News

Up to 200 Telecom network engineers were made redundant across New Zealand last week as the new network maintenance company seeks to pressure the workers into sub-standard working conditions.



Visionstream has made a contract with the NZ Telecom provider for network maintence services. Visionstream is seeking to cut costs by forcing workers on to “dependent contracts” whereby they would be required to pay for their own equipment, leave entitlements and training, but would still be subject to the company’s control as to the work they perform. The company is asking workers to subsidise its costs of doing business.



Only around 100 workers have accepted these contracts and the company needs at least 600 workers to perform its obligations to NZ Telecom.



In order to increase pressure on the engineers, Visionstream is making these workers redundant – two weeks earlier than originally planned, forcing them into unemployment.



EPMU, New Zealand's largest private sector union, representing 45,000 workers across eleven industries, is continuing its fight to defend the rights and interests of these workers.



You can support their struggle by sending workers a solidarity support message to Joe Gallagher at joe.gallagher@epmu.org.nz and by sending a protest message to NZ Telecom CEO by click here.