The Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) told ZDNet Australia that it is in discussions with Vodafone over the potential elimination of jobs within the telco's engineering division. During talks the Union will attempt to ensure the impact of possible retrenchments is quelled, with redeployment and retraining opportunities provided.
"We're talking about possible measures Vodafone could take to lessen the impact on individuals," CEPU Mark Brownlow said.
The Union said Vodafone hadn't revealed how many engineers it had earmarked for termination.
The talks come on the back of Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) orders on November 14 that Vodafone consult with the Union over layoffs.
Brownlow also said that Vodafone had appealed against the Commission's orders that bound it to provide an interim award -- which guarantees employee entitlements.
Vodafone declined to disclose whether engineer postions were being targetted for retrenchment.
"We've had discussions with both Unions aobut all our postions," Vodafone communications manager Germaine Graham said. "We've certainly made no secret that as a business we need to change."
However, Graham maintains that there is no timeframe or definite decisions about future retrenchments.
Graham confirmed that Vodafone, along with several other employers, went to the IRC seeking a stay on the interim award, adding that it was because the Communications and Public Sector Union and CEPU had not resolved issues of coverage.
