When Excelior took over the AAPT call centre in Bendigo on 26 May 2007 it was hailed by the local community and the State Government as a saviour of 380 Bendigo jobs.
But a year on, Excelior management have reneged on an undertaking to negotiate a new agreement with staff, and former AAPT workers are about to lose pay and conditions from 26 May. You can send your message of support to the Excelior workers at the bottom of this page.
“Excelior is an unscrupulous employer which is using the discredited WorkChoices legislation to reduce the pay and working conditions of their hard working staff,” said CPSU National President Louise Persse.
The new conditions for staff include: lower pay; the abolition of paid maternity leave; reduced penalty rates; abolition of leave loading; and the loss and reduction of many other conditions.
Not surprisingly, staff are disgusted. One said: “With these changes we, the staff, feel we have been shafted.”
A pregnant worker said: “Recently, after 13 months of trying, I found out I was expecting a child – I was going to have my dream of being a mum fulfilled. But I am not overly filled with joy like a first time mother to be should be as I no longer have the safety of a period of paid maternity leave. If I had known Excelior had no intention of negotiating or keeping any of the existing entitlements I would have started looking for a job elsewhere.”
Another staff member said simply: “Hopefully, the collective anger of my colleagues can prevent the impending disaster.”
CPSU is seeking meetings with local federal and state MPs, to ask them to intervene on behalf of Excelior workers.
“CPSU calls on Excelior to respect the Australian public's decision to abolish WorkChoices and to sit down and negotiate a fair agreement for all Excelior workers,” said Ms Persse.
“There is still time for Excelior to win the trust of its staff and become a good employer.”
Comment: Louise Persse, 0408 346 917
Background: Paul Girdler, 0418 331 369
Have your say: You can send a message to Excelior workers, or comment on the situation, below.
Comments(27)
Posted by:Rachael - 25 Apr 2008, 1:19pm
How do we send a message to Excelsior about doing business (or more accurately refusing to do business) with a company that apparently is being in an unethical manner. If they feel comfortable treating staff like this, how will they treat me as a client?
Posted by:Sarah O'Rourke - 23 Apr 2008, 9:34am
Absolutely disgraceful behaviour by Excelior. Keep up the fight, our thoughts and support are with you. Workchoices has created a breeding ground for corporate bastardry that I once thought we had managed to evolve away from. Unfortunately there are still some companies in this country who think that money is worth exploiting people for. Shame Excelior, Shame Shame Shame.
Posted by:carol fitzgerald - 21 Apr 2008, 8:57pm
the previous government have a lot to answer for.let them try living on the unfair wages. no wonder unions came into being in the u k we should look to the past and make sure it doesnt happen again
Posted by:Anon - 19 Apr 2008, 12:44pm
I actually work for Excelior at the bendigo call centre. and for many reasons I am not putting my real name in this.
the conditions that are being implemented by my employers are getting ridiculous. All we got to do was have a focus group, where we got to chose the one thing that we don't want to lose. but for everything else the will be putting in to policy. which just means that whatever they put into policy will not be worth the paper its written on.
I know for a fact that everybody who works with me are feeling the same. i mean there are so many people who need the money for many things. and if we wanted to get another job, we would have to move to melbourne, which is 2 hours away. I for one have alot of family and ties here so I can not think about moving to melbourne with out uprooting everything and everyone in my family
How do we send a message to Excelsior about doing business (or more accurately refusing to do business) with a company that apparently is being in an unethical manner. If they feel comfortable treating staff like this, how will they treat me as a client?
Absolutely disgraceful behaviour by Excelior. Keep up the fight, our thoughts and support are with you. Workchoices has created a breeding ground for corporate bastardry that I once thought we had managed to evolve away from. Unfortunately there are still some companies in this country who think that money is worth exploiting people for. Shame Excelior, Shame Shame Shame.
the previous government have a lot to answer for.let them try living on the unfair wages. no wonder unions came into being in the u k we should look to the past and make sure it doesnt happen again
I actually work for Excelior at the bendigo call centre. and for many reasons I am not putting my real name in this.
the conditions that are being implemented by my employers are getting ridiculous. All we got to do was have a focus group, where we got to chose the one thing that we don't want to lose. but for everything else the will be putting in to policy. which just means that whatever they put into policy will not be worth the paper its written on.
I know for a fact that everybody who works with me are feeling the same. i mean there are so many people who need the money for many things. and if we wanted to get another job, we would have to move to melbourne, which is 2 hours away. I for one have alot of family and ties here so I can not think about moving to melbourne with out uprooting everything and everyone in my family
Keep on keeping on...good luck!