Postal Apprentices – CWU Membership/Recruitment & Subscription Rates

Branches will be aware from the contents of LTB 401/21 circulated on 20^th September 2021 that the initial tranche of Postal Apprentices have started their employment and can now be recruited to/or join the CWU.

It was previously reported that the usual subscription rates that are applicable to adult recruits 18 years of age and above will apply to Postal Apprentices but that in respect of the rates for the 16/17-year-old age group, the Union are currently working with Royal Mail Group to update the PSP System to accommodate the new subscription rates for our younger colleagues. These discussions have also involved the Membership Department at CWU Headquarters.

It has now been confirmed that as an interim solution from Monday 27^th September 2021 and whilst Royal Mail Group update the PSP system, an additional column will be added to the file that is supplied to the Royal Mail Group processing team in order to identify those who are 16 and 17 years old and set the membership rate as outlined below which was agreed in consultation with the SDGS Department:

• All 16 year olds who Opt IN to the Levy Plan 6 pay £1.57 per week (Those who Opt OUT of the Levy will pay £1.37 per week).
• All 17 year olds who Opt IN to the Levy Plan 5 pay £1.93 per week (Those who Opt OUT of the Levy will pay £1.73 per week).

This will replace the need for a direct debit form to be completed and provides the method for ensuring that those aged 16 and 17 can join the CWU and pay their subscriptions through deduction at source.

In closing I would like to place on record my thanks and appreciation to both Matt Edwards and Laura Wright in the CWU Headquarters Membership Department for their help and assistance in resolving this matter.

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 406/21 – Postal Apprentices – CWU Membership Recruitment Subscription Rates

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LACEY AND JOHN PAUL BENNETT DONATION FUND

We are writing to advise Branches of the tragic and very sad news reported in the media of the death of Lacey and John Paul Bennett whose father Jason Bennett is a CWU member employed at the Sheffield City Delivery Office. Lacey and John Paul’s mother Terri Harris and Connie Gent, a friend of Lacey, were also tragic victims.

In conjunction with the South Yorkshire & District Amal Branch, CWU HQ have set up an appeal fund where Branches can make a donation. This appeal is to assist the family and Jason at this very difficult time.

Donations from branches should be made via a bank transfer to the CWU’s General Fund, please ensure that the following reference is used with the donation “LACEY AND JOHN PAUL BENNETT DONATION”.

Any enquiries on the above should be address to jdunn@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward                                                   

General Secretary           

LTB 405/21 – LACEY AND JOHN PAUL BENNETT DONATION FUND                          

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RMPFS IR Framework Agreement – Ballot Result

Further to LTB 365/21 dated 3rd September 2021 at the close of the ballot on 21st September the following result was declared:

95 Ballot papers issued
42 ballot papers returned

Total possible votes 1413

Total Votes in favour of the agreement    685

Total votes against the agreement 0

Thank you to all Branches that took part in the ballot.

Next Steps
A timetable will be set in due course for the nomination process for individuals to fill the roles and any consequential elections which need to take place to enable the implementation of the new RMPFS I.R. Framework.

Any enquiries regarding the content of this LTB should be addressed to the PTCS/Outdoor Departments, quoting reference number 301/120.12, email: khay@cwu.org or outdoorsecretary@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely                                               
Carl Maden                                                    
Assistant Secretary              

Yours sincerely
Mark Baulch
Assistant Secretary

LTB 403/21

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Election of National Representative Positions – 2021

• CWU Retired Members Committee – Vacancies

Further to LTB 358/21 dated 26^thAugust 2021, please find below the result of the ballot which closed today.

2 Retired members living in EnglandRodney DowningSouth East No 538,347 John FarnanEastern No 652,966*ElectedDamian IbisonSouth West Middlesex Amal22,863John KavanaghSouth Midlands Postal27,154 Sean (John) RyanEast London Postal41,816*ElectedColin WinsbyGreat Western31,961 

Please find attached a copy of the branch breakdown for this ballot.

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

LTB 404/21

Ballot Returns

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DEMONSTRATION TORY PARTY CONFERENCE | UNITE AGAINST THE TORIES – SUNDAY 3^RD OCTOBER 2021

PROTEST AGAINST | CORRUPTION | CRONYISM | FIRE & REHIRE | PRIVATISATION OF THE NHS | LOW PAY PROTEST FOR | NEW DEAL FOR WORKERS | SAFER WORKPLACES | RIGHT TO FOOD | BETTER PUBLIC SERVICES

This year the Tory Party will be holding their annual conference in Manchester on 3 October – 6 October and the People’s Assembly, supported by Trade Unions, including the CWU, are holding a major national demonstration on Sunday 3rd October.  Details of the demonstration are set out below.

National Demonstration | Sunday 3^rd October 2021

Assemble: 12 noon, Oxford Rd, near Whitworth Park, Manchester, M14 4PW

(Just look out for the large CWU balloons)

All Branches are urged to do all they can to attend this event and to encourage and assist as many of our members as possible to attend on the day.  

The Union will be providing merchandise and flags for the event and Branches are also encouraged to bring their banners to create a show of strength from the CWU.  

The CWU delegation will be led by the North West Region and for any further enquiries on the above, please contact Carl Webb North West Regional Secretary at northwestregion@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward

General Secretary

LTB 402/21 – Demonstration Tory Party Conference

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Postal Apprentices – CWU Membership/Recruitment (Subscription Rates)

Colleagues will be aware that the initial tranche of Postal Apprentices have commenced employment and are now able to join/be recruited to the CWU.  A number of enquires have been received in the DGS(P) Department relating to the subscription rates that will be applied to both adult and potential members aged 16/17.

It is confirmed that the usual rates applicable to adult recruits 18 years of age and above will apply to Postal Apprentices.

I can also report that after consultation with the SDGS Department the following subscription rates will apply to potential members aged 16/17.

•  all 16 year olds who Opt IN to the Levy Plan 6 pay £1.57 per week (Those who Opt OUT of the Levy will pay £1.37 per week).
• all 17 year olds who Opt IN to the Levy Plan 5 pay £1.93 per week (Those who Opt OUT of the Levy will pay £1.73 per week).

In respect of the rates for the 16/17-year-old age group, the Union are currently working with Royal Mail to update the PSP System to accommodate the new subscription rates for our younger colleagues and we expect the uplift to be completed over the next few weeks.  We are also in dialogue with the business about a possible interim solution to collect these subscription rates from pay however as an alternative option in the short-term the attached form may be used as a direct debit from the members’ bank account.

Branches and Representatives will be advised of further developments once they occur.  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 401/21 – Postal Apprentices – CWU Membership, Recruitment (Subscription Rates)

Attachment to LTB 401/21 – New Entrant Training Pack DD Form

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The Launch of CWU App – Download Now

We are pleased to announce that the CWU App is available to be downloaded on Apple and Android devices. You can download it directly via the links below or by searching for ‘Affiliate the CWU App’ in either the App Store or Google Play Store. 

App Store for Apple devices

Google Play Store for Android devices
 

To access a download guide and further information on your system requirements for download, please visit: www.cwu.org/affiliate

The App offers us a unique opportunity to have the best of our online communication tools all in one place. We have the ability to showcase articles, videos, podcasts, events, polls and send push notifications to all members.

Branches will note that the App has two feeds – the Affiliate news feed and My CWU. The Affiliate news feed will host wider trade union movement content and give us the opportunity to share news of workers in dispute, wins in other unions and debate how we grow our movement.

The My CWU feed will focus directly on our members in the workplace. Members will be able to choose the information they want to see based on the constituency and region they work in. We are working directly with our Regional Secretaries to encourage as much regional content as possible to flow onto the App.

This is phase one of the App launch and phase two will include members being able to update their own address and wider membership details. Phase two will also identify how we can utilise the App for increasing membership of the union.

The launch of Affiliate is a major develop for not only our union but the wider trade union movement. Once the App has been in circulation for a few weeks we will be calling a national briefing to go through the project in greater detail. In the meantime, we ask every CWU branch to put in place plans to ask as many of their members as possible to download the App immediately. It is only by having thousands of our members engaged with the App that we can match and exceed the financial muscle of the equivalent forms of communication from employers.

We are confident that this is another strong tool and one which will further enhance the experience for CWU members. Our thanks go to our Communications Department and in particular, Deputy Head of Communications, Amie Retallick who has led this long-term project.

Any questions on this LTB should be directed to the Communications Department: mmurray@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward Chris Webb
General Secretary Head of Communications Engagagement & Media

Dr Shaun Davis Royal Mail Group Global Director Compliance & Sustainability – Resignation:

This is to inform all CWU Health and Safety Representatives in Royal Mail Group that Shaun Davis Royal Mail Group Director of Compliance & Sustainability who has Group wide responsibility for Safety, Health, Wellbeing, Environment and Security has notified us of his resignation from the business as of last week and he is currently working his contractual notice period with a departure date in February 2022.

Shaun asked me to thank all the CWU local and Area Health and Safety Representatives for their important contribution to the health and safety of the workforce in Royal Mail Group, as part of the safety community along with the RMG SHE team during his ten years with Royal Mail Group.

In a personal message to the Union Mr Davis said his decision was not quick or easy and he is proud of the great work he has done with his team, the CWU and the Union’s ASRs and WSRs, through the strong and professional working relationship that had been established. He wished everyone a happy, healthy and safe future.

On behalf of the Union I thanked him for his service and wished him well in the furtherance of his career elsewhere.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 397/21 – Dr Shaun Davis Royal Mail Group Global Director Compliance & Sustainability – Resignation

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