Telecom, union trade service delay jibes as Visionstream contractors set to start early
Telecom’s new network contractor, Visionstream, is set to take over all Auckland North and West field operations from Chorus during September – up to three weeks ahead of its October 1 deadline.
See also: Tuanz: Chorus is taking one for the team
Visionstream will start managing Chorus’ North Shore operations on September 7 and Waitakere on September 14. Visionstream has already taken over field work in Counties Manukau.
The move also means that field technicians working for Telecom’s two previous Auckland contractors Downer Edi and Transfield (both displaced from the city by Visionstream’s arrival) will now receive pick slips earlier. Those who have not signed with Transfield have received notice their last working days will be on September 6 or September 13.
On Friday, Telecom announced that 70% of required staff had signed Visionstream’s controversial owner/operator contracts (see Visionstream sugars deal for hold-outs).
“With Visionstream recruitment progressing well, we decided to bring the transition of those areas forward by three weeks so that customers benefit from the service company changes we’ve made as quickly as possible,” said Chorus CEO, Mark Ratcliffe in a statement.
"We’re celebrating this. This is great," said Chorus external communications manager Robin Kelly said of Visionstream's progress. Mr Kelly also told NBR that the EPMU's claim to represent 1000 engineers was a gross exaggeration: "Many of our field technicians are at work and we appreciate the extra effort they are making to pick up a little extra work."
Mr Kelly said his advice for displaced staff worried about their jobs remained the same: "Talk to Visionstream."
Union: Telecom scurrying to plug "three-week" backlog
The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU), which represents around one-third of the affected 900 lines engineers in Auckland, and another third as a negotiating agent, paints a different picture.
Union spokesman Rob Egan told NBR that Telecom and Visionstream were rushing staff into the field because of a three week backlog in fault repairs and new connections in Auckland’s north and west – the two areas hit hardest by industrial action and a “broadband ban”
The EPMU says Visionstream won the Auckland contract formerly held by Downer and Transfield by promising to do the same work for 70% of the money – and that now the new contractor is scrambling to cut costs. (Visionstream won't say how many of the 900 displaced Downer and Transfield staff it will take on. All three companies – all Australian – have received a slice of Telecom's new 10-year, nationwide Chorus contracts, collectively worth $3 billion, but with a redrawing of the telco's service map.)
Telecom: one to four-day backlog
Telecom Chorus' Mr Kelly labelled the EPMU’s three-week claim as unfounded propaganda.
Mr Kelly said that while union-affiliated linesman’s “broadband ban” had had an impact, the actual delay on servicing faults was one to four days on top of the usual 24-hour turnaround.
Chorus did not have an immediate figure for delays provisioning new broadband connections.
Orcon - like other ISPs a customer of Telecom's Chorus division - has posted a service warning telling its customers to expect delays as a result of the lines engineers' industrial action.
CallPlus/Slingshot GM Mark Callander told NBR that his company is also experiencing delays, but that they were minor.
"We're more toward Telecom's version of events. It's pretty much business as usual."
Transfield staff threatened with suspension
Mr Egan said lines engineers, who staged their last national strike on the day the first wave of Visionstream staff signed on, was not planning any immediate strike action. However, EPMU-affiliated field staff will continue with their ban on servicing or installing broadband connections.
Transfield staff on the North Shore have now returned to work, said Mr Egan, but are being threatened with suspension because of the broadband ban, and a series of go-slows. Northland engineers, buoyed by the support of National MP John Carter, who called the Visionstream contract a crock are the only lines staff currently on strike.
A spokeswoman for Mr Carter's office told NBR that the minister-outside-cabinet would be making no further comment on Visionstream's offer.
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Comments and questions178
Dont worry about Anonymous guys he'she is so gutless and weak that that they cant even put their name up on a simple post. Its quite obvious their IQ is quite a fair way below 100 as their reasoning is completely flawed and their only way of getting to you guys is to try and attack your integrity and beliefs. In the fashion of their type their bulls*&@t and bluster is completely lacking in facts so I suggest until they can come back with a decent argument to leave the comments for big boys!!!
luv it dole bludger, may be you miss the point.skilled workers are now going to winz for assistance [financial and job search, thats what winz do].we telco techs want to work in the industry, we are very good at our job.where do u think winz are going to find jobs
for telco workers? yep telecom where they want you to buy your job
and be a business man and take on all the risks of running a business in the telco industry [other large companies have failed] .
mate don't get me wrong i have bills to pay like you, and i will eventually work out side my skill set [skilled tech gone] and do what i have to do.i have noted tho, from your short comment that you would consider picketing me, and thats a plus in my books as most new zealanders will not get off their FAT ARSES to picket and stand up for what they beleive in.most NZ's bleat to their friends and comment on blogs under anonymous names, before they do something like say NO, and make a stand against big corperations like telecom/visionstream.dork
Hi Everyone, plz check out my post on the " Telecom admits industrial action.." thread here on NBR.
Lindsay, are you still out there? Call Me.
Thanks,
TOM
luv it dole bludger there are other jobs outr there but u gonna sit on your fat arse maybe we should picket you
What winners you are
This should be the title of this article.
VS did not takeover Counties, the patch they are covering is only half of the Counties area.
VS was supposed to take over South Auckland and the CBD next. The non-existant status of the cable jointers willing to sign up for their insult of a business proposal may have somehting to do with the decision not to enter the CBD and FAIL MISERABLY!
OR,
The TREMENDOUS pile up of work on the Shore and out West due to the striking workers precipitated the move, spurred on by an increasingly angered Chorus!
Either of these reasons would be legitimate and both reasons prove again that Ratcliffe, Kelly and every VS spokesman are nothing but LIARS!!!
guys are getting $1000 bonus to travel to northland to do faults in unmarked vans, managers as well!
what amazes me is the fact that no one in the media as done an expose on the effects and feelings of the customers is or are the all in telecoms back pocket are they all sycophants to the larger corporates me thinks so
No real serious media coverage because the networks and papers etc are paid mega bucks in advertising space and airtime that's why you are not hearing much.
Praise For Government Broadband Plan, But Telecom Role Unclear
Wednesday, 16 September 2009 - 5:54pm
Wellington, Sept 16 NZPA - The Government blueprint for managing its $1.5 billion investment in ultra-fast broadband released today won much praise but left many people wondering what Telecom's role will be.
Potential partners and industry lobby groups released statements in support of the Government plan, while Telecom expressed disappointment and warned of the potential for network duplication.
The Government rejected suggested structures from Telecom and Vodafone in deciding that a new Crown-owned investment company called Crown Fibre Holdings will select partners and manage the Government's investment in 33 regions.
Crown Fibre Holdings and partners will establish local fibre companies to deploy fibre networks. Partners could include iwi, council-owned companies, and electricity and gas companies.
The Government said it will not invest in fibre companies that are controlled by shareholders who also operate retail telecommunications businesses.
The Government statement posed the question would Telecom have to structurally separate its network to participate and answered "any such decisions are up to Telecom".
Telecom said the model announced today appeared to preclude its involvement, just 18 months after operational separation of its business formally came into effect. This raised the issue of the relevance of the operational separation undertakings.
"The Government has reiterated its wish to avoid duplication of existing, privately funded world-class network infrastructure across New Zealand," chief executive Paul Reynolds said.
The model set out today raised the distinct possibility of just such an outcome, he said.
Telecom's share price fell as much as 9c to $2.59 on the announcement but ended unchanged at $2.68. Vector chief executive Simon Mackenzie welcomed the structure and said his company, which already provided a fibre network in Auckland to businesses, was interested in being a partner in Auckland. "Because of our assets like gas and electricity we have the ability to utilise those assets to provide fibre," he said.
WEL Networks, Velocity Networks and the Hamilton Fibre Network said today that they had formed a partnership to roll out ultrafast broadband to rural areas through the Waikato region.
The Telecommunications Users Association said the plan would usher in the most fundamental change to telecommunications since the privatisation of Telecom 20 years ago.
The Government wants to roll out fast broadband services to 75 percent of New Zealanders within 10 years.
The Telecommunications Industry Group said this would cost $6 billion, meaning industry partners would provide $4.5 billion.
The New Zealand Council for Infrastructure Development said the structure should ensure rational co-investment by the Crown and private sector providers.
Telecom celebrating? More like panicking!
What a spin they put on things.
I know one guy who has signed up and has been told he cant start on oct1 now and has to wait until nov11th. One month no income. Showing their true colours.
VS haven't got the staff required and are counting those that are waged for Tryco.
STAND STRONG don't fall for this pressure of lies.
Who do you believe? The 950+ Transfield & Downer Technicians/Engineers that are trying to get the word out to the public about what is being done to them & the dire future of the NZ Telecommunications network or do you believe the Chorus/Telecom hype?
I know who I believe. And it's not Visionstream or Robin Kelly!
Its time to make money ,the union was fighting a loosing battle and yes us new subbies are now excited ,its time to get rid of the dead wood ,sorry guys but move out the way Visionstream is here
Lets go to the videotape!!
Great PR spin boys!! The truth is that this is just another ploy to try and get techs to sign up quicker before the original take-over date in order to evaluate whethter or not VS will get the numbers it needs to service its contract with Telecom. If the techs do not come to them now, in droves, VS and Chorus will pull the plug on the 10 yr contract!
Don't believe the hype!!!
Don't sign.... EVER!!
I totally agree with you there. That makes sense. Don't sign guys!
Should read "We`re not celebrating". Patch hand over dates have been swapped around. Looks like Patch 8 is last. All very interesting. Next it will read "Sorry guys we were just kidding".
I just got a new job out-of the- industry. I have 20+ yrs experience and I am a certified Fibre-optic tech. They are gonna miss me and they will miss you also. I am urging ALL techs, no matter what experience level you have, to try as hard as you can to find employment elsewhere and free yourself from the scum that run Telecom for good.... or until they beg us to come back and promise fair wages and benefits!
"Til then let the network degrade as it has been for 90 yrs!
Plz give us your an update in 6 months when you are broke! You poor fool! You've been duped!
"us new subbies are now excited "
err... visionstream your desperation is made obvious by the fact you now have to post your own lies on behalf of non existant techs to fool & try & co-erce us.
the 10 salaried techs you do have are way too busy trying to earn a buck for their boss just for the day to make it look like it works...lol
you are wasting money on your spin doctors constantly coming up with these scheming lies . give it up.
TRY ALL YOU LIKE
WE ARE STILL NOT SIGNING.
I spoke with the heads of both political parties about this business model and still, it is not being addressed in a manner worthy of the importance of the future of the infastructure of telecommunications in NZ.
Wake up workers!!! The govt (all parties) want this business model to go through to lower labor costs!!! Not just for this industry but for all industries. Ask yourself, in the current economic downturn, how can companies move forward without borrowing more money for vital upgrades?? Easy, charge consumers more and pay less for employees and their benefits or in the owner/operator model, pass the costs of running your business onto the workers!! Brilliant!
Technicians/Engineers don't just try to get the message out to the public, shout it out as loud as you can, email copies of the contract to local businesses and ask them to read it and see whether these business owners/CEO's would sign the thing, get them talking with the co workers and mates, this is the best way I can think of.
The Chorus/Telecom/Downer/Transfield guys that are saying they are celebrating are liars and simply not to be trusted.
Are heading to Northland?! That should be fun!!!!!
mate., I agree with you. these darn politicians just posture around making it appear as if they care but their lack of action shows they dont care at all about us.
REMEMBER THIS WHEN ITS ELECTION TIME AGAIN AND THEY WANT US TO VOTE FOR THEIR JOBS.
DONT.VOTE FOR LABOUR & NATIONAL AT ALL AGAIN
instead give the smaller parties who have to still make a name for themselves a vote to make a noise when time comes.these smaller parties will have more to gain by actioning our issues.
ITS up to us now...DONT SIGN
The original title of this column was something like " Telecom: we're celebrating!" After 3 or 4 responses NBR realized they were duped by Chorus/VS and changed the title. I applaude them for catching this overt one-sidedness which makes me realize they are concerned with the integrity of this site, not just placating the powers-that-be.
Why did it take you so long to sign up if it is such a great deal?
VS is not here to stay because Telecom and VS both have "out clauses" that allow either party to withdraw from the contract without penalty if the terms of the agreement cannot be successfully reached.
I know of 5 managers and a handful of office support staff that have gone to VS. I still do not know ONE tech that has signed up. I used to work for Transfield in Auckland.
I urge everyone to reveal who and where they work when stating Facts here on NBR. This will truly show the numbers that VS/Chorus refuse to disclose!
Chorus is a divided organisation. Many of the lower level (and brightest) executives were mortified on learning of the proposal to introduce the so called "owner / operator" model. They know just how fragile the Telecom network is. A significant event, for instance a "weather bomb" could push it over the edge. More over their closer relationship to the workforce meant they had a greater appreciation of the betrayal felt by many on Telecom's treatment of the people representing them at the front end. They also had observed the Australian experience with the model and were sceptical of any real benefits to the network other then the reduction in labour unit costs.
I understand many executives pleaded with higher management not to proceed. They knew the implications would be disastrous. However the decision to go on was made from the top, certainly as high as Chorus CEO, Mark Ratcliffe, perhaps higher again with Mr Reynolds interceding.
Back at Chorus HQ panic must be about to settle in. Visionstream have proved to be hopelessly out of their depth.Worst still they lack any credibilitywith the workforce. The old patch contractors are preparing to vacate with nothing substantial in place to take over. Things are rapidly unravelling while they ponder how to recover from this nightmare.
The solutions will be a bitter pill to swallow but need be to be done. Send Visionstream home. The owner - operator model they propose is unfair simply does not work here. TALK to the EPMU.
Work for Transfield. I dont know of any Tech that has taken up VS offer.
I have been in this since the PO days and know a lot of techs.
If the numbers are so good that have signed why are they not disclosing the amount that have signed the contract, purchased a van etc.?
Lets hear the truth VS Telecom, give us some true figures!
truth is not a commodity visionstream are comfortable with.
However lies, deception, misrepresentation, propoganda...aaah now you're talking their language. Note after every claim of success they make in the media you get a group of techs being intimidated/threatened by their management to move to vs in support of said claim.
they're just a bunch of wankers & sheepshaggers thats all..
hit them where it hurts, in nelson we are into our second week of banning all work to do with the fttn cabinetisation rollout as well as o/t,callouts and working away from home.the fttn ban hurts the most and they (transfield) are now scouring the country to find scabs willing to come here and do this work as the rollout is falling behind.we need this pressure applied across the country to have a hope of sorting this row out.
What a lot of sense coming out from the techs and a load of !@#$%$%^ balls from VS.
By the way, for all of you who are redundant this week - Happy Father's Day..........................................................not!!!!!
Is Heron of the watermelon persuasion?Maybe.
watermelon persuasion? what is that...your oz gay club
are you sure you are on the correct site?
So why then are there techs that are redundant now being begged to come back on the job, I would say that it is the dead wood that have been suckered into signing, watch your backs newbies with VS you are on slippery glass me thinks.
All's going to plan according to chorus and visionscum, must be why I received 2 calls from ex Downer managers today, the first pleading for me to come work for visionscum, and the 2nd asking whether I could delay being made redundant from the 6th Sep (father's day) to 14th Sep!
All I can say is bollocks to the lot of them. The network in Northland is just holding together at the moment. Mind you, they have had a couple of scabs working in the area during the strike, but it can't hold out for much longer.
Ah well, summer's coming, I might work on a taxpayer funded suntan while Telecom, Chorus and Visionscum execs are running around like headless chooks pinning the blame on each other for the loss of the skilled workforce in the telecommunications industry. Maybe then our elected politicians may finally pull their fingers out of each others backsides and do something more than plan their next free holiday when they realise that they can no longer deliver on the promise of faster broadband to all.
I heard that some workers from small contractors like oregon and tryco are servicing Counties and areas where there is a blow-out.
I wonder if they have min level 3 to work on Telecoms network or does Telecom not worry about that now?
So why then are there techs that are redundant now being begged to come back on the job (short term)? I would say that it is the dead wood that have been suckered into signing, watch your backs newbies with VS you are on slippery glass me thinks.
should be interesting watching these so called VS techs chase the faults, I doubt they know there arse from there elbow. Most of them wont have the skills or general knowledge.
As for FTTN work, this must be hurting the rollout.
good luck Northland and Auckland, stand together, us boys in other patches are right behind you.
Make sure that redundancy is in the bank.
being someone that knows for certain - the bb ban hurts bigtime!!! keep it up guys theres panic everywhere!! hint: i've heard that cable jobs are also causing the tempertures to rise!?!?
with delays in the roll out of FTTN costing telecom something like half a million a day i can see why they want the push up. but they are only taking over the north shore and out west.
There is still the biggest patch in auckland and thats central and south,
heard there is only one guy doing vs work over on waiheke.
with the push up of the dead line it would be putting more pressure on vs to preform. only time will tell if they can do it with the other smaller companies. which im starting to hear have been given patchs doing all the work. but that still doesnt really make there owner op model work at all.
"Two faced cowards most of these union guys, the union will not win guys, VS does have the numbers, alot of techs from transfield and downer have signed!"
I suspect if they have signed it's because VS has threatened the revoke their work visas if they don't,,
just wait there wont be half as many "vs tech" in 6mnths cause they will all be on the dole having to pay there loans back and being taken to court over unpaid supplies/.
i dont think the council will like the amount of rubbish that the techs will put in there home bins. as they cant afford to pay for a jumbo bin to get rid of there rubbish legally.
Hey guys, dont miss out, you need to sign now before its too late.
All of you guys thinking that everyone in the union is staying strong, thats bollocks, these arseholes have gone and already signed.
Two faced cowards most of these union guys, the union will not win guys, VS does have the numbers, alot of techs from transfield and downer have signed!
As i said in the beginning the EPMU are in it for themselves only. They dont care about you workers and families.Stand on your own feet and get on with it without the moaning !!!!!
Techs may have signed but thats about it. Sounds like, "sit and wait." I think Telecom are crapping themselves. Watch what happens when Auckland central handover date comes around. Some sleepless nights for Chorus Managers. Experience what the techs were going through. We`ve passed that period, now we wait. I might go fishing for a week or 2 after my last day.
vs tech, namely visionstream, we know nobody has signed, we are all mates and talk to each other. if you really had the numbers like you claim then what are you doing on this site with your propaganda trying to fool everyone.?
Why are you calling techs that have been given their final notice to plead ? visionstream are the 2 faced cowards, wankers & sheepshaggers here. now run along & go play with yourself..
AM, we are the union you idiot! , nincumpoop you must be 1 of the new managers that joined vscum.
stop the moaning you say, mate you dont have the intelligence to even DO our work thats why you ran to vs so quickly to secure your comfort zone on a salary.
your only means to survive is to ar se creep any source of income because you lack the interlect to perform as an educated tech.
without us techs to manage you will be without a job again soon..you must be a worried man.. wanker lol
the salaried vs techs working for trico and who ever are the techs taken from the bottom of the bucket. those are the techs who could not think for themselves and lacked the courage to stand up for themselves.
the techs in northland are seasoned experienced individuals who have the courage to stand up against a wanna be contracting company like visionstream.
visionstream cannot do the job on truth cause they are selling a dead duck, so they revert to lies.
we will not take it sitting down. its collective agreement or nothing.
we shall not be intimidated by cowardly threats nor job loss. there are other options better than vs out there if we have to go for that.
that will still be better than working for shallow scum like visionstream...wankers
from the telco techs union:
Telecom clearly doesn’t have the people it needs to maintain the network and this last-minute raising of the stakes is a desperate attempt to compel our members into signing a viciously one-sided contracting arrangement they have overwhelmingly rejected.
“There’s no need for Telecom to continue putting the network at risk like this. We maintain there is an alternative model that can meet both our members’ needs and Telecom’s, but first Telecom needs to show it is willing to sit down and talk to us.
“Telecom talks about the need to have a world-class telecommunications network but that can’t be done without a secure and engaged workforce. We’re calling on them to stop trying to compel our members into a model they’ve rejected and start negotiating with the union in good faith.”
stop the lies vs and lets get the job done the correct way.
'dont lose out . talk now ! visionstream...come and speak to us. we will not give you a dodgy contract to sign for our labour, just a fair one..."
I am sure your families are missing you in oz, dont make them wait forever chris, ...'dont lose out . talk now ! visionstream...come and speak to us.
think about it vs while I go & do some fishing.
Given the language that you have used in your response to me i am surprised that you are a tech !!!
This is supposed to be for comments and opinions not personal attacks and profanities.
For the record i am tertiary qualified with over 20 years experience. I have no affiliation to T Com or VS.
"For the record i am tertiary qualified with over 20 years experience. I have no affiliation to T Com or VS."
then F off and go and comment on threads you are qualified in.
You have no info on our dispute and your comments in ignorance gets the contempt treatment it deserves. if you were in front of me I would slap u too..now bugger off..wanker
Your a knob with a tertiary qualification AM. Why so modest.
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