10th June 2016 

ROYAL MAIL PAY OFFER 2016

Dear Colleague,

Last week an announcement was made that Royal Mail had made a pay offer, details of which are below;

In line with the pay policy carried at the March Policy Forum;

• the offer provides for a straight forward 1 year, no strings deal in the form of a 1.6% increase in basic pay,

• pay supplements, skills and unsocial attendance allowances, London Weighting, Scottish Distant Island allowance,

• overtime and scheduled attendance rates

• all backdated to 4th April for weekly paid staff (1st April for monthly paid).

The 1.6% offer reflects inflation as measured by the March Retail Price Index (RPI) in line with the principle consistently adopted by the union that RPI rather than CPI should be the key cost of living benchmark in pay negotiations. The offer means that members’ earnings will keep pace with inflation (it’s worth noting that the April RPI fell to 1.3%).

Ballot papers were dispatched yesterday 9th June 2016 and ballot closes on the 30th June 2016.

Eastern Number 5 Branch Committee recommend that you VOTE YES to this pay deal.

Yours Sincerely

Amanda Hill

Branch Secretary

ELECTION OF NATIONAL DELEGATIONS – 2016
TUC

Labour Party

Further to LTB 320/16 dated 20th May 2016, please find below ballot results for the above named National Delegations.
 
TUC 
Postal Constituency
Lay Members (5 Members to be Elected)
Kenny Logan
Scotland No. 2
62,075
(*Elected)
Bob McGuire
Newcastle Amal
78,830
(*Elected)
James McKechnie
Glasgow & District Amal
71,715
(*Elected)
Merlin Reeder
Mount Pleasant
48,722
 
Sajid Shaikh
Birmingham District Amal
75,684
(*Elected)
Amarjite Singh
South East Wales Amal
81,114
(*Elected)
 
Telecom & Financial Services Constituency
Lay Members (5 Members to be Elected)
Jonathan Bellshaw
Lincolnshire & South Yorks
32,889
(*Elected)
Amanda Collick
Great Western
33,844
(*Elected)
Tony Gilkes
Capital
32,411
(*Elected)
Ali Moosa
Midland No. 1
34,687
(*Elected)
Joyce Stevenson
Scotland No. 1
35,374
(*Elected)
Angela Teeling
Greater Mersey & SW Lancs
19,320
 
Jeffrey Till
Greater London Combined
21,834
 
                                         
LABOUR PARTY
Postal Constituency
NEC Member (1 to be Elected)
Mick Kavanagh
South Midlands Postal
50,198
(*Elected)
Joe Malone
Scotland No. 5
33,021
 
 
Lay Members (5 Members to be Elected)
Paul Braithwaite
North Lancs & Cumbria
24,138
 
Hugh Gaffney
Glasgow & District Amal
62,985
(*Elected)
Linford Gibbons
Nottingham & District Amal
27,635
 
William Johnston
Scotland No. 2
17,203
 
Ian Moran
North West No. 1
19,029
 
Sajid Shaikh
Birmingham District Amal
29,391
 
Amarjite Singh           
South East Wales Amal
64,910
(*Elected)
Alan Tate
London Regional MT
40,662
(*Elected)
Mark Walsh
Greater Mersey & SW Lancs
58,867
(*Elected)
Richard Wilkins
South Central Postal
33,819
(*Elected)
 
Telecom & Financial Services Constituency
Lay Members (5 Members to be Elected)
Craig Anderson
Scotland No. 1
29,344
(*Elected)
Graham Colk
South Wales
24,681
(*Elected)
Jacky Morrey
Mid Wales, The Marches & North Staffs
27,440
(*Elected)
Angela Teeling
Greater Mersey & SW Lancs
18,318
 
Phillip Thomas
Somerset, Devon & Cornwall
33,182
(*Elected)
Linda Woodings
East Midlands
30,772
(*Elected)
Please find attached a copy of the branch breakdown for these ballots. 
Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 020 8971 7237, or email address sdgs@cwu.org.
Yours sincerely,
 
TONY KEARNS
SENIOR DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 377/16 – Election of National Delegations 2015 – TUC & Labour Party

Attachment 1 – TUC Postal Branch Breakdown

Attachment 2 – TUC TFS Branch Breakdown

Attachment 3 – Labour Party Postal Branch Breakdown

Attachment 4 – Labour Party TFS Branch Breakdown

ELECTION OF NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE POSITIONS – VACANT POSITIONS (2016) 
Further to LTB 319/16 dated 20th May 2016, please find below ballot results for the above named representative positions:
 
CWU Race Advisory Committee – Postal Constituency (1 Position) 
Adam Adan
South Midlands Postal
11,278
 
Adam Alarakhia
Leicestershire
 7,455
 

William Johnston
Scotland No 2
11,968
 

Saf Khan
North West No 1
19,153
 

Sajid Shaikh
Birmingham District Amal
31,135
(*Elected)
Dennis Smith
Eastern No 5
16,312
 

 
Independent Review Body (Substitute) – T&FS Constituency (1 Position)
John Ballard
Greater London Combined
12,953
 

Jean Sharrocks
North East
34,668
(*Elected)
Please find attached a copy of the branch breakdown for these ballots.
Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 020 8971 7237, or email address sdgs@cwu.org.
Yours sincerely,
 
TONY KEARNS
SENIOR DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 378/16 – Election of National Representative Positions 2016 – RAC & IRB

Attachment 1 – RAC Postal Branch Breakdown

Attachment 2 – IRB TFS Branch Breakdown

Dismissal for use of a Racist Term
We have recently been made aware of the Employment Tribunal case concerning Mann v NSL Ltd where an employee, in this case an ambulance worker, was dismissed for using a racist term at work.
Clearly, we all have a responsibility to be respectful at work and this case demonstrates very clinically the pitfalls if anyone decides to use foul and abusive language. Whilst this case does not represent case law it is still interesting to note how a Tribunal is likely to view such a case. 
The individual was dismissed after a colleague overheard the comment in question. Even though the comment was clearly not directed at the individual, this point in law is irrelevant. The individual’s defence that his comment was “local street talk”, and that he did not realise that anyone else was listening and finally the point that dismissal was a disproportionate sanction was all dismissed by the residing Judge.
More details on this case can be found by searching Mann v NSL Ltd on the internet.
Yours Sincerely,
 
Linda Roy
National Equality Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 376/16 – Dismissal for use of a Racist Term

CWU Exchange Mentoring Scheme : Activists Supporting Activists Reminder
Calling all Women, BAME and CWU Youth Reps! 
Are you quite new to your role in the CWU?

Would you like to progress within the CWU?

Do you need to understand better how the union works?

Would you like to be mentored by an experienced CWU Representative?

Mentoring is a widely recognised training and development tool that helps to assist individuals through structured and focused support and through sharing of experience and skills. Used formally and informally by many different organisations and individuals it helps to develop the potential of individuals with less experience by pairing them with individuals with much more experience. It is a proven way of increasing confidence, knowledge and networking to help open up opportunities for advancement.
In the Labour movement mentoring has been used successfully by several unions, political parties and other organisations. The CWU, as part of our programme of work around proportionality has now developed the CWU Exchange Mentoring Scheme to help develop, progress and retain newer activists.
Mentoring has proven a particularly useful tool for helping to develop and bring through under-represented groups such as BAME and Women members. At present we are restricting this project to BAME, Women and Young members. However, in the medium to long term mentoring will also be rolled out across the whole union.
We now have our own trained CWU mentors who will be available to work with new and emerging Women, BAME and under 30 activists, as they are particularly under-represented at many levels in the CWU.
If you think that being mentored could be right for you can apply to the scheme provided that you meet the following basic criteria:
That you have been a CWU activist for up to three years and that you are currently a CWU representative of any sort.

That you wish to progress and develop your role in the CWU

That you are a woman, BAME and/or under 30 years old 

Places are limited so please apply to the scheme using the attached application form. 
Please return this to msimpson@cwu.org by Friday 10 June 2017. 
Please refer any queries regarding this LTB to Trish Lavelle, Head of Education and Training tlavelle@cwu.org
Yours sincerely,
 
Trish Lavelle
Head of Education & Training
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 374/16 – CWU Exchange Mentoring Scheme : Activists Supporting Activists Reminder

Attachment 1: application-form-cwu-exchange-mentees-1

New Retired Members Website – http://www.cwurm.org
 
 
Dear Colleagues,
 
The purpose of this LTB is to inform branches that as part of our review of Communications, we have today, launched a new website for our retired members ( http://www.cwurm.org ). This will give our retired members a dedicated resource to receive updates, research the unions history and engage with former colleagues.
 
Our thanks go to Dave Ward General Secretary and Tony Kearns, Senior Deputy General Secretary, who have supported the project from the offset alongside members of the RMAC. Brian Lee and Norman Candy have also heavily assisted the department on the direction of the site.
 
As a department, we are committed to keeping the site fresh and relevant but some of that responsibility falls to branches. If you have any events, news or history you wish to be posted please contact April O’Neill at aoneill@cwu.org.
 
We ask Branches to do as much as possible to raise awareness of the new site by sharing the link via email, social media and text message.
 
Any feedback on the site or queries on this LTB should be directed to Marcia Murray at mmurray@cwu.org
 
Kind regards
 
 
 
Chris Webb
Head of Communications, Engagement and Media
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 372-16 – New Retired Members Website www.cwurm.org.docx

World Blood Donor Day – 14 June 2016 ”Blood Connects us all”
 
 
To: All Branches
 
Dear Colleagues
 
The theme of this year’s World Blood Donor Day is “blood connects us all”. The day focuses on thanking blood donors for the gift of life and highlights the dimension of ‘sharing’ and ‘connection’ between blood donors and patients. The campaign aims to highlight stories of people who lives have been saved through blood donation, to motivate regular blood donors to continue to give blood and encourages people who are in good health who have never given blood to begin doing so, particularly young people.
 
Facts
108 million blood donations are collected globally, half of these are in high-income countries.

62 Counties collect 100% of their blood supply from voluntary, unpaid blood donors.

Blood donation by 1% of the population can meet a nation’s most basic requiremetns for blood.

Q: Why should I donate blood?
A: Safe blood saves lives and improves health. Blood transfusion is needed for:women with complications of pregnancy, such as ectopic pregnancies and haemorrhage before, during or after childbirth;
children with severe anaemia often resulting from malaria or malnutrition;

people with severe trauma following man-made and natural disasters; and

many complex medical and surgical procedures and cancer patients.

It is also needed for regular transfusions for people with conditions such as thalassaemia and sickle cell disease and is used to make products such as clotting factors for people with haemophilia.
There is a constant need for regular blood supply because blood can be stored for only a limited time before use. Regular blood donations by a sufficient number of healthy people are needed to ensure that safe blood will be available whenever and wherever it is needed.
Blood is the most precious gift that anyone can give to another person — the gift of life. A decision to donate your blood can save a life, or even several if your blood is separated into its components — red cells, platelets and plasma — which can be used individually for patients with specific conditions.
For further information on World Blood Donor Day http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-blood-donor-day/2016/en/
 
Furthermore, to give blood in the UK you can register as a donor at https://www.blood.co.uk/ which provides information on who can give blood, how to become a donor and the donation process.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
 
Attachment: Poster
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 371/16 World Blood Donor Day

Poster

Cervical Screening Awareness Week – 13th to 19th June 2016: Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust
 
To: All Branches
 
Dear Colleagues,
Following Motion 38 carried at the Union’s 2009 Conference, correspondence and meetings took place with ‘Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust’ which established a working relationship in providing support and assistance in raising awareness and providing better, easily accessed information for CWU members and their families, and at the same time supporting ‘Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust’ campaigning objectives. Cervical Screening Awareness Week (CSAW) is a national campaign led by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust.
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust is the only UK charity dedicated to women and their families affected by cervical cancer and cervical abnormalities. Their aim is to offer information, support and friendship to women of all ages, to help them to understand the importance of cervical screening, and to provide their own personal brand of support if their screening shows up abnormalities or if they are diagnosed with cancer.
Cervical Screening – Why is it important?
Cervical screening prevents 75% of cervical cancers from developing in the UK yet one in four women do not attend cervical screening when invited. Not going for cervical screening is one of the biggest risk factors for developing cervical cancer.
Branches can download Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust Cervical Screening Campaign Toolkit at with suggested tweets, newsletter content and much more https://www.jostrust.org.uk/get-involved/campaign/cervical-screening-awareness-week
For more information write to:- Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, CAN Mezzanine, 49 – 51 East Road, London, N1 6AH

Tel No: 020 7250 8311 Email: info@jostrust.org.uk 
For fundraising enquiries or to make a donation: fundraising@jostrust.org.uk
Yours sincerely
 
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 370/16 Cervial Screening Awareness Week