The Australian Government are now shedding crocodile tears over Telstra job cuts which are a direct result of their own policies. The Communications Minister Helen Coonan and Western Australia Senator Judith Adams both expressed disappointment over call centre closures in Queensland which will led to the loss of around 180 jobs.
They said the job losses were regrettable but defended the Government's overall record of job creation, including the creation of employment opportunities within the telecommunications industry.
In fact, both these job cuts and the deteriorating working conditions in the industry generally can be laid at the Government's doorstep. As for claims that the Government had increased telecommunications employment during its decade in office, the figures tell a different story.
The Government says that there are now approximately 77,000 people employed in the telecommunications industry. But in June 1996, Telstra alone employed 76,522 with Optus employing another 4,000. Total industry employment was probably some 85-90,000. Yet the most recent survey identified 67,750 telecommunications workers. So where's the growth? said CEPU's Colin Cooper.
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