Crown Post Office workers have until Wednesday 11th June to vote on a “first-class” pay settlement. If accepted, the deal will see the pay of staff employed in Crown Post Offices increase by up to 7.5 per cent with lump sum payments totalling £3,300 for full-time employees and pro-rata payouts for part-timers, paid in instalments over the course of the next year.

Reached after months of industrial action and negotiations between CWU and Post Office Ltd, the union is recommending members vote yes to the pay deal.

Commenting, national officer Andy Furey said: “These negotiations have been one of the CWU’s longest running industrial disputes and we’re delighted that we can now recommend this first-class deal to Post Office workers. “This excellent agreement is the result of our members’ effort and patience after difficult negotiations and I’d like to once again thank them for their support. 

“We have no hesitation in recommending a ‘Yes’ vote in this ballot,” concluded Andy.

If you have any questions about what the proposed pay settlement means to you have a look through these Questions and Answers agreed with the Post Office.

Voting will close in just under two weeks (Wednesday June 11th).

Dear Colleagues

Further to LTB 320/2014 dated 14th May 2014 and LTB 348/2014 dated 28th May 2014.

Please note the freephone number listed in the LTB’s above is incorrect. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

TO REGISTER A CLAIM :

Call Unionline on freephone 0300 333 0303
Visit http://www.unionline.co.uk/ (complete claim form on line)
Contact your local Branch Official to obtain an LS3 form in the usual way

NB:

The freephone number for Unionline on 0300 333 0303 can also be used to obtain legal advice on other non work related issues. Additionally, members will also be able to get advice on employment law procedures. This is a new service. However, this will not include assessing the merits of any claim.

When using these new services, members will be required to provide their membership number.

These changes do not affect those Branches in the Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and IOM. Their existing arrangements will continue.

If you have any queries regarding the above, please contact Tony Rupa, Head of Legal Services, Communication Workers Union, 150 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1RX. Telephone 0208 971 7444 or via email trupa@cwu.org

The CWU has welcomed a major contract win within BT Wholesale to carry out transmission services work for Mobile Broadband Network Ltd. (MBNL).

The deal gives rise to a TUPE transfer of around 51 people from Ericsson (who currently manage this work for MBNL) into BT Wholesale and will bring with it secure work and also a recruitment opportunity for the union.

Acting assistant secretary Ken Woolley said: “As a direct result of winning this contract there will be an additional 30 permanent roles for BT people currently based in the Manchester office. Those that have been identified to move onto this new work had previously been employed on MEAS L2C but declining volumes on that product has enabled the move. The individuals are fully aware of the changes in the Manchester office.”

Additionally, 26 contractors who currently carry out the transmission services work, in order to maintain service during the transition of work will come on board too.

They will all be in the BTMSL organisation and be managed within the Complex Customer Services organisation.

Both the Ericsson permanent staff that will TUPE transfer and the contractors will be working from the following BT offices: Glasgow Dial House, Manchester Dial House, Dorking TE, Leavesden, Reading and Coventry (Coventry is a temporary location while the office at Leamington Spa is developed for the individuals joining).

Commenting on Royal Mail Group’s announcement today (Wednesday 21st May) of pilot Sunday deliveries within the M25, to implement nationwide Parcelforce Sunday delivery service and open the 100 busiest enquiry offices on Sundays, CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward said: “Royal Mail’s announcement today about expanding delivery and collection services to seven-days-a-week is an exciting innovation which we welcome. We have worked closely with Royal Mail to develop how best we can go forward to grow the company together and improve the services for customers.

“We appreciate that in order to stay competitive in a broadly unregulated sector Royal Mail has to expand its services to its customers. We believe that offering Sunday delivery and collection services is the right response from the company. With ever-increasing numbers of people opting to shop online, Sunday services are necessary to deal with the growing demand in parcel delivery.

“Earlier this year we delivered a ground-breaking deal for Royal Mail workers and we are committed to continuing to set the benchmark for terms and conditions across the postal industry. The union is negotiating with Royal Mail nationally to ensure that postal workers who are affected by these changes receive good terms and conditions and where appropriate, that work is performed on a voluntary basis.”

See Dave’s letter to members working in Royal Mail here: Introduction by Royal Mail of Sunday Services

The CWU and GMB announced today (Thursday) a “first of its kind” trade union legal firm. UNIONLINE will provide a comprehensive legal service to almost one million trade union members as the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) granted its licence today.

New law firm, UNIONLINE, was formed as the two unions saw a significant opportunity where a deregulated legal profession allowed for new organisations to operate in the legal marketplace.

UNIONLINE, based in Sheffield, has been set up by the CWU and GMB as an Alternative Business Structure (ABS) offering comprehensive legal services to the whole membership of the two unions. Unions have a long and proud history of providing top-class access to justice for their members. The new rules allow GMB and CWU to bring that tradition right up to date.

A partnership of UNIONLINE approved solicitors firms will act for the many thousands of CWU and GMB members legal cases each year under the authority of the UNIONLINE monitoring board, ensuring that CWU and GMB members retain access to legal redress.

CWU general secretary Billy Hayes said: “UNIONLINE is a unique opportunity for both the CWU and the GMB to compete in a previously highly-regulated industry. We want to make sure our members get the very best legal advice and by creating and operating our own legal services we can ensure that.

“This is the first legal service of its kind. With legal assistance being such an integral part of the benefits offered to trade union members this is a truly exciting innovation of which we are immensely proud of and will be overseen by CWU head of legal services, Tony Rupa.”

GMB general secretary Paul Kenny said: “GMB is delighted that the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) has granted a licence to this highly innovative new law firm jointly owned by GMB and the Communication Workers Union to serve the needs of almost one million trade union members.

“We look forward to providing a one stop shop for members which will provide a comprehensive legal service, and unlike the High Street, there will not be deductions from their personal injury awards. We have significant plans for the future and look forward to giving trade union members a unique advantage in their choice of legal services.”

Contact UNIONLINE for free comprehensive legal advice on FREEPHONE 0300 333 0303. The UNIONLINE website will be launched in early June.