Vodafone's axe wielding actions are in limbo this week following revelations that 350 intended sackings will precede a recruitment drive in another company division.
The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) says Vodafone did not offer any redeployment opportunities to the 176 staff it ordered out last week, despite the fact that it has 60 new positions in its mobile phone number portability division.
"They basically hired bouncers to frog-march people out of the building. People inside were absolutely freaking out - they were terrified," according to union organiser Gail Drummond.
The CPSU has intervened to prevent the remaining 124 staff cuts - scheduled to be carried out this week - by taking the matter to the Industrial Relations Commission.
"As a result of our work in the Commission last Friday, a temporary order is in place to prevent Vodafone from carrying out the balance of those 350 job cuts until such time as this matter is resolved," CPSU organiser Sean Rahui told ZDNet.
Vodafone chose not to consult CPSU and staff weren't offered redeployment opportunities, as required under the Employment Relations Act.
A Vodafone spokesperson, however, says workers are under individual, not union, contracts and the CPSU "doesn't have any jurisdiction over our employees".
CPSU has scheduled a meeting with Vodafone this afternoon to try to "work through the issues".
"We hope to get full and proper disclosure from Vodafone as to what positions are [becoming] available," Rahui said.
"To get these [sacked] people back in is a priority."
The CPSU wants also to see voluntary redundancy offered as an option. "Some people are better able to cope with redundancy," Rahui said, "some people see this as an opportunity to move on".
If a solution isn't met today, Vodafone will be back in front of the Commission on Thursday.
As far as rehiring the employees that have already been shown the door goes: "I don't think they're under any obligation other than a moral one to do that," Drummond said.
CPSU has filed a complaint to the Office of the Employment Advocate about Vodafone's use of individual contracts.
