Disability Conference Policy
Please find below the policy on motions at the CWU Disability Conference.
Motion 1 – Support
Motion 2 – Support
Motion 3 – Support
Motion 4 – Support
Motion 6 – Support
Motion 7 – Support
Motion 8 – Support
Motion 9 – Support
Motion 10 – Support – Seek Statement/oppose
Motion 11 – Support
Motion 12 – Support
Motion 13 – Support
Yours sincerely
Linda Roy
Assistant Secretary
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 585/16 – Disability Conference Policy
CWU 25 YEAR CERTIFICATES
CWU 25 YEAR CERTIFICATES
Branches will be aware of our current policy of issuing a certificate to commemorate 25 years’ service when that milestone is achieved by our members.
Recently, it has emerged that there is a historic problem associated with our database which has caused a very small number of certificates to be issued in error. (The number of certificates affected is no more than 3 or 4 in any one month).
The problem has arisen because of a practice, ceased long ago, of joining dates on the membership record system being reset whenever a member moved from fully paid up membership into retired membership.
This means that occasionally 25 year membership certificates are issued when an individual has completed 25 years of retired membership rather than membership overall.
The purpose of this LTB is to alert branches to this issue. While the numbers may be small, CWU headquarters is aware that individual members value these certificates highly and errors associated with them are keenly felt.
Where such errors arise, we would ask that the member themselves or branch officers contact membership records department (membership@cwu.org) in order to have the individual’s membership record reset to show the correct date of joining.
I can assure branches that the practice or resetting the joining date when an individual moves in to the retired membership category was ceased more than 15 years ago. However, having discussed this matter in detail with the administrators for the membership database, it seems that the above advice is the most proportionate and appropriate to address this issue.
Any queries on this LTB should be addressed to my office at CWU headquarters.
Yours Sincerely,
Simon Sapper
National Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 584/16 – 25 Year Certificates
Low Level Letter Boxes & The CWU ‘Low Level Letter Box Campaign’
Low Level Letter Boxes & The CWU ‘Low Level Letter Box Campaign’
The Communications Workers Union has been campaigning to outlaw low level letterboxes for many years. The CWU has been striving for the European Standard (EN13724) to be added to U.K building regulations- this requires letterboxes being at a height accessible to postal workers, significantly reducing possible injuries such as, dog bites, fingers being trapped or back strain caused when bending excessively to reach ground level boxes.
This issue was first raised as far back as 1958 when the British Standards Agency deemed it appropriate that letter boxes be at a proper height. Unfortunately it was not enshrined into building standards Law. Half a century later and several high profile campaigns later the problem still exists. The Union would stress that it does not expect householders or businesses to change their doors immediately – rather we hope government will see merit in minimalising the risk of injury to CWU members by passing legislation to cover the manufacture of all new and replacement doors.
A similar campaign run by the CWU’s sister union in the Republic of Ireland resulted in all low level letterboxes being banned back in 2001 and given the fact that Royal Mail has by Law an obligation to deliver to each of the 28,000,000 UK addresses the CWU feel the time has come to standardise letter box height and safe design well above ground level.
The problems with low level letter boxes is that there are around back injuries to postmen and women occur each year in Royal Mail and delivering to low level letter boxes at the base of a house front door forces postal staff to stoop to ground level whilst carrying mail items and this can cause back strain. Low Level Letter boxes also present an increased risk of dog bites when the mail is pushed through the aperture at ground level.
The CWU therefore considers that the Government should implement the specifications set out in current European Standard (EN 13724) covering private letter boxes. The government has on several occasions rejected calls from the CWU to enact European building regulation standard EN13724 outlawing low level letter boxes by enshrining the standard in Law. In 2002 the European Standard EN 13724 was introduced and states that for “ergonomic and safety reasons” the centreline of the letter box aperture should be at a height between 700 mm (2 ft 3.5 inches) 1700mm (5ft 7inches).
The Union has won the support of Royal Mail Group as well as many influential bodies and organisations during its campaign including the HSE, National House-Building Council, the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF), Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services.
Sadly, all governments have rejected our call to amend the regulations. This was despite the fact that both the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) and Royal Mail supported the Union’s Campaign and the fact that we gained the support of over 100 MPs from all Parties who signed an Early Day Motion to the government supporting the CWU.
Therefore we are left with a situation whereby we have to challenge developments piecemeal and the Union has therefore had to make representations to developers and builders locally, regionally and Nationally on this matter and has been able to successfully convince developers, local authorities at other to change the specifications of front door letter plates and letter boxes when new developments or refurbishments have come to our attention where the EU Standard was not going to be followed and we’ve been able to act in time. However this is not an easy task with large scale house building programmes and developments underway across the UK. In 2014-15 – 125,000 homes were built in the UK and the Government intends to raise that to 200,000 a year totaling a million by the end of the parliament. The risk of more low level letterboxes therefore is an increasing risk.
From time to time it comes to the attention of CWU that the houses being built by developers or estates being refurbished and dwellings are being fitted with front doors which have Low Level Letter Boxes, in breach of the EU Standard.
Despite our great efforts, Low Level Letter Boxes continue to be fitted, much to the disadvantage of our Royal Mail delivery members. Therefore would Branches, Officials, Health and Safety Representatives, Regional Committees and members join together in being vigilant in respect of Housing development in your areas and Regions in order to react quickly to the fitting of low level letter boxes and consider appropriate proactive action that can be taken by way of discussions, meetings and correspondence with Local Authorities and developers in your areas and Regions requesting compliance with the EU letter box standard. Let’s also hope that Brexit doesn’t see this standard along with many other good standards end up on a Tory Government ‘bonfire’ of regulations in a couple of years’ time when the UK formerly exits the EU.
To assist, please see attached:-
Summary Document on European Regulation: EN 13724 for Postboxes (Safety Letterbox Company)
National House Building Council Technical Newsletter To Members – Giving Direction on Compliance with European Regulation: EN 13724
Example (Model) Letters and successful replies from Bovis Homes and Bett Homes.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download LTB 582/16 Low Level Letter Boxes & The CWU ‘Low Level Letter Box Campaign’
Amazon Fined £65,000 plus £60,000 Costs for Trying to Ship Dangerous Goods by Air via Royal Mail
Amazon Fined £65,000 plus £60,000 Costs for Trying to Ship Dangerous Goods by Air via Royal Mail
To: All Branches
Dear Colleagues,
Online retailer Amazon UK Services Ltd has been fined £65,000 and ordered to pay legal costs of £60,000 to the CAA at Southwark Crown Court last week after being found guilty of attempting to ship dangerous goods by air on passenger planes, including lithium-ion batteries and aerosols in breach of the Air Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations 2002. The retailer was found to have breached UK civil aviation rules in respect for four offences of “causing dangerous goods to be delivered for carriage in an aircraft.”
The offending items included Lithium-ion batteries for mobile phones or tablets, as well as cans of aerosol deodorant and hair spray, were sent via Royal Mail and were destined to be shipped on a mixture of domestic and international flights between January 2014 and June 2015.
Each item was intercepted by staff working for Royal Mail during routine screening, before they could be transported by Air.
The Prosecution told the Court that under the certain circumstances Lithium-ion batteries, even if new and undamaged, could overheat, potentially causing burns, explosion or a fire, which could be catastrophic on an Aircraft.
The Civil Aviation Authority has warned that the UK will take a hard line on shipping goods of this nature on passenger aircraft adding that around the world, retailers and online traders must comply with international restrictions, which prohibit the shipping of dangerous goods on passenger aircraft, which pose a flight safety risk. Whenever issues are identified the CAA works with companies to make sure those issues are addressed, however, if improvements are not made, the CAA will not hesitate to enforce the law in order to protect the travelling public. The safety of aviation and the public is paramount and the CAA will continue to work closely with retailers and online traders to ensure they understand the regulations and have robust processes in place so their items can be shipped safely.
The jury reportedly failed to reach a decision on a further six charges due to the detailed Technical nature of charges. The Judge decided that these will remain on file should Amazon come before the Courts again on similar charges.
Following sentencing, Amazon said that it was constantly working to further improve and will continue to work with the CAA in this area.
However in June it was announced in the USA that Amazon had repeatedly been accused of breaching regulations and is facing a $350,000 (£247,000) fine for allegedly shipping hazardous chemicals that injured delivery workers in America. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed the fine, accusing the firm of breaching rules by sending a corrosive drain cleaner by air. Nine UPS employees complained of burns after handling the package after the substance leaked, the authority said. Amazon said it would work with the FAA to improve its processes. According to the US authority, Amazon sent a package containing a one-gallon container of the corrosive drain cleaner called “AMAZING! LIQUID FIRE” from Kentucky to Colorado via UPS in October 2014. While being transported, some of the Liquid Fire leaked through the fibreboard box. Nine UPS employees who came into contact with the box reported chemical burns and were treated with a chemical wash, the FAA said. It accused Amazon of failing to package the shipment properly and said the box did not have the correct labelling or documentation and said the firm’s staff who handled it were not properly trained. Amazon has a history of violating the Hazardous Materials Regulations. From February 2013 to September 2015 alone, Amazon was found to have violated the Hazardous Materials Regulations 24 times. The FAA is continuing to investigate Amazon’s compliance with the Hazardous Materials Regulations applicable to air transportation, it said. The FAA has sought a total of nearly $1.3m in fines as a result of those instances. In at least 15, hazardous material leaked, the FAA said in its notice of violation. It was not clear how many times Amazon had paid fines or admitted responsibility because the FAA does not announce fines of less than $50,000, a spokesman for the authority told Reuters. The company did pay $91,000 in April 2014 for an incident the previous year in which its employees improperly shipped flammable liquid adhesive.
FedEx employees in Boulder discovered a gallon container of adhesive was leaking, not properly labelled and without proper shipping papers, the FAA said.
Amazon the company will continue to work with the FAA in this area.
The Royal Mail Group National Dangerous Goods Manager has paid tribute to the thorough and meticulous work of the Royal Mail Screeners and CWU members working at the Royal Mail Air Hubs for doing their job in removing and reporting these items. The CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department equally applauds the CWU members involved for eliminating the danger which is for them their everyday job and nothing out of the ordinary.
However, Amazon’s irresponsible and unsafe organisation has clearly been presenting a risk to aircraft passengers both in the UK and USA and profit clearly comes before safety. In 2015 Amazon UK Services had a turnover of £1 billion in the UK, with a profit of £38 million. In the USA Amazon is the leading e-retailer with more than $107 billion U.S. dollars in net sales and is one of the most valuable retailers in the world.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 580/16 Amazon Fined £65,000 plus £60,000 Costs for Trying to Ship Dangerous Goods by Air via Royal Mail
Important information for Eastern No5 Members
CWU DEATH GRANT
As a CWU member your next of kin, friend or charity is entitled to a payment from CWU Headquarters of £758 in the event of your death.
The Branch currently pays an addition £238 on top of this. This is a tax free cash payment and does not form part of any estate.
You need to make sure that you have the person/charity registered on the database with the branch or it may not be possible to pay this money.
To update your records please contact the Branch Secretary at branch.secretary@cwue5.org or telephone 01733 382512, who will be able to send the paperwork to your home address.
Amanda Hill
Branch Secretary
BRANCH BENEVOLENT FUND
This fund provided by Eastern 5 Branch exists to provide assistance to members whilst on long term sick leave. Payments are subject to being a CWU member for a minimum of 3months. Payments are as follows;
- £25.00 after 16 weeks continuous sick leave,
- £75.00 on reaching 32 weeks continuous sick leave,
- £100.00 on reaching 52 weeks continuous sick leave.
Please note that back payments cannot be made.
Please contact the Branch Secretary at branch.secretary@cwue5.org or telephone 01733 382512, who will be able to send the paperwork to your home address.
Amanda Hill
Branch Secretary
FREE CWU MEMBERSHIP
Did you know that if you enter into less than full pay on your contracted hours i.e. when you have been off sick for 6 months or on extended maternity leave, you are entitled to FREE CWU membership? This covers members on long term sick and/or maternity leave.
If you think you are entitled to FREE CWU membership due to the reasons stated above, but are currently paying membership subscriptions please contact the Branch Secretary at branch.secretary@cwue5.org or telephone 01733 382512 who will make necessary arrangements to rectify this.
Please note that in instances where membership subscriptions have been paid whilst on long term sick or maternity absence this cannot be refunded.
Amanda Hill
Branch Secretary
SABATICAL LEAVE
Any member who takes Sabatical Leave will automatically have their CWU Membership stopped once their pay is stopped.
To continue your CWU Membership you will need to amend your payment to pay via Direct Debit.
If you are taking a sabbatical and wish to remain a CWU member please contact the Branch Secretary at branch.secretary@cwue5.org telephone 01733 382512, who will be able to send the paperwork to your home address.
Amanda Hill
Branch Secretary
Stoptober’ Campaign 2016 – Helping Smokers Quit!
As October is approaching we are reminding Branches of the national ‘Stoptober campaign’ promoted by Public Health England.
Public Health England have provided 100 of Royal Mail Group’s largest sites with campaign promotional material on which aims to get Smokers to give up for 28 days during the October Campaign Month. Those who can achieve that target will be 5 times more likely to quit permanently.
Giving up smoking is not easy, but the benefits are huge:
» Save Money – You’ll have much more cash in your pocket. If you smoke a packet a day, you could save around £250 each month!
» Boost your health – No matter how long you’ve Smoked for, quitting can help improve your health straight away.
»Quit for your family – You’re more likely to live longer and have more energy for quality time with your children, family and friends.
If you don’t smoke, why not try and support and reassure someone who does, remind them of the benefits of giving up.
If you need support to stop smoking there is lots of guidance on the ‘Stoptober’ Website at: http://www.nhs.uk/OneYou/Stoptober and the RMG ‘Feeling First Class’ Website at: http://www.feelingfirstclass.co.uk. The guidance includes advice on how to suppress the triggers that make you want to smoke and handle cravings.
For more information on wellbeing why not take a look at the ‘Feeling First Class’ Website at; http://www.feelingfirstclass.co.uk (Use the code FFC1 to sign up). The CWU Health Safety and Environment Department are encouraging RMG employee CWU members to ‘Sign-Up’ as a “FFG” Website member in order to utilise all the on-line Health Tools and utilise the full benefits available.
There are also lots of ideas for ways to support giving up smoking on the Stoptober web page. Visit the following Link:- http://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/stoptober/home.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 573/16 ‘Stoptober’ Campaign 2016 – Helping Smokers Quit!
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 