CWU Accounts 2016
 
Further to LTB 191/17 dated 3 April 2017 and LTB 217/17 dated 19 April 2017.
 
Please find attached the details of the monies that make up Branch Funds. 
 
The attached document lists each Branch with the brought forward balance from 2015 and the closing balance for 2016. This demonstrates the movement in each account for the financial year 2016.
 
Additionally please find attached the Financial Statement required by Section 32A of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 as amended, for the period 1st January – 31st December 2016.
 
Please can you ensure that this information is brought to the attention of the members of your Branch.  
 
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
LTB317/17 – CWU Accounts 2016

Attachment 1

Attachment 2

GENERAL ELECTION
 
From the starting point in the polls, facing a hostile right wing press and a Tory party bankrolled by billionaires, last night was a hugely positive result for Labour that heralds a change in the balance of political forces in the UK.
 
Under Jeremy Corbyn it put forward the bold and optimistic agenda for change that this country needs. It energised young voters and hundreds of thousands of Labour and trade union members who got out on the street to campaign for it. This is the platform Labour wins from.
 
We want to thank all our reps and members for their efforts over the past eight weeks. The trade union movement itself needs to change to help deliver the shift in values that last night signals. We will be saying more about this in the coming weeks and the union’s press release on the election is attached to this LTB. 
 
We want to congratulate our members who stood in the election: Julie Gibson, Matt Kerr and Chris Webb all fought great campaigns and increased the Labour vote; Hugh Gaffney for winning in Scotland with a massive swing; and James Frith for taking Bury North from the Tories.
 
Given the nature of the result there will be further developments over the coming days. As a union, we need to continue to connect our industrial and political agendas and to drive forward our work to deliver a New Deal for Workers and re-assert trade union values in this country. We will be saying more about our strategy for this shortly.  
 
Any enquiries on the content of this LTB please forward to gsoffice@cwu.org
 
Yours sincerely
 
 
 
Dave Ward Tony Kearns
General Secretary Senior Deputy General Secretary
 
 

 
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 316/17 – General Election

More Than Women’s Issues” – New Work Foundation Report Calling For An End To Workplace Taboos Surrounding Women’s Reproductive and Gynaecological Health Conditions:
To: All Branches
Dear Colleagues,
This 2017 Work Foundation Report calls for an end to workplace taboos surrounding women’s health conditions in relation to women’s reproductive and gynaecological health conditions.
Under-recognised chronic gynaecological health conditions are holding-back women’s productivity and could be damaging their career and earning potential.
A new report launched by the Work Foundation highlights that women’s health conditions, such as endometriosis or infertility, having a long-term condition during pregnancy, and the experience of the menopause, are still considered taboo and are under-recognised in the workplace.
Endometriosis, a chronic condition that affects one in ten women of reproductive age in the UK, is the second most common gynaecological condition. It occurs when cells similar to those lining the uterus grow elsewhere in the body and can cause symptoms such as excessively painful periods, chronic pelvis pain and fatigue. There is no cure and symptoms get worse with age. The symptoms can also lead to poor mental health.
The Report builds upon a study conducted across ten countries that found women with endometriosis experience reduced work performance, losing on average almost 11 hours of work each week. This was mainly due to reduced effectiveness in work.
The costs of this lost productivity are considerable – on average costing around £6,000 per person each year. A lack of support can also lead to women losing their jobs – particularly if they work in physical roles.
Women with endometriosis can be reluctant to disclose their conditions due to concerns around stigma and a lack of understanding.
Researchers are calling for perceived taboos around women’s reproductive health to be shattered. They argue women need to be empowered to get support through greater recognition of conditions and ensuring parity alongside other workplace health issues.
Researchers also call for dialogue among employers, policy makers and health professionals and for endometriosis to be included in the Equality Act as a chronic, debilitating disease.
Ms. Karen Steadman, Health, Wellbeing and Work Lead at the Work Foundation, states that women’s reproductive and gynaecological health is replete with whispered conversations and euphemisms and it’s time to change this.
Many of these conditions manifest in stress, poorer psychological health, fatigue and pain, all of which we know have considerable implications for work.
The motherhood pay penalty, where mothers take time out of the labour market, is well known to sharply increase the gender pay gap from the age of 40. However, many women also experience reproductive health burdens that can also affect their ability to work and therefore possibly further exacerbate gender pay inequality.
The report says these conditions should not just be dismissed as ‘women’s issues’. As they affect so much of the UK’s working age population, they are important for the economy as a whole.
The report is the first in a new series of papers by the Work Foundation looking at gender, sex, health and work.
The Report also highlights:
Poor mental health associated with infertility

Long-term health conditions becoming worse during pregnancy

Potential discrimination in the workplace for pregnant workers

42 per cent of menopausal women find their symptoms negatively affect their job performance

Women feel discussing the menopause with managers as being taboo

The Report’s authors have included a set of recommendations, which include:
Improved recognition of women’s reproductive health in workplace policy

Workplaces should provide confidential support for female workers

More information on conditions and work should be provided by Government services and health professional organisations

Review the legal status of conditions

Review clinical guidance

Increase recognition of work as a health outcome

More research is needed in this area to better understand the challenges

A pdf copy of the Report is attached.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download
– LTB315/17 “More Than Women’s Issues” – New Work Foundation Report Calling For An End To Workplace Taboos Surrounding …..

Attachment 2 – Work Foundation 2017 Report More Than Womens Issues

CWU Response to Government Green Paper on Defined Benefit Pension Schemes
 
The CWU has made the attached response to the Government’s Green Paper on ‘Security and Sustainability in Defined Benefit (DB) Pension Schemes’, which was agreed by the NEC in May.
 
The CWU’s response highlights the challenges facing the future sustainability of DB pension schemes, with reference to schemes where we have members, and calls for reforms to address these issues.
 
The response calls for a new regulatory approach for scheme valuation methods and investment strategies to ensure DB pensions are manageable and sustainable for the long term.
 
The response is also available on the CWU website at the following link: http://www.cwu.org/departments-services/research/documents-and-consultation-responses/other/
 
Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the Head of Research.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Bill Taylor
Head of Research
Email Attachments – Click to download
309a

General Election 2017 – Labour Party Policy & Election Manifesto – Health and Safety

Further to LTBs 607/2016 and 231/17 and in line with the CWU’s established NEC and Conference Policies, pursued via the CWU/TUC “Protect Health and Safety Campaign”, the Health, Safety and Environment Department has continued to pursue our policies at every opportunity and as we approach the General Election, we have intensified pressure on the Labour Party, in pursuance of those objectives and aspirations which set out our Union’s position on needed changes in the UKs Health and Safety at work safety laws and enforcement.
The CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department has continued to call on the Labour Party to have firm Health and Safety commitments prior to the forthcoming General Election and in response to a direct invitation from Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, following his landmark speech to the 2016 Hazards Conference, a letter containing a list of CWU health and safety demands was sent to both John McDonnell and the Labour Party Leadership, calling for support for CWU Health and Safety policies (see attachment to LTB 231/17).
I am pleased to report a positive response has been received from Labour who are the only Party in the General Election to give firm headline, long term commitments on Health and Safety with the potential to have a huge positive impact on reducing the toll of death, injury and illness that is still an everyday part of working life for so many working people in the UK, including CWU members. 
The main party manifestos have been published, with menus of policies that could potentially impact on workplace regulation and occupational health. Support across the country from Labour Candidates has been excellent in supporting CWU ideas. With the ‘Brexit’ countdown now a reality, many working people have been left wondering whether there will be negative changes to workplace safety laws. Labour have committed to protecting the health and safety regulations currently in place as well as pledging to improve safety through a number of policies and the party is happy to continue the debate with the Trade Unions after the Election. Here, we’ve summarised the main points that members can take to the ballot box when they vote on Thursday.
Safety, Health and Worker Rights:
Labour has said it will:-
Ensure that all workers should be able to work in a safe environment and return to their families at the end of the day. Labour will enforce regulations that save lives.

Give all workers equal rights from day one, whether part time or full time, temporary or permanent.

Strengthen the HSE and safety at work generally and increase HSE inspections.

Ensure Britain abides by the global labour and safety standards of the ILO conventions.

Crack down on unscrupulous employers”, and “strengthen safety at work inspections”. “Working with trade unions, Labour we will end workplace exploitation”.

Reinstate protection against third party harassment, such as clients and suppliers because everyone deserves to be safe at work.

Reset the UK’s road safety vision and ambitiously strive for a safer transport network, reintroducing effective road-safety standards and set out bold measures to improve safety standards – to work towards a transport network with zero deaths.

Commence a phased removal of asbestos from schools as recommended by the All Party Parliamentary Asbestos Sub-Group.

Pledge to match European Union Safety and Environmental standards after ‘Brexit’ ensuring that EU-derived workplace safety laws are protected. The majority of the UK’s workplace health and safety laws originated in Europe.

Address concerns that some employers do not fulfil their obligations to pregnant workers. Labour will work with the HSE to make mandatory a workplace risk assessment for pregnant women so necessary adaptations can be made, and review support for women who have miscarriages.

The Conservative (Tory) Party has said it will:-
Transform how mental health is regarded in the workplace. However, at the same time the Tory Government has been cutting mental health services and doing nothing on prevention. The Conservative Party has said it will amend health and safety regulations so that employers provide appropriate ‘Mental Health First Aid Training’ and risk assessments for mental health, as they currently do for risks to physical health. This followed Prime Minister Theresa May’s announcement earlier this month that larger organisations would be required to provide Mental Health First Aid. However, the TUC and Labour Party have stated that there are two things wrong with what the Conservatives are proposing; The first is that mental health services in many areas have been consistently slashed over the last seven years with a lot of local mental health budgets being raided for other purposes, yet the Conservative manifesto is offering no new funding for mental health. This means that there are often no suitable support services available for mental health first aiders to point workers towards. Secondly, they are saying nothing about mental ill health prevention in spite of there being half a million people in Great Britain suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety. For years the trade unions have been saying that we need simple clear regulations on stress so that employers know what they have to do and enforcement agencies can ensure they are doing it. Yet successive governments have refused to act. Instead employers are increasingly investing in training for workers about how they can manage stress which throws the problem on to the worker and sees it as their responsibility. While mental health first aiders are welcome, they are not a response to workplace stress. If the government really wants to help then they should give legal protection from one of the main causes of mental health disorders – stress, and at the same time put some new ring-fenced money into improving early access to NHS mental health services.
However, the Tory manifesto pledges to continue with the ‘deregulation agenda’ firstly though the “Red Tape Challenge” which was used to attack and rubbish health and safety at work by the Tories and Bosses and secondly through the “One In Two Out” policy which is used to block new Health and Safety Regulations. Commitments to maintain present regulations are short-term, for one term of government only and therein is the threat of a health and safety regulation ‘bonfire’ should the Tories remain in government!
As for the other Parties in the Election, Health and Safety doesn’t feature and isn’t on their radar and so is unimportant to them!
Finally, it would be nice to see political parties coming up with ideas that ordinary workers are likely to find appealing, such as new regulations on stress and a legally binding maximum temperature in the workplace to name but two.
[Note Previous Letters To CWU Branches as part of this campaign: 107/10, 84/11, 90/12, 92/12, 91/13, 114/14, 485/14, 607/2016 issued in connection with Motions carried in the Health, Safety and Environment section at CWU General Conference.]
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
 
Email Attachments – Click to download
Attachment 1 – LTB307/17 General Election 2017 – Labour Party Policy & Election Manifesto – Health and Safety

Royal Mail Group – Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) Deployment Plan 2017/18 – (New/Revitalised SHE Standards Planned, Engagement Campaigns & SHE Activities) 
To: All Branches with Postal Members  
Dear Colleagues, 
At a recent RMG/CWU National Health and Safety Strategic Involvement meeting, the RMG
SHE Team provided an updated copy of their 2017/18 Deployment Plan. A copy is attached for the information of CWU ASRs and WSRs based in Royal Mail Group. 
The key months to review will be June to December. The Deployment Plan sets the SHE Initiatives, Campaign Weeks (Property, STF, Fire, Road Safety, SWRA, Night Workers, Mental Health etc) as well as various SSoW reviews, Occupational Health and Wellbeing Awareness, Environmental Focus Initiatives and Communications programmed over the quarters 1 to 4, as well as planned SHE Management Standards reviews. 
Yours sincerely
 
Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 306/17 Royal Mail Group – Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) Deployment Plan 2017/18 –

SHE Deployment Paln 2017/18

Election of National Representative Positions – 2017
 
Postal Standing Orders Committee

 
Further to LTB 274/17 dated 17th May 2017, please find detailed below the result of the ballot that closed today.
 
Postal SOC (7 Members)  
 
Phil Callaghan
69,004
*Elected
Phil Ewer
27,658
 
John Gaby
73,491
*Elected
Scott Haslam 
47,172
 
Brian Irvine
79,197
*Elected
Paddy Magill
87,760
*Elected
Bola Omoyeni
27,974
 
Tony Sneddon  
83,699
*Elected
Julia West
93,045
*Elected
Richard Wilkins
62,331
*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
LTB304/17 Election of National Representative Positions 2017 – Postal SOC

Attachment 1