Lines engineers return to work

Striking lines engineers returned to the job today but are implementing an indefinite ban on broadband work.

The 900 Downer EDi Engineering and Transfield Services employees are contracted to provide line maintenance work.

They are protesting as Telecom's network division Chorus moves to an owner-operator model, following the signing of a 10-year contract with Visionstream in Auckland and Northland.

EPMU national secretary Andrew Little said the campaign was steadily growing and members were preparing to dig in for a long fight.

"We see Telecom and Visionstream's actions as a serious attack on the incomes of our members and on workers' rights in general and we will be pushing to stop this model of employment in its tracks.

"We are also in talks with other unions here and internationally to get support for our members because this kind of attack on the basic principles of employment sets a serious precedent for all working New Zealanders."

Chorus chief executive Mark Ratcliffe earlier said not all line engineers would end up becoming owner-operators as, of the three companies Telecom has contracts with, only Visionstream works with the owner-operator system.

"Visionstream are taking over in Northland and Auckland, that's about 40 per cent of the workforce."

He said the company's owner-operator policy was not the reason it won the Telecom contract.

- NZPA