PSNA

Philippine Solidarity Network of Aotearoa

Home

Kapatiran

Links

Contact Us

Archive


Issue Number 32, October 2009

Kapatiran Issue No. 32, October 2009


MIGRANTS’ GROUP DEPLORES TELECOM AND PARTNERS' NEW MODEL FOR MORE UNEMPLOYMENT
- Migrante Aotearoa


The Filipino migrants group Migrante Aotearoa New Zealand raised alarm that Telecom and its business partner Visionstream are experimenting with a new model on how companies can forego their responsibilities, increase unemployment and disregard workers' rights to job security. Workers are required to switch from working for the company as employees to being sub-contracted owner operators. To become a subcontractor to Visionstream, one has to have between $20,000 and $30,000 to be in business and the former workers will take on all the associated risk. Workers will have to choose if they want to become heavily indebted or be out of work.

Migrante Aotearoa national coordinator Dennis Maga says: "It's unfortunate that while Government and some employers are trying to ease impacts of the recession, Telecom chose a business model that doesn't offer a fair deal for Kiwis and migrants. We are very concerned that Visionstream's model might be copied by other companies and therefore displace more local and migrant workers. We urge the present Government, unions, workers and communities to speak out against Visionstream's scheme. Telecom's intention to see the model roll out throughout the country in their contracting out schemes, whether it is under Visionstream, Downers or Transfield must be opposed. Downers and Transfield will not be able to compete against Visionstream for the Telecom contracts anywhere unless they also introduce the model themselves," the group stressed.

Around 400 migrant workers stand to lose jobs as the Telecom's Chorus division in Auckland and Northland due to its decision to sign a new contract with Visionstream. Half of the affected workers are Filipinos and the rest are British, South Africans and Fiji Indians. Many are on work permits and cannot become self employed subcontractors. Ariel Guanlao, a residential fault man who worked for Telecom for three years, was a former employee of Philippine Long Distance Company (PLDT) for 16 years. Guanlao is a Migrante leader in Auckland and member of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU).

"I opted to work in this country thinking I had better prospect of job security as I had skills in the shortage list. When Telecom announced that 900 jobs will be lost, I don't think the company is losing profits. This isn't a usual case of redundancy. Telecom's new contract with Visionstream is clearly anti-migrant and one of the worst forms of union busting and business profiteering at the expense of workers' rights and welfare”, Guanlao stated.

"Three years ago I was recruited here with the promise that NZ is 'the right choice.' I became a permanent resident under the Work-to-Residence policy. I worry about the fate of work permit holders. Like them, I have no job to return to in the Philippines. Telecom shattered our dreams," Guanlao lamented. "Under Visionstream's model, Filipinos and other migrants face the slimmest chance to retain their jobs. It is deplorable that business giants take advantage of the current economic climate to justify massive job layoffs and introduce new employment models," Mr Maga added. "Workers like Guanlao did not come here to steal jobs from Kiwis but to fill the gap in the country's skills shortage. Telecom recruited hundreds of skilled migrants but now it's clear that Telecom and partner Visionstream are driven by greed for profits and lack the vision to protect workers' rights to job security," Mr Maga concluded.
#


Go to top