Community Assembly
@ Phonetec
8.45am Weds
January 3, 2007
370 Whitehorse Rd
Nunawading. (near corner of Springvale Rd)

A community assembly today [Tue Jan 2 2007] was once again set up outside Phonetec in Nunawading to fight for Maggi Li’s job. Maggi, who has worked for Phonetec for 6-years was sacked just before Christmas. Gary Chan only hours after agreeing to reinstate Maggi on December 22 told CEPU officials that the deal was off. The union tried unsuccessfully on several occasions to negotiate with Chan to reemploy Maggi.

Phonetec’s work practices leave a lot to be desired. Only a quarter of the workforce is in the union. Most workers are paid $12 an hour, in fact the basic wage. Many workers come to work early and work unpaid to keep up with quotas. Phonetec employs many workers on dodgy traineeships (some only get paid $10 an hour) that grossly underpay workers.

Up to 30 members of the community and members from a range of unions assembled from 8.45am only to meet by an agitated Chan who a hurled union flag, spear like, onto the footpath. Many of Phonetec’s customers decided to go elsewhere and some delivery drivers also supported the assembly.

There are a number of Optus dealerships that are in fact connected to Phonetec operating under the name of Masterlink. They are:

• OptusWorld, 253 Elizabeth St, City.
  
• ‘yes’ Optus, 195 Russell St, City
• OptusWorld, 580 Station St, Box Hill.
• OptusWorld, Shop 3, 275 Springvale Rd, Springvale.
• OptusWorld, 183 Barkly St, Footscray.

To continue the pressure on Phonetec a community assembly is scheduled for tomorrow [Wednesday Jan 3]. Please show your support by attending the assembly and not doing any business with Phonetec. Stay in contact with website for future actions.

Labels: Community Assemblies, Phonetec