The nationwide strike, which started at 12.01am on Friday, follows strategic stoppages by workers in network construction roles last week. 

CEPU assistant secretary, Burt Blackburne, said the union members would impose bans on overtime and recall work over the weekend. 

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He said Telstra planned to challenge the validity of the notices the union had issued informing it of the industrial action. 

As part of the negotiations for a new enterprise agreement, pay is the key sticking point. The union is seeking a 15 per cent pay rise over three years but the telco will only offer 9 per cent over three plus a 2.5 per cent sign-on bonus.

Blackburne says Telstra's current offer will leave some workers worse off by $10,000 or more compared to those who accepted non-union agreements the company previously offered. 

“And this is a big sticking point: as late as March this year, Telstra offered a 12.5% pay increase over 3 years, with back pay, if workers agreed to non-union agreements," Workplace Express reports.