSTREAM to bugger off and go back were they come from Australia, we want to work for wages not be forced into slave labour and work for NAZI VISSIONSTREAM LTD, we are Newzealanders lets stand for Newzealand and tell Telecom to get these NAZIS out once and for all and let us the Telecommunication workers service our customers. and earn a wage .
and was the worker working on codes? Wonder how much he made for the job????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our rural pcm cabinet went down on august 30 today sept 22 it got fixed.twenty four days.great service.And they had to bring the scab from auckland to northland to fix it. and he took from last thursday to today tuesday to do the job.five days as i think he took sunday off.the fourth world is here.
Telecom Chorus and Visionstream, you really are a bunch of idiots, you are only stuffing your network by been so pig headed. If your offer is so great then why don't you just employee everyone on their old contracts. The management in Chorus wouldn't have a clue what the guys in the field actually do and how their network works, there is a real lack of skill and knowledge in Chorus and that Kelly guy is the biggest idiot of the lot.
Yes thats all we wanted, not a pay rise just a job, but good old Telecom destroyed that one too,Just wishing for the Government to step in and do something quick about all of this .
30years doing Telecom work is all i know so finding another job is going to be hard and i am already telling the bank to back off so i dont loose my house, thanks again Telecom and Vissionstream for forcing me out of work because i would not buy into your model and go into dept so as to keep my job.
If i wanted to run my own company i would have done that years ago, not have it shoved down my neck, their way of dealing with all of this was accept Vissionstreams corrupt model and make the employee pay for their job so all the responsiblity is on the worker and not and single bit of responsibilty on Telecom or Vissionstream for any thing but collecting revenue from their customers.
many of the techs who brought into this done so because they were conned into it buy Vissionstreams ways of making it all sound to good to be true and playing with peoples dreams and hopes of being able to run their own company and make a fortune,,, Hey Vissionstream we are not fools here we are Newzealanders not Australians and the money you guys steal from us from turning us into slaves always goes back to good old Aussie, you dont care who you drag to the bottom as long as their cash in it.
Thanks
Poor OLD Telecom i think the end is near for them and time to sell them shares and buy into Telstraclear Ltd as they look real good on the market.
Maybe Telstraclear can take over this mess and re-employ all them techs out there who Vissionstream and Telecom layed off.
Telecoms time is over, bad management, over paid CEO, is a big problem for them, time to Bring in the big guns who know how to run a company and are customer focused and share holder friendly.
...In the fan.. And I'm talking 5-7 years away when we have no experienced techs left, as those that have stayed through all the changes of the last 10-15 years, will have retired (cos the majority of these techs are close to retirement...) ...Lets see what the faults and wait times of install and repairs look like then.....?
NZ will still primarily be reliant on a old broken down copper network for the majority of SME business users, and home users...(fiber to the home everywhere - yeah right..!).
Yes there will be some new fiber around, especially around built up areas but can you see full national replacement, or full coverage..?
So lets see what the wait times are then on faults for the copper network are then...?
Is this infrastructure actually critically important to the country....? Is short term bonus archiving, pocket lining, goals more important than a balance between corporate requirements and the overall good of the country...?
Lets ask the relevant Telecom exec making these decisions today, in 7 years time, when he/she is basking in the sun at a rural Northland holiday home....if we can get a phone line that works...
So, Northland....enjoy the taste of the 3rd world. But rest happily in the knowledge that unless a bit more balance is introduced, a lot more of us will be experiencing this wonderful level of service as well...
did anybody notice mark ratcliffes hand movements on tv3?? body language speaks volumes.. like maybe hes lying
A couple of articles that make interesting reading.......
Telecom's second quarter profit down 92%
http://www.findata.co.nz/Blogs/263/Stocks_to_Watch_Telecom_earnings_sink_Appliances_at_record_low.htm
and Telecom's credit rating downgraded
http://www.findata.co.nz/Blogs/270/Moodys_Downgrades_Telecom_NZ_Citing_Regulatory_and_Execution_Risks.htm
Well fancy that!!!!!
Isn't it incredible, Telecom aren't prepared to come to the negotiating table to sort out an amicable solution to this mess they have created which would see the workforce return to maintain the failing network, a network that they wouldn't spend money on just to cut costs, yet they are more than willing to waste money on security guards sitting at the exchanges, a private investigator from Auckland sent to spy on redundant workers who are exercising their right to protest, pay huge bonuses to exec's and dept heads for dropping the company's profitabilty, etc. Who'd want to own shares in Telecom?? These overpriced, good for nothing exec's, the very ones who caused the govt to NOT choose Telecom for the fibre project, will soon be lined up with their hands out for their exit packages once the share price drops through the floor (bloody glad I sold mine when they were worth $8.00), they have already told the people who were working for them, who had the skills and actually did the work, to sod off, you're redundant mate!!
All that the guys who are picketing want is a fair salaried pay for a fair days work with resources available for them to do the job to a high standard, they weren't even asking for a pay rise, even though they are well overdue for one!
The sooner Telecom becomes history in NZ the better. They are such a bully boy in all areas of their business, that they really don't deserve to be in business
I agree with the above posts. 95% of the picket line are now highly skilled X-telecom or X-chorus workers. These guys are the only ones with the skills ( and the patience ) to work on the long outdated lines which are crapping out at a moments notice with the inclement weather. As partner to a now redundant highly skilled tech - it saddens me to see my skilled and knowledgable man down in the dumps and applying for positions that have nothing to do with the skills accumulated through years of service to Telecom.
We are still fully behind the ongoing fight and the number of meetings that my partner has supposedly had ( that he knows nothing about) with VS bosses causes much name calling and dismay towards us from good friends. My partner has had nothing to do with VS and will continue to have nothing to do with VS.
Stay strong guys and continue the fight!!!!!!!
owner operator model huh?? how come not one inside plant tech signed up? all inside plant is to be contracted out to transworks and skycom who employee all techs on wages!! all you cable jointers take note!!
Hey bud, the ones making the noise are the ones who trained you how to do your job, and we most probably rode your coat tails because you needed it.
The ones making the noise are the fully trained and highly skilled techs that will one day fix your mess that you and your mates have done to our countrys networks and get our customers back on line with service clown
Telecom , Stop blaming striking workers. There are none. All have been made redundant. Problem is with both Telecom & Visionstream for trying to make ex-workers owner/operaters.
Give them wages and I am sure they will all be back working.
Screw them and watch the backlog of faults grow.3-4 weeks now & we be 1-2 months soon. Telecom, make your move now before it gets out of hand
Can see Chorus being sold in the next 6 to 12 months, if Telecom wants a piece of the Governments FTTH pie. It was probably on the books before all this crap started. Good to see the Union guys out there still. Must admit i am starting to wain a little. Last 4 days Patch 8. Chorus starting to crap themselves. The heavy fault count is starting spill over than Dam Chorus calls "Denial". The Media is starting to catch on even if Nationals Communications Minister plays dumb. The crap will hit the fan next week. Even if you wanted to sign up, good second hand vans are hard to find. All tied up by these lease companies. Getting sick of this crap. Good luck.
Visionstream never got rid of anyone.That was Downers and Transfield.Faults will continue to soar when EPMU members are intimidating VS workers and not allowing them to do their work.It seems the ones making the most noise are the same that rode on their workmates coat tails since the Post Office.
good job telecom,, you created the mess now blame the redundant workers!!
Telecoms Visionstream has got rid of 100's of workers, Visionstreams contract doesn't work for many if any, Visionstream are now paying the price.
How many small businesses go bankrupt a year, how many families loose their houses because of it.
Owning your own business isn't for everyone, they should be given a choice !!!!
Visionstream are in a real mess, they are very disorganized, talk to anyone that has been in there to meet with them. The lies that are coming from the mouths Chorus and VS are incredible. The strikers are not causing the problem, Telecom and Chorus are. Face it Telecom, things are going to get worse for Telecom as we roar toward the 1 October and the faults will continue to soar and people will start to sue for loss of revenue etc. etc.
So many of the skilled work force have left the industry and their skills are needed by the trainees.
I totally support the workers and their stance against the Dependent Owner / Operator Model.
Come on Kiwis', let the media know how unhappy you are with what is happening, let Telecom know, start speaking out.
the service lasted 29hrs.it came back on today with three vans working on it.the first guy left the lids off the manholes so i emailed telecom and told them and told them to come back and do the job properly .we had to go to the paper to get any action first time.my phone bill came today and was the first phone bill i ever liked.3mths free phone thanks vodaphone.while i was outside the exchange northpower ran a five span fibre down the street and set up another street in the network.what will you do when a brand new 100mbs fibre comes down the power line into your house and its telstraclear etc.its not rocket science but telecoms days are numbered.
Bring on the crap weather!!! Now Telecom will really see how rubbish their network is!!!!
lets look at the model,,,, all inside plant contracted out to transworks and skycom who pay techs wages!! who else pays wages?,,,oh yeah trico,,ocl,,teltech etc.ETC... techs on Waiheke get paid WAGES!!!! oh and don't forget about all the immigrants on visas who get paid WAGES!!!!!
When its your time to met your maker, you will not be judged by the size of your bank account but how you have treated your follow human beings in all facets of your existence. In life the most important thing is PEOPLE. Telecom has forgotten this lesson its pursuit of profit. Telecom would be nothing without its workers and is belatedly discovering this out now.
Telecom has treated its line engineers shabbily for many years now. The dependent contractor model they have forced on their Auckland/Northland workforce is the final draw for many. Telecom rightly deserve all they get in this debacle.
Time to rethink Telecom before its too late. PUT PEOPLE FIRST!
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