Eastern No5 at the CWU National Briefing on Trade Union Bill

CWU National Briefing on Trade Union Bill27th January 2016

Congress House

 

The branch sent a delegation of 7 to this briefing which out lined the Trade Union Bill which is at this time progressing through the House of Lords.

Dave Ward CWU General Secretary opened the briefing by stating that this bill is more far reaching than anything that Thatcher’s government had tried to do to curtail the trade union movement.

And for this reason it is vital that both the Political and IR sides of the union must unite and work together as one union

Some of the measures in the bill include

➢ Public Service Unions having to gain an 80 % return in any ballot all abstentions will count as NO votes

➢ Facility Time and Check Off, the bill will give the government the power to bring in regulations to 1) cap the amount of facility time in the public sector (release for reps) 2)end check off in public sector this is where union subs are deducted from your wages.

These will the CWU believe are likely to cover The Post Office, other CWU employers should currently be exempt.

The Labour Party Involvement Dave said it was refreshing that the new Leader of the party Jeremy Corbyn has made it clear that when Labour are elected they will repeal the TU Bill.

It was also refreshing that the party for the 1st time in years given its support to the Trade Union movement.

The Trade Unions must work with the party to come up with a strategy to make the bill fail.

John Hendy QC

John is a Trade Union lawyer who works with the CWU and many more unions, he talked us through the legal side of the bill which included

Industrial Action

➢ A requirement for 50% turnout in all industrial action ballots

➢ A four month time limit from the date of which industrial action can be taken

➢ An increase in the notice period from 7 days to 2 weeks

The government also want to allow employers to bring in agency workers as strike breakers.

Picketing

The bill will require Unions to

➢ Appoint a picketing supervisor, who is familiar with the code of practice on picketing and who must wear some form of identification, such as an arm band.

➢ Give police the name and contact details of the picketing supervisor

➢ Give the picketing supervisor a letter of authorisation which they must show to the employer or anyone acting on their behalf on request.

Alongside the bill, the government is also strengthening the code of practice on picketing to restrict the use of social media ( Facebook & Twitter )

Political Campaigning  

On top of the existing requirement for the existence of a political fund to be balloted on every 10 years the bill would require.

➢ Members to opt – in to paying into the fund individually, in writing every five years

➢ From the date the bill becomes law, unions would have 3 months to get existing levy payers to opt-in before their contribution to the fund would cease.

Certification Officer  

The bill will change the role of the CO which can currently only act to uphold a members compliant. It will give the CO the power to run its own investigations into how unions operate and to fine the union up to £20,000 if we fail to comply with various technical legal rules. Together with other unions we will have to pay a levy – likely to cost us tens of thousands of pounds to fund the CO.

 

We then heard from Chris Webb the new head of Communications at CWU HQ’s, Chris said that we need to simplify the message to members and link the Political and IR sections of the union, as what happens politically comes into IR.

Tuesday 9th February branches are being asked to take part in the TUC big workplace meeting which can be found on social media.

Thursday 11th February branches are encouraged as in the National Postal Workers Day celebrations have photos of members holding posters, leaflet drop railway stations, send out a press release which will be pre written by HQ’s and will be included in a representatives briefing pack.

Nationally a letter will be sent to the home address every member of the CWU, press releases will be sent out and National Officers will be visiting workplaces.

Terry Pullinger SDG (P)  

Terry said that we mustn’t be naïve we must recognise that there is a link between political and IR and we must link the Peoples Post campaign and the TU Bill together as a joint campaign.

Summing Up Dave Ward said we must make the message to workplaces real, this is the first opportunity we have had to act as one union, we will beat the Bill but not at the first hurdle, we must turn their attack on us around and attack them to rebuild the Trade Union Movement.

 

Andy Beeby

Branch Political Officer