Member-Nominated Trustee Director – Royal Mail Pension Plan

The Trustee of the Royal Mail Pension Plan (RMPP) is a company called ‘Royal Mail Pensions Trustees Limited’. This company is legally responsible for ensuring that the RMPP is run properly. The board of directors of this company comprises nine trustee directors, of whom

• one is an independent Chair appointed by Royal Mail Group and Post Office Limited with the agreement of the unions,
• four are nominated by or on behalf of the membership (three through the CWU process and one through the Unite/CMA process), and
• four are nominated by Royal Mail Group and Post Office Limited.

One of the member-nominated positions through the CWU process is due for selection with effect from 1 April 2022 and so nominations are now being sought. The position is currently held by Paul Kennedy and we understand that he will be seeking re-selection for a new term of office. Nominations can be from any individual who is a current, retired or deferred member of the RMPP, irrespective of Union membership.

A self-nomination form is attached to this LTB. The completed form should be returned by email to pmetcalfe@cwu.org and must be received by 24 January 2022.

All Candidates will also be required to submit a 200-word (maximum) statement supporting their candidature for election to the position when returning their nomination form.

Individuals wishing to understand the role of a trustee can visit the Pensions Regulator’s website and read the section: ‘An Introduction to Trusteeship’ which is in the ‘Trustees’ tab and then by clicking ‘Understanding Your Role’.

Upon receipt of a nomination, an information pack will be dispatched by email to the individual who has submitted the nomination.  The pack will contain information on the role and responsibilities of a Trustee, a detailed job description and a personal specification for a potential Trustee.

Prior to a ballot taking place all candidates who have submitted a fully completed nomination form will be required to attend a half-day pre-election familiarisation seminar in London on 7 February 2022, which will be organised by the RMPP Trustee. At this stage, candidates will be asked to re-confirm that their names should be added to the ballot paper and will also be given the opportunity to make any textual changes to their supporting statement.

If there is more than one valid nomination, a ballot will be held of all individuals who are employee members of RMPP and who are employed in CWU represented grades, irrespective of Union Membership.  The ballot will be conducted by the distribution of ballot papers direct to individual home addresses.

Completed Postal ballot papers must then be returned in the envelope that will accompany the ballot paper to Popularis, who have been appointed as Independent Scrutineer for the purposes of this election.

There will also be an option included in the ballot pack for eligible members of the RMPP to cast their vote electronically via an online secure portal. The details for this will be included with the ballot paper. Eligible RMPP members will only be entitled to cast one vote in the ballot.

The candidate who receives the most votes in the ballot will be selected as the CWU MND. In the event that there is only one nomination forthcoming then that nominee will be deemed to be selected without the need for a ballot and should there be no nominations at all, the nomination and selection process will be re-run no more than three years later.

Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary department for the attention of Peter Metcalfe or you can email to pmetcalfe@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 008/21

CWU Nomination Form 2022

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CWU CANDIDATES PROGRAMME

Following the passage of Motion 4 at the Special Annual General Conference held in November 2021, the union is launching the CWU Candidates programme as part of our new building collectivism strategy designed to connect the industrial and political spheres. The objective of the programme is to identify talented members to prepare them to run as Labour Party Parliamentary candidates at the next election and to put working people back in Westminster.

On Thursday we will launch the call for applications across our social media platforms and we encourage applications from all of our members, no matter how politically experienced. We are looking for candidates with a strong industrial background, strong links to their local community and a desire to better our society. Branches should encourage applicants with these qualities to visit https://www.cwu.org/candidates for more information and support them with their application.

If selected, candidates will access first-class broadcast and social media training, detailed guidance on Parliamentary procedure and hear from speakers across the labour movement, including Ian Lavery MP, Preston Council Leader Matthew Brown, Zarah Sultana MP and Laura Smith.  As part of the CWU’s new political strategy, the programme will also run sessions on Community Wealth Building, alternative economies, antiracism and building collectivism in local communities. At the end of this programme, candidates will be ready to fight for working class people in Parliament, whilst keeping CWU values at the heart of their politics.

Other candidate schemes have prioritised Westminster-focused training and resources for electoral candidates. The CWU will deliver a programme that ensures candidates will be focused on improving the links between trade unions and their local communities, rather than solely on Parliament and internal Labour Party politics.

CWU Candidates will run from early March 2022 to mid-June 2022 and will require applicants to attend three in-person residential events (COVID-19 permitting), as well as some virtual learning events. Branches should encourage members to apply, and we welcome applications that reflect the diverse nature of our membership. The CWU will support candidates with accessibility requirements and will cover the cost of travel and board.

Details on the programme, how to apply and eligibility requirements will be available at https://www.cwu.org/candidates from 11am on 6/1/2022. All applications and queries must be sent to candidates@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward

General Secretary                                                

LTB 007/22 – CWU Candidates Programme

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ROYAL MAIL ENGINEERING: TERRITORIAL REPRESENTATIVE ELECTION

There is a requirement to seek nominations for the 6 positions of Engineering Territory Reps.  These will be elected on the basis of 3 from each of the 2 Royal Mail Territory boundaries i.e. North and South. The term of office will be for two years.

FIELD OFFICER ELECTIONS (Royal Mail Territory Representatives)

NORTHERN TERRITORY         –       (3 Positions)

SOUTHERN TERRITORY         –       (3 Positions)

The nomination form is attached. Completed nomination forms must be signed by the Branch Secretary and Branch Chair (or accredited deputies) and the nominee, along with any biographical details by no later than 14.00 on 20^th January 2022by email to elections@cwu.org Only branches with Royal Mail Processing Engineers in membership are entitled to nominate.

The timetable for nominations is as follows:

Nominations open:                06 January 2022 

Nominations close:               20 January 2022 (14.00)

All enquiries regarding the content of this LTB should be addressed to the PTCSDepartment, quoting reference 138. Email address: khay@cwu.org

Yours Sincerely

Carl Maden

Assistant Secretary

Attachment 1: 22LTB003 – Royal Mail Engineering -Territorial Representative Election

Attachment 2: Election Guidelines 2022

Attachment 3: Nomination Form

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VISITORS – TUC DISABLED WORKERS CONFERENCE – 22^nd – 23^rd March 2022

The TUC Disabled Workers Conference 2022 is being held from Tuesday 22^nd – Wednesday 23^rd March at the Bournemouth International Centre, Exeter Road, Bournemouth BH2 5BH.  The Conference sessions will be as follows:

Tuesday 22^nd March           11.00 – 18.00

Wednesday 23^rd March        09.30 – 17.30 (with the possibility of finishing early)

The CWU are allowed a limited number of visitors to attend the above Conference and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.  Due to the need for extra security at all TUC Conferences, names and addresses of those wanting visitor tickets must be supplied and tickets are not transferable.

Anyone interested in attending will need to contact their Branch initially for funding, to include a £10 visitor ticket fee. The easiest way to pay the £10 fee will be for us to transfer it directly from your Branch’s account through the rebate system, therefore please contact Angela Niven on conferences@cwu.org  with details of which Branch the individual belongs to on application.  Alternatively you can send a cheque (made payable to ‘CWU’) addressed to Angela Niven at CWU HQ with a covering letter.  Please note that places will not be reserved until the £10 fee is received.

Please let me know if you would like to attend the Conference as a visitor by no later than midday on Wednesday 19^th January 2022 as the TUC require this information by the end of the week.

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

Dave Ward

General Secretary

LTB 06/22 – Visitors TUC Disabled Workers Conference

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VISITORS – TUC WOMEN’S CONFERENCE – 9^TH – 11^THMARCH 2022

The TUC Women’s Conference 2022 is being held from 9^th – 11^thMarch 2022 at the TUC, Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS.  The Conference sessions will be as follows:

Wednesday 9^th March          14.00 – 17.30

Thursday 10^th March           09.30 – 17.30

Friday 11^th March                09.15 – 13.00

The CWU are allowed a limited number of visitors to attend the above Conference and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.  Due to the need for extra security at all TUC Conferences, names and addresses of those wanting visitor tickets must be supplied and tickets are not transferable.

Anyone interested in attending will need to contact their Branch initially for funding, to include a £10 visitor ticket fee. The easiest way to pay the £10 fee will be for us to transfer it directly from your Branch’s account through the rebate system, therefore please contact Angela Niven on conferences@cwu.org  with details of which Branch the individual belongs to on application.  Alternatively you can send a cheque (made payable to ‘CWU’) addressed to Angela Niven at CWU HQ with a covering letter.  Please note that places will not be reserved until the £10 fee is received.

Please let me know if you would like to attend the Conference as a visitor by no later than midday on Friday 21^st January 2022.

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

Dave Ward

General Secretary

LTB 005/022 – VISITORS – TUC WOMENS CONFERENCE 2022

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CWU RMPFS REPRESENTATIVES – ENGINEERING AND ADMIN GRADES – RESULT FOR VACANT CWU POSITIONS

Further to LTB 537/21 dated 10^thDecember 2021 regarding vacant nominations for the RMPFS Engineering & Admin Grade Field Officials, at the close of nominations on the 22^ndDecember 2021 the following were received:

REGIONAL POSITIONSNORTH EAST  Ian JacksonNorth East Branch*ElectedEAST ANGLIA  Paul RaynerCentral Counties & Thames Valley Branch*ElectedSOUTH WEST & WALES  Christopher CoatesGreat Western Branch*ElectedTHAMES VALLEY LONDON & SOUTH EASTNo nominations receivedWORKPLACE REP – LEEDS ADMIN CENTRENo nominations received

Congratulations to the representatives elected and we will be working with branches to fill the remaining vacancies.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to the PTS Department quoting Ref. 320 at e-mail address: khay@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Carl Maden                               

Assistant Secretary

LTB 004/22 – CWU RMPFS Representatives – Engineering and Admin Grades – Result for Vacant CWU Positions

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The New Covid 19 Rules for the UK

The CWU Health Safety and Environment Department continues to constantly monitor the position across the UK.

Further Covid restrictions were introduced in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from 26 December.

There are currently no new measures for England, but the prime minister has said he “can’t rule out” further restrictions.

What are the Covid rules in Scotland?

From 26 December, there are limits on the size of live public events for three weeks:

• Indoors – 100 standing or 200 seated
• Outdoors – 500 seated or standing

This means the cancellation of many Hogmanay events, including Edinburgh’s main celebrations.

Football matches will be effectively spectator-free, and non-professional indoor contact sports will stop. Life events like weddings are not included.

From 27 December nightclubs will be closed for three weeks.

Pubs, bars and other hospitality venues will return to table service only. One-metre social distancing is advised in these settings, with no more than three households in each group.

Other measures include:

• People asked to limit social contact to two other households either side of Christmas – and to use lateral flow tests before meeting
• Shops and businesses to take measures to limit the spread of Covid
• Care home visits limited to two households (who need to be tested)
• Employers have a legal duty to let staff work from home
• Face coverings compulsory on public transport and most indoor spaces
• All over-18s required to prove their vaccine statusor show a negative test at many venues

What Covid tests do I need if I travel abroad?

What’s happening in Wales?

There are new measures from 0600 GMT on 26 December:

• Social distancing of 2m in all premises open to the public and workplaces, where reasonable
• Gatherings limited to six people in premises such as hospitality venues, cinemas and theatres
• Licensed premises to take additional measures to protect customers and staff, including table service and collecting contact details
• Face coverings required in hospitality settings, apart from when seated
• Large events not allowed – with maximum numbers of 30 at an indoor event and 50 outdoors
• Large sporting events will be played behind closed doors. For smaller sporting events, up to 50 spectators are allowed. There is an exception for events involving children.
• From 27 Decembernightclubs will be closed

Other measures include:

• NHS Covid Pass needed for entry to cinemas, theatres and concert halls, and many other events
• Working from home wherever possible
• Compulsory face coverings in schools, on public transport, and in shops and hospitals
• Advice to wear masks in pubs and restaurants, when not eating or drinking

What are the Covid rules in Northern Ireland?

From 0600 GMT on 26 December:

• Nightclubs will be closed
• Dancing in all hospitality venues will not be allowed
• All indoor standing events will not be allowed

From 0600 GMT on 27 December:

• Hospitality venues including pubs, cafes and restaurants will be table service only
• In hospitality venues a maximum of six people (or 10 from a single household) allowed at a table (excluding children aged 12 and under)
• Businesses must take measures to achieve 2m social distancing and limit the spread of Covid in office spaces
• Businesses to promote use of face coverings
• These measures do not apply to weddings or civil partnership celebrations.

Household mixing should also be limited to a maximum of three households, the government says.

Other measures include:

• Face coverings compulsory in shops, indoor-seated venues and visitor attractions, public transport and some other settings
• Post-primary pupils must wear a face covering inside school buildings, as well as on school transport. Staff are encouraged to wear masks in school areas where they can’t socially distance.
• Covid passport scheme for venues including bars and cinemas

What are the Covid rules in England?

Boris Johnson said introducing tougher measures in England was not currently justified.

However, he urged people to wear a mask indoors when required to do so, keep fresh air circulating, and take a test when visiting elderly or vulnerable relatives.

People need to show that they’re vaccinated, have recently tested negative (or are exempt) to gain entry to nightclubs and many other venues.

Face coverings are compulsory in most indoor public venues, including theatres and cinemas – as well as on public transport and in places like shops and hairdressers. Masks are not needed in pubs or restaurants, or venues like gyms where it’s “not practical”.

People should work from home “if they can” and are advised to take lateral flow tests before entering any “high-risk setting”, such as a crowded place.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 002/21 – The New Covid 19 Rules for the UK

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Health, Safety & Environment Department LTB Digest List for 2021:

As in previous years the Health, Safety & Environment Department is circulating, for the particular attention of Safety Representatives, a digest list of LTBs issued by the Health, Safety & Environment Department during 2021.

The department issues this digest list annually as a reference document.

Copies of all back-number LTBs are available for downloading via the CWU Website or on request directly from the Health, Safety & Environment Department.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 001/22 – Health, Safety & Environment Department LTB Digest for 2021

LTBs JAN – DEC 2021

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