Month: December 2018

Government Announcement to Scrap Pay Between Assignment Contracts – Swedish Derogation

Government Announcement to Scrap Pay Between Assignment Contracts – Swedish Derogation

The Government has announced today workplace reforms that will affect agency workers and those working in the gig economy.

Under new legislation announced today the Swedish Derogation which is a loophole within the Agency Worker regulations that allows agency workers to be paid inferior pay rates to permanent employees will be scrapped.

This is part of a number of new legislation and measures that will be unveiled today which takes forward the recommendations made by Matthew Taylor in his review of modern practices to address the challenges of the gig economy and agency working, the changing world of work and its impact on the modern economy.

The new legislation introduced today in full will:

  • Close the loophole by repealing the the Swedish Derogation – which currently allows agency workers to be employed on cheaper rates than permanent counterparts.
  • Extend the right to a day one written statement of rights to workers, going further to include detail on rights such as eligibility for sick leave and pay and details of other types of paid leave, such as maternity and paternity leave; 
  • Quadruple maximum employment tribunal fines for employers who are demonstrated to have shown malice, spite or gross oversight from £5,000 to £20,000; and
  • Extend the holiday pay reference period from 12-52 weeks, ensuring those in seasonal or atypical roles get the paid time off they are entitled to.
  • Lower the threshold required for a request to set up Information and Consultation arrangements

As part of the reforms to upgrade workers right and improve the quality of work, there are also plans to tackle exploitation of low paid workers including:

  • Bringing forward proposals in early 2019 for a single enforcement body to ensure vulnerable workers are better protected;
  • More resource for the Employment Agency Standards (EAS) Inspectorate;
  • Creating new powers to impose penalties for employers who breach employment agency legislation like non-payment of wages;
  • Consulting on Salaried Hours work and Salary Sacrifice Schemes to ensure National Minimum Wage rules do not inadvertently penalise employers.
  • Bringing forward legislation to enforce holiday pay for vulnerable workers;
  • Consulting on the recommendation on non-compliance in supply chains.

This announcement comes after a long-running campaign by the CWU to eradicate Pay Between Assignment contracts in BT which were introduced in 2011 as part of the Agency Worker Regulations and is vindication of the campaign that has been run over many years.

At this point there is no further detail but it is however expected that a statement will be made to parliament shortly.

Any queries to be addressed to Sally Bridge at sabridge@cwu.org

Yours Sincerely

Sally Bridge

National Officer

LTB 706.2018

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Special Rules Revision Conference 2019 – Submission of Rule Amendments

Special Rules Revision Conference 2019 – Submission of Rule Amendments

Attached with this Letter to Branches are Rule Amendment forms for the Special Rules Revision Conference 2019.

Branches should note that the Motion Guide for submitting rule amendments to the Special Rules Revision Conference 2019 has been attached.

Entitlements

In relation to the Special Rules Revision Conference 2019 all Branches and Regional Committees are entitled to submit up to three proposals to the Special Rules Revision Conference 2019.

Branches and Regional Committees are reminded that the closing date for submissions of Rules Amendments to the Special Rules Revision Conference 2019 is midnight Tuesday 5nd February 2019. Submission of Rules Amendments can be posted or emailed but must arrive by midnight.

If sending Motions by post, Branches must ensure they use a signed for service which guarantees delivery by the closing date and time.

Branches, Regions, and the NEC are reminded that the Standing Orders Committee will not alter or amend any of the Rule Amendments submitted therefore it is important that Rule Amendments are checked before they are submitted.

Please note that all correspondence must be sent by e-mail toconferences@cwu.org and no other personal e-mail address.

Any queries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to Angela Niven on 020 8971 7256 or by e-mail toconferences@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

A P Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

18LTB708 – Special Rules Conference 2019 – Submission of Rule Amendments

SRR Guidance notes 19

SRR Proposal Form 19

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General Conference 2019 – Sunday 28th April 2019

General Conference 2019 – Sunday 28th April 2019

Attached with this Letter to Branches are motion forms for General Conference 2019. Branches should note that the motion guide for submitting motions to General Conference 2019 has been attached. Submitting bodies are advised to read the guidance notes carefully prior to submitting motions to ensure your motions meet the criteria for submission.

Entitlements In relation to the General Conference 2019:

  • All Branches are entitled to submit three motions to General Conference.
  • Regional Committees are entitled to submit three motions to the General Conference – however one of the motions must be from the Regional Women’s Committee.
  • Regional Health and Safety Forums are entitled to submit three motions on Health, Safety and Environmental matters to the Health Safety and Environment section of the agenda.

Branches/Regional Committees/Regional Health and Safety Forums are also reminded that the closing date for the submission of motions to General Conference is midnight, Tuesday 12th February 2019. 

Any queries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to Angela Niven on 020 8971 7256 or by email to conferences@cwu.org

Branches/Regions/Health and Safety Forums/Equality Conferences and the NEC are reminded that the Standing Orders Committee will not alter or amend any of the motions submitted therefore it is important that motions are checked before they are submitted.

Motions received, will be acknowledged within 72 hours. If you do not receive notification of the receipt of your motions, contactconferences@cwu.org or call Angela Niven at head office on 020 8971 7256 to confirm receipt.

If sending motions by post, Branches must ensure they use a signed for service which guarantees delivery by the closing date and time.

Motions submitted by email and any other email correspondence must be sent to conferences@cwu.org and no other personal email address.

Yours sincerely,

A P Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

18LTB707 – General Conference 2019 – Sunday 28th April 2019

General Motion Guide 2019

General Conference Motion Form 2019

HS-Form-2019

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RM/CWU National Terms of Reference – Uniform Trial New Polo Shirt Maternity Top

RM/CWU National Terms of Reference – Uniform Trial New Polo Shirt Maternity Top

Dear Colleagues,

As part of our ongoing talks with Royal Mail in relation to general uniform matters, the Outdoor Department has agreed a trial of a new polo shirt maternity top.

This trial has resulted after a number of months of discussions with the company on the need to improve the current maternity wear range, which also involved the establishment of a small working group including CWU Representatives to consider viable options on a new maternity top.

The new maternity top identified by the working group for trial is a new polo shirt and is part of a range of maternity wear items developed by the National Childbirth Association and Dimensions (Royal Mail’s uniform supplier). The new maternity top is based on a new lighter fabric of 200gsm (as opposed to the current 250gsm) and is the same fabric as that being trialled with the new lighter weight polo shirt (as set out in LTB 691/18).

As set out in the attached Terms of Reference, the trial will operate on the basis of applications for maternity wear and will be limited in numbers and for a 5 week period, with a joint review in February. The trial period for the new polo shirt maternity top is shorter than the normal 3 months due to the required lead time needed with the supplier to move the uniform item from concept to deployment. The aim is to have the new polo shirt maternity top available by August 2019, subject to trial feedback.

Those who volunteer to participate in the trial will be issued 2 of the new polo shirt maternity tops but will still retain their full maternity wear allocation.

The Department would like to place on record our thanks to Katie Dunning, CWU ASR, West London Postal Branch, Karen Regan, CWU Women’s Officer, Warrington Mail Centre Branch and Vicki Turner, member of the CWU Women’s Advisory Committee who formed part of the working group.

It is hoped that the trial of a new Polo Shirt Maternity Top is welcomed by Branches and (subject to the trial outputs) then made available for general uniform order in midsummer of next year.

Any queries to the content of the above, please contact the Outdoor Department, reference: 500, email address: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Baulch

Assistant Secretary

LTB – 692.18 – RM_CWU National Terms of Reference Uniform Trial – New Polo Shirt Maternity Top

RM_CWU National Terms of Reference – Uniform Trial New Maternity Wear Polo Shirt Maternity Top


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RM/CWU National Terms of Reference – Uniform Trial New Lighter Weight Polo Shirt

RM/CWU National Terms of Reference – Uniform Trial New Lighter Weight Polo Shirt

Dear Colleagues,

In line with our ongoing talks with Royal Mail in relation to general uniform matters, the Outdoor Department has agreed a trial of a new lighter weight polo shirt (unisex).

Over the past number of months there has been a common theme throughout the recent Royal Mail/Dimensions Roadshows (and which was also raised at the Royal Mail uniform stall at this year’s CWU Conference) that the current polo shirt is too thick and heavy and that a lighter weight fabric would be more suitable.

Against this background and feedback, a Terms of Reference has been agreed between the CWU and Royal Mail to trial a new lighter weight polo shirt based on fabric 200gsm (as opposed to the current 250gsm) in order to review if the new lighter weight version of the polo shirt is more suitable and an improvement on the current issue.

As set out in the attached TOR, the trial of the new polo shirt will be limited to a small selection of workplaces in the North East (Tyneside Mail Centre and the Delivery Offices of Valley, Heaton and Gateshead) due to a limited level of stock of the new polo shirt.

Additionally, it has also been agreed that the trial will last for a period of 5 weeks from January to February 2019, as opposed to the normal 3 months, due to the required lead time needed with the supplier to move the uniform item from concept to deployment. The aim is to have the new polo shirt available by August 2019, subject to the trial feedback.

It should be noted that the trial will operate on the basis of ‘first come-first served’ for those members who wish to participate in the trial at the listed workplaces (with no impact or reduction to their normal uniform allocation arrangements).

It is hoped that the trial of a new lighter weight polo shirt is welcomed by Branches, and subject to the trial outputs, made available for general uniform order in midsummer of next year.

Any queries to the content of the above, please contact the Outdoor Department, reference: 500, email address: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Baulch

Assistant Secretary

LTB – 691.18 – RM_CWU National Terms of Reference Uniform Trial – New Lighter Weight Polo Shirt

RM_CWU National Terms of Reference – Uniform Trial New Lighter Weight Polo Shirt


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RM/CWU National Terms of Reference – Uniform Trial New Lighter Weight Polo Shirt

RM/CWU National Terms of Reference – Uniform Trial New Lighter Weight Polo Shirt

Dear Colleagues,

In line with our ongoing talks with Royal Mail in relation to general uniform matters, the Outdoor Department has agreed a trial of a new lighter weight polo shirt (unisex).

Over the past number of months there has been a common theme throughout the recent Royal Mail/Dimensions Roadshows (and which was also raised at the Royal Mail uniform stall at this year’s CWU Conference) that the current polo shirt is too thick and heavy and that a lighter weight fabric would be more suitable.

Against this background and feedback, a Terms of Reference has been agreed between the CWU and Royal Mail to trial a new lighter weight polo shirt based on fabric 200gsm (as opposed to the current 250gsm) in order to review if the new lighter weight version of the polo shirt is more suitable and an improvement on the current issue.

As set out in the attached TOR, the trial of the new polo shirt will be limited to a small selection of workplaces in the North East (Tyneside Mail Centre and the Delivery Offices of Valley, Heaton and Gateshead) due to a limited level of stock of the new polo shirt.

Additionally, it has also been agreed that the trial will last for a period of 5 weeks from January to February 2019, as opposed to the normal 3 months, due to the required lead time needed with the supplier to move the uniform item from concept to deployment. The aim is to have the new polo shirt available by August 2019, subject to the trial feedback.

It should be noted that the trial will operate on the basis of ‘first come-first served’ for those members who wish to participate in the trial at the listed workplaces (with no impact or reduction to their normal uniform allocation arrangements).

It is hoped that the trial of a new lighter weight polo shirt is welcomed by Branches, and subject to the trial outputs, made available for general uniform order in midsummer of next year.

Any queries to the content of the above, please contact the Outdoor Department, reference: 500, email address: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Baulch

Assistant Secretary

LTB – 691.18 – RM_CWU National Terms of Reference Uniform Trial – New Lighter Weight Polo Shirt

RM_CWU National Terms of Reference – Uniform Trial New Lighter Weight Polo Shirt


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Isle of Man (IOM) Post Office

Isle of Man (IOM) Post Office

 Colleagues will be aware that CWU members in the Isle of Man embarked upon two days of official Industrial Action to defend their pay, terms & conditions of employment and pensions.  In effect, the challenges our colleagues in the Isle of Man are facing mirror those that CWU members working for Royal Mail faced during the Four Pillars dispute, which was resolved earlier this year.

The messages of support and solidarity to our members in the Isle of Man from CWU Branches across the country have been very much appreciated by our colleagues.  Furthermore, the Postal Section of the CWU as well as the wider CWU membership is standing with them in seeking to prevent the race to the bottom mentality that the current Isle of Man Postal Board has adopted.  In light of the IOM Government debates and media interventions, we have to acknowledge that this dispute would appear to be as much with the IOM Government as with the IOM Post Office and could therefore be a long dispute.

Colleagues will note that following the magnificent ballot result, the strike was well supported and this can be seen clearly in the videos that have been circulated via the CWU website as well on social media.  As with any dispute, many Branches and Senior Field Officials have contacted the Department requesting details of what additional support can be provided and against this backdrop the Department are suggesting the following:

  • That CWU regions (in collaboration with their Divisional Representatives/PFW Regional Organisers and Branches) consider the possibility of funding delegations from each region to attend the Isle of Man during periods of further Industrial Action as a show of solidarity and support.

 

  • Continue with personal messages of support from Branches, Representatives and members on a regular basis including any further days of Industrial Action.

 

  • Consider providing financial assistance to our members in the Isle of Man by donating to the IOM Strike Fund which the Department is setting up with the assistance of the SDGS.

 

  • Provide physical letters from Branches to the IOM Branch articulating support.

The above are just a few suggestions of ways in which the wider Union can provide additional support to our colleagues in the Isle of Man so that they can continue to challenge the unacceptable proposals management have put on the table in order to get them back into meaningful negotiations and reach an acceptable settlement on all of the issues currently in dispute.

Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department and further updates will be issued in due course.

Yours sincerely,

 

Terry Pullinger

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)                    

 18LTB701

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Royal Mail Group Managerial Structure 

Royal Mail Group Managerial Structure 

I understand that Royal Mail Group will be making an announcement today about their new operational structure. Whilst I say new, it will very much reflect the old structure with the same familiar faces.

This will be hugely disappointing news to all CWU activists and members who have unfortunately witnessed and experienced the significant damage to industrial and employee relations, resourcing and bullying culture this previous structure drove in Royal Mail. The announcement also carries a commitment to reintroduce a managerial area structure.

The business has stressed that they are fully committed to the ‘Four Pillars Agreement’ and all aspects of it, similarly they have stressed that the reintroduction of this old structure will address the accountability issue which was so evidently lacking in the past.

I believe the appointment of this managerial structure is a backward step by Royal Mail Group and completely the wrong decision which has clearly not been determined in the spirit of mutual interest – with my counsel on any new structure clearly ignored. Of course we would not accept management dictating our structure and clearly we cannot dictate theirs, but I fully appreciate the negativity this announcement will drive.

The CWU Officers will now test how the accountability of managers (an issue that was at the core of the relationship and deployment structures of the Four Pillars Agreement) will be maintained and operate in this new structure.

In closing, my message is clear. The Four Pillars Agreement reached genuinely positioned us for the future and the positive mutual interest evolution of Royal Mail Group, whilst affording our members employment and standard of living security. We are fully committed to that Agreement and will fight to protect it with the same determination it was achieved with. We simply will not accept walking backwards into the future.

In the meantime we must continue to ensure at all levels of this Union and especially at local level, that we are the most relevant and strongest workplace Trade Union in the country.

Further updates will be provided as more details emerge. Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department.

Yours sincerely,

Terry Pullinger

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)      

18LTB702 RMG Managerial Structure         

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ONLINE REGISTRATION – CWU YOUNG WORKERS CONFERENCE AND CWU EQUALITY CONFERENCES 2019

ONLINE REGISTRATION – CWU YOUNG WORKERS CONFERENCE AND CWU EQUALITY CONFERENCES 2019

Further to LTB’s 621/18 and 658/18 regarding the Young Workers Conference and 683/18 regarding the Equality Conferences please be advised that the online registration has now been opened. Details of the venues where the conferences are taking place are contained within the LTB’s listed above.

The number of delegates a branch is entitled to send to the Young Workers Conference are decided using the formula contained within LTB 683/18. There are no restrictions on the number of observers allowed to attend.

For each of the Equality Conferences, branches are entitled to send two delegates and there are no restrictions on the number of observers that can attend.

Branch Secretaries are asked to register ALL delegates and observers that are attending the conferences using the CWU online registration process. It would be helpful if individuals did not register themselves but instead speak to their Branch Secretary who will know the process to complete the applications.

If you have forgotten the password then please contact Angela Niven on conferences@cwu.org and she will deal with this.The link to apply for the conferences is as follows: https://conference.cwu.org

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to Chris Tapper or Angela Niven either by post to head office or by email toeventsregistration@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Tony Kearns 

Senior Deputy General Secretary

18LTB700 – online registration for Young Workers Conference and Equality Conferences 2019

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TUC South West Region – Mental Health at Work Symposium – ‘The Role of Trade Unions’ – Tue 22 January 2019: (A Free of Charge Event)

TUC South West Region – Mental Health at Work Symposium – ‘The Role of Trade Unions’ – Tue 22 January 2019: (A Free of Charge Event)

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

The TUC South West Region in conjunction with TUC Unionlearn are organising a ‘Mental Health at Work Symposium’ event focusing on the role of trade unions on Tuesday 22 January 2019, 10:30 – 15:30 GMT.

This event is sponsored by Unionlearn and is ‘free to attend’ for all union members, reps, officers, and organisers and a light lunch will be provided. Unionlearn and the TUC are not responsible for reimbursing any travel costs associated with attendance on the day.

Those interested in attending are advised to book early to guarantee a place.Bottom of Form

Event Information

This venue is located near Exeter Cathedral and is a 5 minute walk from Exeter Central Station.

Event Description

A mental health training day for trade union members, reps, officers, and organisers to learn more about:

  • how to support members 
  • negotiating and enabling better mental health at work practices and policies
  • the role of trade unions in developing mentally healthy workplaces
  • All attendees will be given a ‘goody bag’ of literature that they can take back to their branches and workplaces to use in their day to day roles and help improve wellbeing and mental health support in their work environments and union roles, including the new edition of the Mental Health at Work Handbook from TUC Education.

Sessions on the day include:

  • How a cancer diagnosis can affect mental wellbeing at work
  • Dealing with suicide 
  • Bullying and harassment 
  • Stress and the workplace 
  • Developing best practice and workplace policies on mental health
  • And more to be listed as confirmed 

Registration is online at:- https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mental-health-at-work-symposium-the-role-of-trade-unions-tickets-52914161682

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

18LTB697 TUC South West Region – Mental Health at Work Symposium – ‘The Role of Trade Unions’

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