Trench company says cable net jobs at risk

By PETER GRIFFIN

A subcontractor helping to build TelstraSaturn's $200 million cable network in Christchurch says mismanagement by the main contractor is threatening jobs because the company has not been given work it was promised.

Two years ago Ericsson ran into similar problems with its subcontractors when it was laying fibre-optic cable in Auckland for Telecom.

Pot Holes for People took the unusual step yesterday of calling a press conference yesterday to air its claims about Downer Connect, the main contractor for the TelstraSaturn network.

Pot Holes began a $6 million contract with Downer Connect last April to dig 100km of trenches but it says only a third to a half of promised work eventuated and 46 people might have to be sacked.

Pot Holes claims it was given promises, excuses and verbal undertakings by Downer but continually had to slow and at times even stop work because of a lack of performance by Downer.

Several contractors, including trenchers, drillers and thrusters, are involved in building TelstraSaturn's Christchurch network, one of the biggest one-stage capital projects in the city's history.

Downer Connect would not comment on its relationship with Pot Holes for People.

Quentin Bright, a spokesman for TelstraSaturn, said the contractors' dispute would not affect work on the network, which was on schedule.

TelstraSaturn also plans to offer a satellite signal.