CWU Branch Youth Officers Forum, 7th June 2017 – Cardiff 
I am pleased to announce that the 2017 Branch Youth Officers Forum will be taking place on Wednesday, 7th June at the Cardiff Central Library (Level 4 room), The Hayes, Cardiff, CF10 1FL. It is about a 10 minute walk from Cardiff Central train station. It will start at 11am and finish at no later than 4pm. 
Branches are asked to encourage their Branch Youth Officer to attend please. Places are also open to those young members who may be interested in taking up the role of Branch Youth Officer for the branch. Places are limited so if branches could send in the attached application form as soon as possible please. 
The forum primarily will be the focal point that Branch Youth Officers can network with their fellow officers and learn about the role and share experiences. A copy of the report from last year’s forum can be found >> http://www.cwuyouth.org/events/branch-youth-officers-forum-2017/ 
The timetable is yet to be finalised, but I wanted to give branches plenty of time to arrange for release and to take advantage of any cheap travel options. Unfortunately there are no funds available from head office to pay for participants to attend, so branches will be liable to cover the cost of travel, subsistence (although lunch will be provided) and any accommodation costs. 
Further details for the event such as the timetable, any social (for those staying the night before) and advice on hotels will be supplied shortly. 
If you have any queries on this LTB please do not hesitate to contact Jo Thair on jthair@cwu.org or call 0208 971 7487. 
Yours sincerely,
 
Tony Kearns

Acting General Secretary

 
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 193/17 – CWU Branch Youth Officers Forum, 7th June 2017 – Cardiff

DRIVING LICENCE CHECKS (EXCLUDING NORTHERN IRELAND) 

Dear Colleagues

 

Branches and representatives will be aware that in July 2016, LTB 438/16 was communicated to provide notification that the interim electronic licence check process for all staff required to drive as part of their duties, utilised following the cessation of the paper driving licence counterpart in 2015, had been confirmed by the business as being adopted on a permanent basis.

 

You will also recall that Headquarters had previously made representation to the business in relation to the possibility that managers who had access to the required information, could potentially obtain a code and undertake a licence check without the drivers consent or knowledge. In order to address this issue the business committed to re-issue guidance to managers in relation to performing the licence check with the driver’s permission, when each of the six monthly checks is instigated.

 

Since the adoption of the process however further issues have been brought to the attention of Headquarters which would suggest that there may have been instances where the correct process has not been adhered to by some managers undertaking the licence checks. Representation has therefore once again been made to the business at National level to remedy this situation, which has resulted in the business committing to add the following wording to the Process document and Inspection Record:

 

➢ Process – Where drivers do not have access to a computer, they can use a computer in the office where they can also receive assistance from a manager or WPC. The driver must be present for consent when the information is obtained and it is a data protection offence to ‘Get a code’ by a manager or WPC without the driver present. 

 

➢ Inspection Record – Manager Declaration: I have checked the above driver’s licence against the DVLA printout and all details are correct. I have checked that the address on the licence corresponds to unit records. ‘The driver must be present for consent when the information is obtained and it is a data protection offence to ‘Get a code’ by a manager or WPC without the driver present’. (Sign below).

 

Attached for your information are copies of the revised documentation that will be issued to managers in relation to the electronic process for the April 2017 licence checks.

 

We are hopeful that the strengthening of the wording contained in the attached documents will remove any ambiguity for both managers and drivers around the process that is to be used, as well as providing members with additional safeguards in relation to Data Protection.

 

We will however continue to monitor the situation and would request that if any instances of deviation from the process are experienced in relation to licence checks that they are brought to the attention of the relevant department immediately.

 

The revised electronic licence check arrangements also apply to driving licence checks for Parcelforce Worldwide drivers.

 

Branches should note however that these arrangements do not apply to Northern Ireland, where the process is that the counterpart and card continue to be checked, as these are still used for driver licencing.

 

Branches and representatives are requested to ensure that our members are made aware of this LTB and its annexes.

 

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to:

 

For Deliveries:

Mark Baulch, Assistant Secretary (Elect), e-mail outdoorsecretary@cwu.org quoting reference: 300.02

 

or

 

For Network, Area Distribution, RMSS &Parcelforce:

Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, e-mail: dwyatt@cwu.org or shayman@cwu.org quoting reference number: 202.09.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Davie Robertson​​​​​​Mark Baulch

Assistant Secretary​​​​​​Assistant Secretary (Elect)

Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB176/17 – Driving Licence Checks (Excluding Northern Ireland)

Attachment 2 – Driving Licence Inspection Record

Attachment 1 – Driving Licence Check Process

CWU Consolidated Accounts 2016Please find attached the CWU Consolidated Accounts for the financial year 2016.

The audit of these accounts is now substantially complete and the final version will be signed prior to CWU General Conference 2017. There will be no financial changes to the final signed version of the accounts enclosed.

Accordingly Branches are now invited to forward questions to the attached CWU Consolidated Accounts 2016 to arrive by no later than 12:00 hours on Wednesday 19th April 2017.

Please note all questions should be sent to the email address sdgs@cwu.org or by post addressed to the Finance Department at CWU HQ. Please note, any emails sent to any other email address will not receive a response and will not be included in the published questions and answers. 

Any other queries on this LTB should also be addressed to sdgs@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

 

TONY KEARNS

SENIOR DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY

 

 

Email Attachments – Click to download

LTB 191/17 – CWU Consolidated Accounts 2016

2016 Accounts

DAVE WARD – CWU GENERAL SECRETARY
Branches may be aware that Dave Ward our General Secretary has been off work recently due to illness.
I have spoken with Dave today and we have agreed that it is appropriate for Branches to receive more information about Dave’s current situation.
Dave has been in hospital twice recently and is currently undergoing tests to get a diagnosis. We now anticipate that Dave will be off work for a period of time and as a result I will be undertaking the role of Acting General Secretary during this period. The NEC were informed of this position at their meeting held on the 30th March 2017.
Dave wants everyone to know that he is feeling ok and positive and hopes to be home soon making a full recovery and be back at work in the near future.
He also wants to pass on his thanks to all those who have sent get well messages.
In the meantime, I am sure Branches would want to join me in wishing Dave a full and speedy recovery. We understand that branches and individuals may want to pass on their own messages of support or best wishes to Dave and if that is the case it would be greatly appreciated if can you send these to the General Secretary’s Dept at CWU HQ and we will ensure these are passed on.
We will update Branches in due course as appropriate when we have further information.
Tony Kearns

Acting General Secretary

Royal Mail Shares – Share Incentive Plan (SIP) 2014 Free Share Offer 

Further to LTB 602/16, this LTB is to notify Branches and Representatives that we are now approaching the third anniversary of the SIP 2014 free share offer. From the 9th April 2017, eligible employees will be able to sell shares they were awarded in October 2013 and April 2014.  

 

Under the rules of the SIP, employees can keep their shares for as long as they like while they remain a Royal Mail employee. Those wishing to hold onto their shares do not need to take any action – they will stay in the Share Incentive Plan (SIP) and continue to receive any dividends while employed in Royal Mail.

 

From 15th October 2016, employees had the option of selling their shares (for the first time) and receiving a cash payment based on the RM share price. However, those looking to cash in and sell their shares (after 15th October 2016 and before 14th October 2018) should note they will have to pay tax and national insurance. Basic rate taxpayers will need to pay 20% income tax and 12% NI, while higher rate taxpayers will pay 40% income tax and 2% NI (assuming the full amount of NI at 12% has already been paid).

 

Ultimately, what members choose to do with their shares after 9th April is a personal decision but those who plan to sell should be fully aware of the significant tax and NI they will have to pay which is likely to reduce any payment by around a third.

 

The company has notified the CWU that they intend to handle the latest share event in a similar way to the SIP 2013 share sale conducted in October last year. The only material difference this time is that many employees will have shares from both SIP 2013 and SIP 2014 available to sell. This potentially adds a complication of different award prices (489p and 511p respectively) and therefore different taxable values (if the sale price is greater than the lowest award prices). This may lead some to consider how many shares to sell from each award or if they sell any at all. To help with this process, Royal Mail say the Trust has been set up in a standard way that will mean the Trustee has to sell the oldest shares first.

 

To explain the process to its workforce, all eligible Royal Mail employees have been reminded about the approaching anniversary in their SIP annual statement mailed out to all SIP free shareholders in the week commencing the 6th March 2017. There will also be a news story on Royal Mail’s internal digital channels a week before the anniversary date.  

 

Equiniti will again handle any sale instructions via the same online and automated telephone channels as last time with all the supporting information an employee may need available on the Equiniti Employee Share Portal or via the normal Employee Shares Helpline.

 

As the CWU are not able to provide any financial advice to individual members they may also want to seek independent financial advice before making any decision. If members have any questions, they can also phone the Royal Mail Employee Shares

Helpline free on 0800 012 12 13 or check the information available at:

 

http://www.myroyalmail.com/employee-share-offers.

 

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department quoting reference 60000i.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

​​

 

Terry Pullinger

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)​​