BIENNIAL CONFERENCE 2026 

BIENNIAL CONFERENCE 2026 

Branches and Representatives will recall the decision relating to Biennial Conference agreed at the Special Restructuring Conference on 28 June 2025, which stated “the first General and Industrial Conferences under the new process will be held in 2026”.

This decision superseded the plan to hold an online conference this year as referenced in the “CWU Restructuring – The Next Steps” booklet from December 2024. Given the industrial issues that are currently ongoing in each of the major businesses, at the meeting on 13/14 August 2025 the NEC agreed to hold a face-to-face conference in 2026 as the first biennial event. This will include the half-day equality and rules revision sessions.

Enquiries were made with various venues to hold Biennial Conference 2026 but proved to be problematic despite the reduction in delegation sizes. This was due to the shorter timescale for booking the conference, the costs involved, a lack of availability even though there has been a reduction in delegation sizes, the costs and an absence of venues with the provision to accommodate both Industrial Conferences at shorter notice.

Given the information above Branches will now be able to make the necessary arrangements to start booking accommodation.

Colleagues will be aware the Union has held numerous conferences over the years at the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC). As a regular client we have managed to secure the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) from Sunday 10^th – Thursday 14^th May 2026. The decreased delegation sizes meant we will only need to use the Solent Hall and Tregonwell Hall and will not need the main Windsor Hall. This has resulted in securing the site at a reduced cost making it the cheapest venue by some distance. This reduction in cost is in line with our drive to reduce expenditure and our programme of restructuring.

Any further enquiries with regards this please contact conferences@cwu.org or Angela Niven on 020 8971 7237.

Dave Ward
General Secretary

25LTB187 – Biennial Conference 2026

View Online