The Guardian 14 June, 2006
Foxtel channels contracts
Pay TV installers will be at the mercy of John Howard’s anti-union Independent Contractors Act following Foxtel’s decision to extend contracts with installation companies by six months. Foxtel’s contracts with cable installers Silcar (Siemens-Theiss) and ABB will continue until December, even though they were due to expire this month.
The move will see future contracts, believed to be with different companies, fall under the Federal Government’s impending Independent Contractors Act.
Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) organiser Shane Murphy said it was a cynical ploy by Foxtel, which is jointly owned by Telstra, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp and Jamie Packer’s PBL, to keep down the conditions of sub-contractors.
"Foxtel had a fright when subbies fought together during the last attempt to slash wages three years ago", Murphy said.
In 2003, sub-contractors — many retrenched employees of installation companies — were able to fight off an attempt by Siemens-Theiss and ABB to cut job rates by 20 per cent after turning to the CEPU.
But Mr Murphy said the increased price of petrol and other expenses meant the pressure was on to have pay-rates kept up.
"Subbies are doing it tough and John Howard’s laws will eliminate any rights they have left to seek a fair deal."
The Independent Contractors Bill — due to be unmasked this month — is expected to deny contractors the right to be represented by unions; to declare dependent contractors independent; and to move them out of the jurisdiction of industrial instruments or industrial commissions.