PROPORTIONALITY EVENT – WEDNESDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2016 TUC CONGRESS HOUSE – PAUL CANOVILLE BOOK SIGNING
You will be aware from the document we issued last week – that Paul Canoville is one of the guest speakers invited to the CWU Proportionality Event to be held at TUC Congress House on Wednesday 17th February 2016.
For those who may not know, Paul Canoville was a former professional footballer for Chelsea & Reading FC and was the first black player for Chelsea FC.
Paul, who suffered racial abuse from his own fans as well as opposing supporters after making his debut for the club in 1982, has written a book of his life called “Black & Blue”. Below is an excerpt from the book:
“Paul Canoville’s story is one of extreme racist bigotry, shattering career-ending injury, a decline into drug abuse, battles against cancer, family tragedy and a determination to beat the odds. Canoville was Chelsea’s first black first-team player, making his debut in 1982”.
Paul is available on the day to sign copies of his book, which can be purchased prior to the event at bookstores or online using the following link: Click Here
Yours sincerely
Dave Ward
General Secretary
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 081/16 PROPORTIONALITY EVENT – WEDNESDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2016 TUC CONGRESS HOUSE – PAUL CANOVILLE BOOK SIGNING
CWU Education and Training Programme 2016
CWU Education and Training Programme 2016
Branches will wish to use the embedded document endorsed by the National Executive Council to plan for their reps training and development for the remainder of the year.
Reference to “TBC” (to be confirmed) denotes dates where courses will be scheduled that are currently subject to ongoing course development with various CWU Departments.
If Branches would like assistance in developing a forward looking training plan or a Branch training needs analysis please contact the CWU Education & Training Dept. or e-mail lwakeman@cwu.org
Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to Trish Lavelle, Head of Education & Training, either by e-mail: tlavelle@cwu.org or telephone on 020 8971 7340.
Yours sincerely,
Trish Lavelle
Head of Education and Training
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 080/16 – CWU Education and Training Programme 2016
The document that can be viewed on a smartphone in line with CWU National policy
RE: Agreement on the Future Provision of FM Services to Royal Mail – Individual Member Ballot
RE: Agreement on the Future Provision of FM Services to Royal Mail – Individual Member Ballot
Following the National briefing held on the 21st January, the agreement that was published in LTB 021/16 is now being put to an individual member ballot.
A PDF copy of the agreement is attached to this LTB. Ballot papers were dispatched to members’ home addresses today Friday 5th February and ballot papers should be returned in the pre-paid envelope no later than Thursday 25th February 2016.
The Postal Executive are recommending that our members vote in favour of the agreement, and we would encourage all of our members to participate and return their ballot papers.
Any enquiries for engineers and admin grades should be addressed to PTCS department, quoting reference PTC/RE/SN/335.
Email address: djeffery@cwu.org
Any enquiries for cleaning grades should be addressed to the Outdoor department quoting reference 120.
Email address: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org
Yours sincerely
Ray Ellis Bob Gibson
Assistant Secretary Assistant Secretary
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 078/16 Agreement on the future Provision of FM Services to Royal Mail – Individual Member Ballot
Attachment 1 Agreement on Future Provisions of FM Services to Royal Mail
The People’s Assembly Against Austerity Heart Unions Week of Action 8-14th Feb
The People’s Assembly Against Austerity is pleased to support, the I Heart Unions Week of Action 8-14th Feb organised by the TUC.
The Trade Union Movement is the backbone of our campaign against austerity, that’s why the Tory Trade Union Reform Bill exists, so the government can cripple our movement and act with a free hand. But they will not get away with it without a struggle. We must stand together in our workplaces and in the wider community.
The TUC will be supporting our April 16 March for Health, Homes, Jobs and Education in Central London, so lets strengthen our unions during the Week of Action, and start to build the mass movement on the streets to End Austerity Now.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady:
“This government is determined to shift the balance of power in the workplace in favour of employers, and get the Trade Union Bill through Parliament with as little scrutiny as possible. We must not let them get away with it.
It is essential that we keep up the pressure as the Bill enters its critical House of Lords stage.
The House of Lords committee and report stages (likely to occur early next year) are the best chance to secure changes to the Trade union bill.
We need to keep the Bill at the front of politicians and journalists’ minds and to remind people why unions are so important.
From the 8th to 14th of February the TUC will run a special week of activities throughout England and Wales to showcase the amazing work unions do. This will provide a way to increase the involvement of you as union members in the campaign, build awareness of the Trade Union Bill and tell positive union stories to the wider public.
More information will be provided over the coming weeks at heartunions.org and we want as many of you to get involved as possible.
If you want to highlight the great work done by unions and reps where you work and live, please get in touch with Kathleen Christie at kchristie@tuc.org.uk
The Trade Union Bill has no place in a modern democracy. Only through coming together and showing our united strength will we be able defend our vital right to strike.”
________________
The central event of the week is the Big Work Place Meeting which will take place across the country, with as many union branch meetings as possible taking place simultaneously at 12.30pm on Tuesday 9 February. Please contact your Trade Union rep in your workplace to see if your branch is taking part, and if not – organise a meeting yourselves.
Click HERE for more information.
See you there!
The People’s Assembly Against Austerity
Election of: Royal Mail Divisional Representatives – 2016Royal Mail Divisional Representatives (Substitute) – 2016 Royal Mail Divisional Chair – 2016
Election of:
Royal Mail Divisional Representatives – 2016
Royal Mail Divisional Representatives (Substitute) – 2016
Royal Mail Divisional Chair – 2016
Further to LTB 023/16 dated 14th January 2016.
At the close of nominations at 14:00 on 2nd February 2016, the following were received:
ROYAL MAIL DIVISIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
ANGLIA (Ballot Required)
Steve Butts
Eastern No 4
Barry Jennings
Northern Home Counties Postal
Ryan Ward
Romford Amal
LONDON
Mark Palfrey
South East London Postal & Counter
*Elected
Martin Walsh
London South West
*Elected
MIDLAND (Ballot Required)
Gareth Eales
South Midlands Postal
Simon Edmunds
Nottingham & District Amal
Paul Kennedy
Birmingham & District Amal
NORTH EAST
Gary Alan Hodkinson
South Yorks & District Amal
*Elected
Bob McGuire
Newcastle Amal
*Elected
NORTH WALES/NORTH WEST
Ian Taylor
Greater Manchester
*Elected
Tony Williams
Greater Mersey & South West Lancs
*Elected
SCOTLAND/NORTHERN IRELAND
Stuart McIntosh
Scotland No 2
*Elected
Norrie Watson
Glasgow District Amal
*Elected
SOUTH CENTRAL (Ballot Required)
Dermot Fuller
South West No 7
Rob Hayhurst
Wessex South Central
Terry Jackson
South East No 5
SOUTH EAST (Ballot Required)
Peter Sinnott
Southdowns Weald & Rother
Stephen Wisely
South East Thames Amal
Philip Wright
Kent Invicta
SOUTH WEST/SOUTH WALES (Ballot Required)
Les Evans
South West Wales Amal
Chris Hamblin
South East Wales Amal
Andy Nash
Bristol & District
ROYAL MAIL DIVISIONAL REPRESENTATIVES (SUBSTITUTES)
ANGLIA (Ballot Required)
Kevin Martin
Essex Amal
Trevor Williamson
Eastern No 3
LONDON
John Simkins
London Phoenix Branch
*Elected
MIDLAND
Steve Blower
Nottingham District Amal
*Elected
NORTH EAST
Steve Halliwell
Newcastle Amal
*Elected
NORTH WALES/NORTH WEST
Mark Bolton
North Lancs & Cumbria
*Elected
SCOTLAND/NORTHERN IRELAND
Robert Storrie
Scotland No 5
*Elected
SOUTH CENTRAL (Ballot Required)
Paul Garraway
South Central Postal
Rob Hayhurst
Wessex South Central
Geoff Loftus
Harrow & District Amal
Paul Mountain
Portsmouth & District
SOUTH EAST
David Bennett
South East No 5
*Elected
SOUTH WEST/SOUTH WALES (Ballot Required)
Stephen Coombes
Western Counties
Chris Hamblin
South East Wales Amal
ROYAL MAIL DIVISIONAL CHAIR
ANGLIA
Trevor Williamson
Eastern No 3
*Elected
LONDON
Raymond Dunning
West London Postal
*Elected
MIDLAND
Linford Gibbons
Nottingham District Amal
*Elected
NORTH EAST
Graham Clough
South Yorkshire & District
*Elected
NORTH WALES/NORTH WEST (Ballot Required)
Lenny Crook
North Lancs & Cumbria
Peter Kelly
Shropshire & Mid Wales
*Note: Branch Ballot (Not Individual Member Ballot)
SCOTLAND/NORTHERN IRELAND
Jim McKechnie
Glasgow District Amal
*Elected
SOUTH CENTRAL
No Nominations Received.
SOUTH EAST
Robert Griffiths
South East No 5
*Elected
SOUTH WEST/SOUTH WALES
No Nominations Received.
The timetable for the above elections are as follows:
Ballot Papers dispatched: 11 February 2016
Ballot Close: 25 February 2016 (first post)
Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 0208 971 7237 or email address sdgs@cwu.org.
Yours sincerely
Tony Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 068/16 – Election of Royal Mail Divisional Representatives
PROPORTIONALITY EVENT at the TUC on Wednesday 17th February 2016
PROPORTIONALITY EVENT
Further to LTBs 775/15 & 804/15, I am writing to remind Branches about the Proportionality Event, which is to be held at the TUC on Wednesday 17th February 2016. Registration will commence at 10 am for an 11 am start, to finish at approximately 4 pm.
The objective of the event is to encourage under-represented groups to feel inspired and become more engaged with union structures. We have a full and varied agenda, which includes guest speakers Paul Canoville, Former Footballer for Chelsea & Reading FC and Kate Green MP, Shadow Minister for Disabilities who have agreed to give us an insight into their experiences and the challenges they have had to face in their lives.
Branches are invited to send a maximum of 5 delegates to the event and register them taking cognisance of the proportionality of the delegates. Details of how and who to register is set out in the previous LTBs advised above.
Yours sincerely
Dave Ward
General Secretary
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
POST OFFICE: PENSIONS – DEFINED BENEFIT SCHEME – PROPOSAL TO CLOSE THE SCHEME
POST OFFICE: PENSIONS – DEFINED BENEFIT SCHEME – PROPOSAL TO CLOSE THE SCHEME
The Post Office has today announced a 60 day member consultation, from Friday 5th February until 5th April, in respect of its plans to close the Post Office (Defined Benefits) Section of the Royal Mail Pension Plan (RMPP).
Post Office Proposal
The Post Office recently advised us of its plans to close the Defined Benefits (DB) pension scheme, which will affect those members who joined the scheme prior to 1st April 2008. Under the proposals, the DB scheme would be closed to any new benefit accrual and members would build up benefits in a new Defined Contribution (DC) scheme from 1 September 2016. The new DC scheme will also include members of the current DC scheme.
Despite our strong objections to the unnecessary haste of commencing the 60 day members’ consultation in relation to the plans, the Post Office is pressing ahead and members will begin to receive documentation and information from this morning on the plans.
Our key objections to the Post Office’s plans are as follows:
The Post Office is rushing into “consultation” with members of the DB scheme without meaningful dialogue with the Union. Just two formal meetings on this issue have been held and in both of these meetings we were presented with what seemingly is a fait accompli. In our view, the Post Office is conducting a tick box exercise in its “consultation” with both the Union and the members of the scheme and is determined to press ahead with closure of the scheme, whatever the outcome of the “consultation”.
The DB scheme is not in deficit – there is sufficient surplus with £136.1m as at 30th September 2015 to allow the scheme to continue until 2022. This surplus was created by members giving up benefits and should be viewed as members’ money.
We estimate the Post Office will save over £5m a year under the proposal as the current contribution is 17.1% per member into the DB scheme, compared with a greatly reduced contribution into the proposed new Defined Contribution scheme.
We understand that after closing the scheme, the Post Office intends to de-risk it by moving into very low yielding assets or even by buying out the benefits with an insurance company. This will remove the scheme from the Post Office’s balance sheet.
We do not accept the Post Office’s case for the scheme closure and believe members’ money should be spent on benefits, not used to subsidise the business.
Steps we have taken thus far are as follows:
Dave Ward, General Secretary has written to Baroness Neville-Rolfe, the Post Office Minister BIS, seeking an urgent meeting regarding pensions and the future of the Crown Office Network.
We have written to Neil Hayward, Group People Director, Post Office, raising our concerns over the Post Office’s plans, and in particular, the unnecessary haste to commence a fait accompli “member consultation”.
A letter has been sent to Chris Hogg, Chief Executive, Royal Mail Pension Trustee, seeking an urgent meeting and also raising our objections to the Post Office’s plans. In this regard, a meeting has been arranged for later this week.
Hilary Salt, specialist pensions advisor from First Actuarial has been instructed to provide advice and guidance to the Union. We will continue to seek Hilary’s advice as matters progress.
Next Steps
The Postal Executive is receiving documentation at its statutory meeting today. Following this meeting we will issue a further LTB reporting on Postal Executive Policy on this important and complex issue.
Members will be receiving a Union communication to home addresses this week, outlining our serious concerns with regards to the Post Office’s attack on their pensions. A copy is attached for your information. In the meantime, Branches are urged to encourage members not to react to this news by leaving the DB pension scheme.
Further developments will be reported at the earliest opportunity.
If you have any questions in relation to this LTB, please contact Lea Sheridan – lsheridan@cwu.org.
Yours sincerely
Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 063/16 Post Office: Pensions – Defined Benefit Scheme – Proposal to close the Scheme
PETERBOROUGH TRADES UNION COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL WORKING WOMEN’S DAY FESTIVAL
PETERBOROUGH TRADES UNION COUNCIL
PRESS RELEASE: INTERNATIONAL WORKING WOMEN’S DAY FESTIVAL
Saturday 5th March 2016, 11:00 – 15:00
Peterborough Town Hall, Bridge Street
Free entry
International Women’s Day was first established in the early twentieth century as a reaction to oppression and inequality. It was otherwise know as International Working Women’s Day. Now the day has lost its overtly political overtones and is held all over the world as a celebration of the social, economic and cultural achievements of women. Events are held over the week in which International Women’s Day (which is 8th March) is held.
As part of the International Women’s Day celebrations, Peterborough Trades Union Council (PTUC) is organising an event at the Town Hall on Bridge Street on Saturday 5th March. The theme is Peterborough Women: Past, Present and Future. It is designed to bring women in different parts of the community together to celebrate the achievements of local women. There will be speakers, including Sophie Antonelli from the Green Backyard, and Nicola Oldfield, a Civil Engineer. The event will be opened by Gillian Beasley, Chief Executive of Peterborough City and Cambridgeshire County Council.
Current and former Peterborough Poet Laureates, Charley Genever and Keely Mills will be contributing spoken word performances. There will also be traditional dancing, exhibitions, beauty therapies, craft stalls and refreshments. Information stands will be providing advice and information on Women’s issues. We encourage men to attend the event too – as journalist, and social and political activist Gloria Steinem says: “The story of women’s struggle belongs to no single feminist nor to any organisation but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.” (Ref: internationalwomensday.com)
We think it is important to celebrate the achievements of women, because, despite this being the twenty first century, there are many women all over the world who still suffer abuse, oppression and violence on a daily basis. These tragedies can be anything from being part of human trafficking to being denied access to education to suffering death at the hands of domestic violence. In England and Wales, two women each week are killed by a current or former partner. That is one woman, every three days (Ref: refuge.org.uk).
Even so, there is much to celebrate. Come to the event on Saturday 5th March to find out what some of these things are. The timings are 11.00 – 15.00. For more information or if you would like to have a Women’s issues stall at the event, please contact peterboroughtuc@gmail.com or look at the website http://www.ptuc.co.uk.
PTUC Website: http://www.ptuc.co.uk PTUC Email: peterboroughtuc@gmail.com PTUC Twitter: @peterboroughtuc
You can also find us (Peterborough Trade Unions) on
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 