Outcry as Telstra takes directory design work offshore

The staff were responsible for producing the artwork used by sales staff for selling advertisements for Sensis, the directories division of Telstra. Six of the staff were based in Melbourne, three in Sydney, three in Queensland, one each in Perth and South Australia.

Steve Walsh, federal secretary of the AMWU's printing division, claims the decision by Telstra to shift the work to India is yet another example of the current trend of jobs being outsourced overseas.

“Sending this work to India is in the view of the union a retrograde step for a company that relies on Australian support for its businesses such as the Yellow Pages and the Trading Post,” says Walsh.

However Printing Industries, has taken a more philosophical approach to the development, with Philip Andersen, CEO, claiming that globalisation will continue to be a source of challenge for industry.

“Any job loses are a cause for concern, but the reality is that companies do need to change their business models to take advantage of globalisation or risk becoming its victim,” says Andersen.

“This leads to different ways of doing things and often, different and flexible staff arrangements where the skills being used today may need to be changed tomorrow if Australian businesses are to remain viable in the face of competition from countries like India, China and other parts of Asia.”

The AMWU confirms it writing to the telecommunications company to complain about the decision and its failure to support its Australian workforce, as part of its overall campaign across the country against the further loss of jobs in the manufacturing sector.

“Manufacturing jobs are being lost across the country at an alarming rate and unfortunately we have a Federal Government that is not prepared to stand up for Australian workers and Australian industries and provide the assistance required to ensure jobs remain here,” says Walsh.