TUC DISABLED WORKERS CONFERENCE 2021 – REGISTRATION

This year the TUC Disabled Workers Conference will be held as a virtual conference.   The conference is scheduled to run from Wednesday 10^th March until Thursday 11^th March and registration to attend is open to all.   The timetable for the conference is as follows:

Wednesday 10^th March:

The unequal impact of Covid-19 on disabled workers 

Session         Conference debate

Time             14:00 to 16:10

Title              Organising against the unequal impact of covid-19 on disabled workers

Speakers       Frances O’Grady, General Secretary TUC

Dave Alan, Co-Chair of the TUC Disabled Workers Committee

Thursday 11 March: 

The role of trade unions in securing and enforcing Reasonable Adjustments 

Session         Panel Discussion

Time             12:00 to 13:30

Title              The role of visibility in tackling disability discrimination

Speakers       TBC

Session         Conference debate

Time             14:00 to 16:10

Title              The role of trade unions in securing and enforcing Reasonable Adjustments

Speakers       TBC

The CWU do have an involvement at the conference.  Those interested in attending the Disabled Workers Conference will need to pre-register.  Once registered, attendees will be sent regular updates containing conference documents and links to sign up for the individual sessions that will be running along with panel debates and fringe events.

Registration will be open until the day prior to the Conference, but attendees are encouraged to register before 25^th February 2021 to ensure that they receive all communications and have enough time to secure their place at any breakout sessions.

To obtain as high attendance as possible we encourage you to circulate this information to your members.   The link to register is as follows:

www.tuc.org.uk/TUCconferences

Any further enquiries with regards this please contact conferences@cwu.org or Angela Niven on 020 8971 7256.

Dave Ward
General Secretary

21LTB45 – TUC Disabled Workers Conference – Registration

NATIONAL PENSIONERS CONVENTION – LGBT WORKING GROUP

We have been approached by the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) to nominate a Retired Member to sit on their LGBT Working Group.

Accordingly, this LTB is to ask Branches that if they believe any of their LGBT Retired Members would like to sit on this working group that they please forward name, membership number and contact details to sdgs@cwu.org by Friday 19^th February.

The NPC LGBT Working Group is a new working party, set up after the 2019 Biennially Delegate Conference, to represent the interests of retired LGBT people both within the NPC and in wider society.  There are many challenges, much ignorance and outright prejudice – including issues with housing, isolation, loneliness, lack of understanding and respect for lifestyle choices that older LGBT people face.

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

21LTB044

Dear Colleagues,

KEY PRINCIPLES FRAMEWORK – THE PATHWAY TO CHANGE AGREEMENT (PAY ARRANGEMENTS)

Further to LTB 38/21 which confirmed the ballot result and endorsement of the above agreement, following dialogue with the business, details of the implementation of the two pay awards are reproduced below.2020 – 2.7% Pay Award 

2.7% uplift of weekly paid employees to commence from 22^nd February 2021 and in February salaries for monthly paid employees. The uplift and arrears will be received at the same time by both weekly and monthly paid employees on pay date Friday 26^th February 2021. 

Colleagues will appreciate that the payroll team experience a very heavy workload at the start of April, including work related to the tax year end. In addition to this the 1% pay uplift coinciding with the Easter holidays has made it difficult to implement the weekly pay uplift from the start of April. The arrangements for this element of the pay award are detailed below.2021 – 1.0% Pay Award

The 1% uplift will be implemented from week commencing 26^th April 2021 for weekly paid employees. The revised pay rates and arrears will be in both monthly and weekly-paid employee’s pay packets on 30^th April 2021 (backdated to the start of April).

The pay review and arrears will not apply to any former employee who left employment prior to the date of communication of the negotiators’ agreement on 18^th December 2020.

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)

LTB 43/21 – KEY PRINCIPLES FRAMEWORK THE PATHWAY TO CHANGE AGREEMENT (PAY ARRANGEMENTS)

LTB 042 – TUC Heart Unions Week – National ‘Follow the Union Day” – Friday 12th February

No. 042/21

4 February 2021

TO: ALL BRANCHES

Dear Colleagues,

TUC Heart Unions Week – National ‘Follow the Union Day” – Friday 12^th February

The Annual TUC Heart Unions week will be held this year from 8-12^th February.

As part of this week of activity, each union has been asked to hold an online event. We have chosen to host National Follow the Union Day on Friday 12^th February.

This day will be used to highlight the details of the national unions social media channels and ask as many members as possibly to like and follow our accounts. In the coming days we will produce materials which will aid branches in promoting the event. We would also encourage branches to advertise and promote your own social media channels as part of this event.

Whilst, on the face of it, this event may not seem one of our more significant moments, it is absolutely critical that as we face serious issues with our employers and we seek to grow our influence in the wider movement, we have the greatest natural reach possible.

National Follow the Union Day will be backed by a number of high-profile figures across our movement who will share messages of support throughout the day.

We would also ask branches to use the day to promote the best of our union. With this in mind our hashtag for next Friday will be #CWUandProud – so we want videos, messages and graphics letting the whole movement know why you are so proud to be CWU.

Please support this event, grow our channels and play in key role in getting our messages out to members.

Kind regards

Dave Ward                    Chris Webb

General Secretary      Head of Communications                                          

LTB 042-21 – TUC Heart Unions Week – National ‘Follow the Union Day” – Friday 12th February

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INDUSTRIAL ACTION BALLOT – OPENREACH Ltd. REPAYMENT PROJECT ENGINEERS (RPE)

The industrial action ballot involving our Repayment Project Engineer members closed today.  I am delighted to publish the result in line with the required legislation.

• (a) number of ballot papers sent out – 170

• (b) votes cast in the ballot – 160

• (c) individuals answering “Yes” to the question, or as the case may be, to each question – 138

• (d) individuals answering “No” to the question, or, as the case may be, to each question – 22

• (e) spoiled voting papers – 0

• (f) Percentage of number of votes cast in line with the number of individuals entitled to vote in the ballot – 94%

This is an absolutely fantastic outcome and clearly shows the strength of feeling among the members impacted by the imposed changes.  Our RPE members have driven this campaign from the beginning until today in order to ensure that the RPE role remains as a team member grade.  This will undoubtedly continue and by acting as a collective we will deliver the outcome they set out to achieve.

The support given by reps, Branches, Regional Co-ordinators, the National Team and Executive has been invaluable and is appreciated by the members who have made their voice heard with this result.  This is not a CWU driven issue or campaign as has been suggested by the company.

The company must now reflect on this outcome and return to the negotiating table with a genuine desire to resolve this dispute by reaching an agreement that ensures the RPE role remains a team member grade.  The CWU is willing to meet the company as soon as possible in order to progress the discussions.  In the absence of a commitment to move forward on that basis then the appropriate notice and strike action will take place.

Branches will be kept up to date with progress and are asked to ensure they continue to support their members in the days and weeks ahead.

Any enquiries from Branches regarding this LTB should be referred to my office in the first instance.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Bowman

Assistant Secretary

039.2021

POST OFFICE: POSTMASTERS: HORIZON INQUIRY – HAVE YOUR SAY

The Inquiry into the Horizon scandal currently being undertaken by retired Judge Sir Wyn Williams and his team is looking for current or former Postmasters and/or their families to take part in focus groups over the next few weeks. The CWU is encouraging as many Postmasters as possible to participate in this important process in order to further expose the ongoing flaws and previous poor attitude from Post Office management. The first focus group took place on 15th January and Mark Baker, our Postmasters Branch Secretary and serving Postmaster took part in this interesting session, along with two other CWU Postmaster members. The recording of this focus group can be accessed here

In conjunction with our Communications Department a dedicated CWU web page on the Horizon Inquiry has been constructed which provides the full details and links to the application process for the further focus groups. My thanks go to the Comms Team for their excellent work in this regard. A web story has also been published with all associated links and can be accessed here

We believe it is imperative that Postmasters’ voices are heard to make sure those Senior Directors who were responsible for ruining the lives of so many are fully held to account for their actions in the Horizon scandal. Therefore, Branches are urged to give wide publicity to this activity via all available channels including social media.

Parliamentary Questions – 1st February 2021

Interestingly, the following two questions was tabled by Kevan Jones Labour MP for North Durham:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether (a) Post Office or (b) his Department (i) has taken or (ii) plans to take, any legal
action against Fujitsu following the civil litigation case Alan Bates and Others and Post Office Limited.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans the Post Office has to seek financial compensation from Fujitsu in response to the costs incurred in the civil litigation case Alan Bates and Others and Post Office Limited.

Paul Scully, BEIS Minister provided the following identical answer to both questions:

While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. The details regarding contracts with Fujitsu and seeking financial compensation, are an operational matter for Post Office Limited.

The Department has not taken, and has no plans to take, any legal action against Fujitsu.

EDM 593: Judge-led public inquiry into the Horizon scandal

It is good to report in recent weeks there has been a significant increase to the number of signatures to this EDM regarding Horizon, which we previously highlighted to Branches in various LTBs including 311/20. The EDM now has 137 signatures and I am grateful to those Branches and Representatives who have promoted this topical EDM to their MPs and wider political circles. However, in the absence of a proper judicial inquiry, the Union believes we should engage with the only vehicle currently open to us, meaning we will continue to participate in Sir Wyn Williams’ Inquiry.

The parliamentary questions above, together with the EDM demonstrate that the Horizon scandal remains very much under the microscope from politicians.

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary

LTB 037/21 – Post Office – Postmasters – Horizon Inquiry – Have Your Say

ROYAL MAIL CONSULTATIVE BALLOT – RMG AND CWU KEY PRINCIPLES FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT (THE PATHWAY TO CHANGE) – BALLOT RESULTS

Please see below the result for the above named ballot.ResultFOR53,99891.5%AGAINST5,0338.5%Number of eligible voters112,595Votes cast by post:38,671Votes cast online:20,384Total number of votes cast:59,055Turnout:52.4%Number of votes found to be invalid:24Total number of valid votes to be counted:59,031

This emphatic ‘Yes’ vote marks the end of an extremely testing two-year dispute with Royal Mail Group and we would like to place on record our sincere thanks to all of our Representatives and members for the invaluable contribution they have made to society as key workers but also for their outstanding and unflinching solidarity to each other and their union.

This collective strength has enabled us to defeat an ideology all too present in society today, where greed and profit is more important than service and culture. We now have an agreement that offers hope, growth, job security and the protection of a wonderful public service.

The race to the bottom, mass job losses and declining business strategy has been defeated and we now have a Royal Mail Group leadership that totally support this agreement and are committed to working with the CWU to redesign and grow this great public service.

Embracing change and creating a positive and mature mutual interest culture is at the heart of this agreement. Our members are the most trusted provider on the door step, customers have total confidence in their postal worker and we are and always have been an essential service.

This past year has proven beyond doubt the vital role postal workers have in society, from Covid test kits, vaccination appointments and keeping every business, government service and household connected, our members have delivered against the greatest odds.

• We have always known the value of the service our members provide to society.
• We know what a modern universal service looks like.
• We know what a decent job looks like.
• We know what the value of job security is for our members and their families.

We have fought for so long for a vision of the future and the right to shape it, this agreement gives us the opportunity to do that.

There is now a massive job ahead of us to deploy the terms of the agreement and ensure the mutual benefits are achieved – let’s start that work now.

Please ensure that these results are brought to the urgent attention of the members of your Branch.

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)  

LTB 038/21 – ROYAL MAIL CONSULTATIVE BALLOT – RMG AND CWU KEY PRINCIPLES FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT (THE PATHWAY TO CHANGE) – BALLOT RESULTS

UNITED TECH AND ALLIED WORKERS (UTAW)

We are pleased to be able to inform you that since launching towards the end of last year, the new United Tech and Allied Workers (UTAW) National Branch within the CWU – which seeks to represent and fight for workers interests in the expanding tech and digital sector – has just reached its initial membership target of 200 members!

As was highlighted in LTB 461/20, the CWU has for some time been a viable option for workers in the tech industry looking to unionise and already had members in the sector. The formation of the new branch and the recruitment efforts that have followed have sought to expand our existing membership and provide a dedicated space within which to organise and collectivise, to support and empower one another, to fight against exploitative business practices in the industry, and for the improvement of every member’s working conditions.

Please join us in warmly welcoming all new members to the UTAW branch of the CWU, and spread the word within your networks to help us further expand the CWU family and grow what is, without a doubt, the best fighting union in the country.

Attached to this LTB is a one-page info sheet for distribution to branch members. There are also graphics suitable to be shared on social media – these can be downloaded here 

Any enquiries relating to the above should be addressed to rodept@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Ray Ellis   Dave Ward
Head of Recruitment & Organising          General Secretary

LTB 035/21 – UNITED TECH AND ALLIED WORKERS (UTAW)

CWU United Tech and Allied Workers Branch

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NEC ELECTION TIMETABLE 2021

Please see below the timetable agreed by the NEC at their meeting on 21^st January 2021 for the NEC elections due this year.

Nominations Open:  20 May 2021

Nominations Close:  10 June 2021 (14:00)

Accept Nomination:  14 June 2021 (14:00)

(TFSE NEC/IE positions only)

Despatch ballot material:  6 July 2021  

Close of ballot:  3 August 2021 (first post)

Result:  5 August 2021

As you will see this timetable is scheduled for later in the year than would normally be the case.

The reason for this is that the NEC has agreed that there is a need to make further changes to the structure of the NEC to continue to address the issue of proportionality.

Given that the structure of the NEC is governed internally by the appropriate Rule and externally by legislation, then in order to implement any proposed changes we would need to make changes to the CWU Rule Book.  This in turn requires us to have such rule changes agreed by a conference of the Union.

Accordingly, we are in the process of making arrangements to have a CWU virtual conference to deal with this particular issue.

We anticipate that this conference will take place towards the end of April 2021.  Any changes agreed by that conference, either proposed by the NEC or by Branches will then be incorporated into the regulations for the NEC in time to meet the above timetable.

Branches will be aware that the issue of proportionality has been under consideration for some time and the NEC believe it is now time to make more progress at NEC level to address this issue.

Branches will be advised of the date of the conference, entitlement to motions, the timetable for submission of such rule change motions once these have been agreed following discussion with the Standing Orders Committee.

Additionally, the NEC will produce a report to Branches outlining the proposals they will be making and the rationale as to why these are being made.  In order that the NEC proposals can be explained and questions from Branches can be answered, we will be holding an online event in advance of the conference.  Again, Branches will be advised of the date of this event once arrangements have been finalised.

The purpose of this LTB is simply to give Branches the formal information of when the NEC election will take place.  All other aspects of the processes outlined above that will lead to that election will be forwarded to Branches in the coming weeks.

Any enquiries on the election timetable or the proposed Rules Revision Conference should be addressed to the SDGS Department sdgs@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 034/21

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