J_
.~ J~ AUSTRALIA
PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 27 AUGUST l978
EL1ECTURATE TALK
The rank and file members of the Australian Telecommunications
Employees Association are on tihe eve of a momentus decision.
It's a decision that will touch their own lives, and the lives
of their families. It is a decision that will affect every
Australian. It must be weighed with care, calm and reason.
The members of this union have a serious responsibility to
Australia. They work in an utterly vital service industry
which is at the heart of this nation's life.
Australia needs their skills. There is no denying that.
But the men must remember that they need their employer,
Telecom, for their jobs and their security.
It is clear they are unlikely to find other jobs as well
paid and as secure for which they are specially trained
and qualified.
This point about job security is important. I suspect the general
public is not aware that Telecom has given a cast-iron
guarantee to the union membership against any retrenchment
as a result of technological change. What other industry, what
other employer has achieved that for its own employees.
The issues in this dispute have been widely canvassed. The
central issue about loss of jobs through technological advance
is important. it is of concern to this union, every other
union and to the Government.
Commissioner Clarkson recognized this point in his six-point
peace proposal that the union rejected. His proposal involved
independent assessment, trial period and full and proper
consultation with the union. I would have thought that was
a fair deal something reasonable and worth discussing.
This weekend, Mr. Street called the National Labour Consultative
Council to inform them of the Government's concern and advise
them of the state of the telecommunications network in Australia.
The Government wanted to leave no doubt that if the men were to
decide to continue thie ban then the Government would be
compelled to use whatever powers it has under the law.
Following this briefing by Mr. Street, the National Labour
Consultative Council unanimously decided that the parties
the ATEA and Telecom together with the other peak councils,
should enter into discussions in an attempt to resolve the
dispute using Commissioner Clarkson' s six-point formula as a basis.
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The fact that these discussions are continuing is a
hopeful sign. All Australians hope it will lead to the
men eventually being able to return to work.
What seems to have been forgotten in this particular dispute
is that we would not have a telecommunications industry at
all without the advance of technology.
The men would not have had their skilled and secure jobs
without technology a technology that will lead to improved
services and lower costs to the consumer.
The argument that this union has with its employer has been
heard before Australia's arbitration system. Regrettably,
the union's executive has turned its back on the umpires
decision. Commissioner Clarkson has proposed three separate settlements
to this dispute. Telecom accepted each of these proposals
in principle. But the Union Executive has blocked every
attempt to negotiate a settlement. The Federal Executive
has thumbed its nose at Australia's long-standing system of
arbitration it has thumbed its nose at the Australian people.
I have made the Government's position plain. We fully support
the decisions taken by Telecom, which has been reasonable in
a most difficult situation. Telecom has fully supported
commissioner Clarkson's proposals for settlement. We fully
support Telecom's policy of no work, no pay.
Some 3,500 employees are already off pay because they have
refused to do the work they are paid for. The number will
inevitably increase significantly. Wages are now being lost
at the rate of $ 1.6 million a fortnight. So the hardship
on ATEA members alone is considerable and is bound to increase.
That pay is lost for all time. It will not be made good as
part of the settlement.
The Government also endorses the decision of Telecom to
commence deregistration proceedings against the union.
In a statement to Parliament on Thursday night, I said the
Commonwealth had a range of legal powers available to it if members
of the union do not accept their responsibility to the
community. That position remains.
It is now time for the rank and file membership to take stock.
It is time for the men to look ahead, seriously, at the
consequences of a continuation of this ban. It is time for
the men to think of the families in isolated areas cut of f from
the cities, from suppliers, from essential services.
What would happen if a Cyclone Tracey struck a northern outpost,
or a flood or fire swept through a tiny country town or
settlement? How wouid the innocent residents call for help?
How couldthey mobilise forces to save life and stock? / 13
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It's time for the men to think of Australians cut off from
police services, from hospitals, from doctors cut off
from help. It's time to face these consequences because
this is what faces Australia.
I have made the point before about the fair-mindedness and
commonsense of Australia's working men and women. Now is the
time for the rank and file members of this union to
demonstrate those qualities.
I am sure the wives and families of the men understand that
the longer the dispute goes on the miaore wages will be lost,
and the more their personal and family position will be
prejudiced. The Government has no option but to stand firm
in this matter. We are completely resolute.
Whatever the harm, whatever the difficulty the continued
deterioration of communication services causes in Australia
the ultimate harm in caving in to minority blackmail would
be much greater.
I look to the men voting on their Executive's decision to
think of their families, to think of their friends and
to think of all Australians. I call on them to allow the
process of arbitration to work. 000---