Telstra staff in limbo on jobs

SENIOR Telstra executives have refused to guarantee no Townsville workers will lose their jobs during the company’s workforce restructure.

Company representatives were in Townsville yesterday to meet with Herbert federal Labor MP Cathy O’Toole to discuss the effect of Telstra’s proposed job cuts on local workers.

Last month the telco giant announced plans to cut 8000 jobs across the country by 2020. Up to 400 positions in Townsville could be lost, according to analysis by the Community and Public Sector Union.

But following the meeting Ms O’Toole told the Bulletin she had been unable to secure a guarantee or any further details of the company’s plan.

“I do understand that the initial job ( losses) will be in the management and executive level in the next 12 months,” she said.

“I think planning is pretty scant on the ground … but the community cannot afford to lose any more jobs so we need to fight as hard as we can.”

Ms O’Toole said she believed it was the “right thing to do” for the Telstra representatives to visit Townsville, despite the lack of new information.

“I think there is a genuine attempt on Telstra’s behalf to be seen to be very transparent in this process,” she said.

But Ms O’Toole said previous Telstra job cuts in Townsville were “not a good look” for the current announcement.

“The last time there were Telstra cuts we lost 178 jobs out of the 400 that went nationally,” she said.

A Telstra spokesman told the Bulletin the reduction in jobs was due to changing demand caused by “technology, innovation and competition”.

The spokesman said the company would minimise the impact on “front of house” staff, which could include retail and call- centre positions, during the first phase of changes.

CPSU Queensland assistant regional secretary Amy Smith said she was sceptical of Telstra’s motives for the Townsville meeting.

“Telstra has the money to fly a big wig to Townsville from down south, but once again he’s told us absolutely nothing about what the future holds for 400 local Telstra workers and their families,” she said.

Ms Smith said it was an “enormously stressful time” for Telstra workers in Townsville and around the country.