Low/Ground-level Letterboxes – Campaign Update 

Branches will recall LTB 084/25 from April of last year, which reported ongoing efforts in pursuit of the union’s longstanding aspiration to make the industry standard minimum letterbox heights mandatory under the law for all new builds and new front doors.

This purpose of this LTB is to update Branches further on more recent developments and to advise of the appropriate steps in our continuing campaign.

In the late summer of last year, MP Annaleise Midgley (Knowsley) won support across the House of Commons for her Ten-Minute Rule Bill, the words of which were as follows:

‘That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend building regulations to require letter boxes in new buildings to be positioned above a certain height; and for connected purposes.  That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend building regulations to require letter boxes in new buildings and new front doors to be positioned in accordance with BSEN 13724 (2013).’

As Branches will be aware, the industry standard BSEN 13724:2013 (Annex B, Page 27), referring to the letterbox as the ‘aperture’, states: ‘For ergonomic reasons the lower edge of the lowest aperture and the upper edge of the highest aperture should be at a height between 700mm (approx. 2ft 3½in) and 1700mm (approx. 5ft 7in) measured from the delivery floor level.’

The challenge for us, following on from Parliament’s expression of general, cross-party support, is to place it within legislation. And the most achievable way forward, politically, is to include this with the forthcoming update/review of mandatory building regulations.

With this aim, Annaleise Midgley arranged for representatives from the Outdoor Department, along with the CWU’s Health & Safety Policy Assistant Jamie McGovern to join her in meeting Samantha Dixon MP (Chester North & Neston), who is the Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

In the meeting, the Under-Secretary said that she supported the union’s case and informed us that, as well as the well-documented effects on postmen and postwomen of low-letterboxes, there has also been research which indicates detrimental impacts on residents, particularly those with disabilities or impaired movement.

She further explained that a report from the statutory building regulator is expected this month, which will make various recommendations on this and other housing-related matters and, from that point, there will be a formal stakeholder consultation process expected to be followed by formal changes to the building regulations. When we asked about the likely timescale for this, we were advised of approximately 12 months.

In the meantime, the Department is continuing to ask area delivery and area safety reps to assist in further strengthening the union’s case by continuing to undertake the following:

• Please monitor and note significant new build construction projects within your area;
• Please make contact with the respective local authority and the company concerned with regard to these projects, ensuring that they know about the recommended letterbox placement dimensions as advised by the relevant section of BSEN13724, the reasons why the CWU is prioritising this issue and request their compliance;
• Please note the details and report back to the Outdoor Department and/or Jamie McGovern.

Your assistance in this is much appreciated and the Department will communicate a further update on this campaign when the building regulator’s report is received by the Under-Secretary and the formal consultation process is opened.

Any enquiries to the content of this LTB should be directed to the Outdoor Department, email address: lpietrzykowska@cwu.org / pharacz@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Tony Bouch
Assistant Secretary

LTB 015-26 – Low and Ground-level Letterboxes – Campaign Update

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General Conference 2026 – Sunday 10^th May -Monday 11^th May 2026

Attached with this Letter to Branches are motion forms and rule proposal forms for General Conference 2026.  Branches should note that the guidance for submitting motions to General Conference 2026 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, as the rules have changed.

Entitlements In relation to the General Conference 2026:

• Regional Equality Sub Committees shall be entitled to submit one motion to the Equality Section of the agenda.
• Regional Education, Learning and Training Sub Committee shall be entitled to submit one motion to the Education, Learning and Training Section of the agenda.
• Regional Political Sub Committees shall be entitled to submit one motion to the Political Fund Management Committee (PFMC) Section of the agenda.
• Regional Health & Safety Sub Committees shall be entitled to submit three motions to the Health and Safety Section of the agenda.
• Branches will be entitled to submit three motions to General Conference.
• The Retired Members and Young Workers Conference shall be entitled to submit two motions to General conference.
• All branches are entitled to submit one rule proposal.

Branches and Regional Sub Committees are also reminded that the closing date for the submission of motions to General Conference is noon on Thursday 5^th March 2026.

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

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

Motions received will be acknowledged within 72 hours. If you do not receive notification of the receipt of your motions, contact conferences@cwu.org or call Angela Niven at head office on 020 8971 7237 to confirm receipt.

Branches/Regional Sub Committees/ Retired Members and Young Workers 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 motion authors read the attached guidance notes carefully and motions are checked before they are submitted. 

Any queries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to Angela Niven on 020 8971 7237 or by email to conferences@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward

General Secretary

LTB 014/26

General Motion Guide 2026

General Conference Motion Form 2026

Rule Proposal Form 2026

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CWU International Women’s Day Networking Event – 10th March 2026, York

The Equality, Education & Development Department is delighted to announce this year’s Women’s Networking Event will take place on Tuesday 10th March 2026 at Friargate Quaker Meeting House, Friargate, York, YO1 9RL from 10:00 – 16:00.

This event is sponsored by the CWU North East Region.

The theme for International Women’s Day 2026 is “Give to Gain”. This event will provide CWU women with the opportunity to connect with fellow activists and senior officials, share experiences, and take part in interactive sessions designed to inspire collaboration and personal growth.

If delegates require overnight accommodation, branches are responsible for booking and covering the costs. To assist, here are some nearby hotels within walking distance of the venue:

• Hampton by Hilton York Piccadilly – about 0.3 m (6-minute walk)
• Hotel Indigo York (Walmgate) – about 0.4 m (9-minute walk)
• Travelodge York Central – roughly 0.3 m (6-minute walk)

To reserve your place or for further details, please email: equality&education@cwu.org

If you require any adjustments or assistance to participate at this event, please let us know. A detailed agenda will be shared closer to the date.

We look forward to seeing you in York!

Yours sincerely,

Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development

26LTB 13 – CWU International Women’s Day Networking Event 10th March 2026 York

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Branch Information – Area and Local Workplace Reps Database – Yearly Update

The purpose of this LTB is to remind Branches of a yearly housekeeping requirement to update representative details following any Branch elections and AGMs.

As previously communicated in LTB 59/25 (26^th March 2025), the Postal Department needs to ensure that records of elected representatives, their positions and workplaces (as applicable) are kept up to date for our own records and for the purposes of facility time with the employer.

All representative details should be updated via the OLS Membership system. This can be done by accessing the “Branch Representatives” report for amendments, which groups all previously elected representatives for your Branch. Within this report, each representative’s record can be amended to change position, workplace, and, where necessary, delete any previously held roles. For first-time representatives, this can be done by accessing their individual membership record under the “current members” report.

Where rep vacancies exist, please email Michelle Daykin (Recruitment and Organising Lead – Postal Department) mdaykin@cwu.org, clearly stating the position and workplace that has a vacancy.

Please can all Branches ensure that both their updated representative positions and vacancies are completed by no later than the 31^st March 2026.

This will continue to be a yearly housekeeping requirement for Branches to complete to ensure our records remain up to date.

Any enquiries should be referred to the DGSP department.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

LTB 12/26 – Branch Information – Area and Local Workplace Reps Database – Yearly Update

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Royal Mail – The Collective Plan Winter Newsletter

Branches and members are advised that the Collective Plan winter newsletter was published last Friday (see attached).  Members who have registered for the Member Self-Service (MSS) and who have not opted out of digital communications will receive the newsletter by email.  Members who have opted out of digital communications and recent joiners will receive the newsletter in the post.  The remaining members will be able to view the newsletter on the Collective Plan website.

The following are the key themes/stats contained within the newsletter:

• 119,491 members have joined the Collective Plan.

• 29,763 members have registered for the Member Self-Service (MSS) website.

• 43,842 members opted for the Lump Sum Booster.

• 10,075 members paid Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs).

• 9,219 members have provided details of their Dependents on the MSS.

• £564m has come into the Collective Plan since launch up to 30 September 2025.

• Added to that is £50m of gains (investment returns).

• leaving total assets of £614m.

Branches are urged to encourage members to sign up to the MSS website where they can see how much has been built up so far and an indication of what they might receive at age 67 (link – Royal Mail – Pensions).  Members can also sign up for the lump sum booster (a 1% member contribution is matched at 1% by Royal Mail and the AVCs).  It is also vitally important that members provide details of their dependents via the MSS website.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be sent to snicholas@cwu.orgor hmaughan@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary 

LTB 011/26 – Royal Mail – The Collective Plan -Winter Newsletter

LTB 011/26 Att 1 – TheCollectivePlanJanuary2026Newsletter

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Member Status on CWU OLS Membership System

The purpose of this LTB is to clarify the membership status displayed in the membership system for members.

The system has several status labels, the most common being pre-pending, pending, current, lapsed and stopped.

Pre-pending (Online Joiners)

This is the first stage. The membership department must assign a branch and check that all the correct details have been provided. If completed correctly (no missing details), this can take up to 5 days, depending on working days and the department’s workload, including a high number of new joiners or leavers. If details are missing, for example, workplace names, NI numbers, Payroll numbers, or Direct Debit details, the department will contact either the branch or the member directly to obtain the details and set them up. To avoid unnecessary delays, please ensure you check application forms before submitting and that your reps have been trained to support new members in completing them.

Pending

The new member has now been assigned a branch and will have received an automated email confirming their membership and branch contact details. There are two subscription methods: deduction at source (DAS) and Direct Debit (DD). This will impact how long they remain pending.

DAS – Depending on the employer, these files are sent to their payroll departments once a month to add details to the individual’s pay record, and deductions will usually begin in the next pay run. Due to how our membership system and their payroll systems transfer and share this information, this can only be done once a month (either on the 3^rd/8^th or 15^thdepending on the employer). Therefore, if someone joins after the files are shared, their request will remain pending until the next run. Once the file has been sent to the employers it will change from Pending Awaiting to Pending Sent.

For Royal Mail members paid weekly, these files are shared with the employer weekly, but the main file transfer that collects the money at the employer’s end and pays the subscriptions to us still occurs monthly.

Once the incoming file is received from the employer and processed it will change any Pending Sent members who have paid to Current. Sometimes this happens on the following month’s payroll depending on the employer.

Sometimes this can take longer due to the individual employer’s payroll departments; reasons can include workload, sickness, holidays, or year-end. However, most new joiners are set up within one to two months.

DD – Provided the details are correct, these will be added to the direct debit confirmation file. If they join after the confirmation file has been sent, they will be added to the next file.

Other Pending Members

When a member changes their membership, their status can change from current to pending or from leaver to pending. For example, if someone opts in or out of the political fund or rejoins the union. Equally, if someone is a member and changes employer to another one of our recognised employers. Therefore, pending status can also indicate that a change is taking place within their membership.

Current 

This signifies that the membership is live and that subscriptions are being collected either by deduction at source or by direct debit.

Subsidised Status 

When a member goes on maternity/paternity or adoptive leave, this status can be set up for the duration of their leave. They will remain a current member, without paying subscriptions. The membership department must be informed either directly by the member or the branch. The branch must ensure the local representative or member informs them of their return date. If set up correctly, when they return to work, the reactivated membership will not trigger an attempt to collect all of their missed subscriptions. It is important to note that the branch must keep the membership department updated of the return date. Usually this is set at 6 months, before being reactivated with the employer, if they have not returned then the member’s status would change to stopped.

If a member goes on long-term sick leave and is no longer receiving pay, then they can also be set up as a subsidised member. There are other exceptional circumstances in which this status can apply, and if unsure, it is best to contact the membership department to find out whether their circumstances make them eligible.

The branch must inform the membership department to re-activate their membership once they return to work. 

Lapsed

If a member pays by Direct Debit and the payment doesn’t collect, their status changes to lapsed. This is often because they have changed their bank details and not informed the union, or because there are insufficient funds. The membership department will contact the individual to inform them what has happened and will attempt collection three times; this will be the total missed, so up to 3 months of subscriptions. If, after this time, no collection is made, their status will change to stopped – no payment.

Stopped – no payment or permanent

If paying by DAS, then this could be either because the member has informed the union or their employer that they wish to leave the union. Equally, it could mean that they have left employment. Some members will move from pending to stopped if they have left employment before subscriptions were collected. To note, the employer no longer informs us of the reason for leaving the union.

If paying by DD, then this is either because they have informed the union that they wish to leave the union. If they have cancelled their DD with their bank but have not informed the union, the membership department will attempt to collect 3 times (lapsed status) before changing their status to stopped.

Other statuses include deceased and duplicate, which are self-explanatory (they show in Inactive Members).

Branches are advised:

• To ensure that membership records are up to date and to inform the membership department of any relevant changes to members’ details that cannot be amended at the branch level in the OLS system.
• Ensure members are aware that they need to keep the union informed of changes to their employer, workplace and contact details. The members themselves can make a number of these changes by logging onto the membership portal: cwu.org/cwu-member-portal

If you have any questions or require further assistance with any of the details above, please contact:

Michelle Daykin – Lead Organiser Postal – mdaykin@cwu.org

Lesley-Anne Ure – Lead organiser T&FS – LAUre@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,
Martin Walsh

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

10.26 Member Status on CWU OLS Membership System

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REGIONAL SUBCOMMITTEE LEADS – ELECTIONS 

As you will be aware, we are currently holding elections for Regional Subcommittee Leads. Nominations have now closed and branches will be contacted shortly by your regional official to confirm the nominations for the available positions.

You will note that in LTB 259/25 the timetable stated that ballot papers would be dispatched on the 5th of January. Due to unavoidable circumstances, ballot papers will now be dispatched by Monday 19th of January. We have subsequently amended the timetable as follows:

Ballot papers dispatched: Monday 19th of January

Ballots close: Monday 2nd of February

Results announced: Tuesday 3rd of February

Please note that not all positions have received multiple nominations, so there will not be an election required for every position. Your regional official will inform you shortly of the status of these positions.

As before, where ballots are required, they will be conducted via branch ballot. Branches will be allocated a voting strength based on their membership size (excluding retired members) at the time of the ballot for all Regional Sub Committee Lead positions excluding the Retired Members Leads. However, the branch voting strengths for the Regional Sub-Committee Retired Members Lead will be inclusive of retired members in the branch.

Where ballots are required, copies of the candidate’s biographical details will accompany the branch ballot paper. The branch ballot paper will also list the branch’s voting strength.

Branches should return the ballot papers by 5pm on Monday 2nd of February to their regional official, via email. If you have any questions, please email aobrien@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward

General Secretary

LTB 009/26 – REGIONAL SUBCOMMITTEE LEADS ELECTIONS

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DAVID FIELDS – FORMER NEC AND NATIONAL HONORARY MEMBER

It is with great sadness that we inform CWU Branches of the recent passing of David Fields, former NEC and National Honorary member. 

David joined the union in 1975 and almost immediately moved into representational roles in the then Grimsby Indoor branch as part of the Telephone Operator Grade. 

He had an outstanding record of union activism in various branch, district and national roles, including being elected to the National Executive in 1995, becoming the T&FS Industrial Executive Vice Chair in 1998 and being award National Honorary membership in 2007.

Following his retirement from BT, David continued to work for the union and represent members as an Employment Tribunal Panellist and he became an expert in this field and one of the most respected people to undertake this type of work in the history of the union. 

Those who knew David will always remember him as a lifelong union stalwart and Labour movement figure who was totally dedicated to representing his members and working-class people. 

On behalf of the whole of the CWU we offer our sincere condolences to David’s family.  He was a true comrade to our movement – RIP David.

We have been advised of the funeral arrangements and these are set out below:

Wednesday 28^th January at 12.30pm 

St. Andrews Church

Church Lane

Immingham

DN40 3JJ

Wake to be held at: The County Hotel, Pelham Rd, Immingham, DN40 1AD.

Any enquiries relating to this LTB should be addressed to the General Secretary’s Office, Dawn Lynch on dlynch@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,                                      

Dave Ward                                                                                       

General Secretary             

LTB 008/26 – DAVID FIELDS – FORMER NEC AND NATIONAL HONORARY MEMBER

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Post Office: Pay Claim – 1st April 2026

Branches are advised that the Postal Executive has endorsed a pay claim for our Post Office members working in Admin and Supply Chain.  The pay review date is 1^st April 2026.  We have agreed with Post Office to enter into early negotiations with the aim of concluding an agreement in advance of April.

Our pay claim is seeking:

• A one-year no strings Pay Agreement
• An above-inflation pay increase for all members
• An hour off the working week (35 hours reducing to 34 hours)
• Reducing and simplifying the lower tiers of the pension scheme employer contributions, to continue the theme and progress made in last year’s Pay Agreement
• Reducing the length of time on pay scales for Admin grades so that the maximum can be attained more quickly (currently there are five pay points, taking four years to get to the maximum)
• An extra day’s annual leave for all members irrespective of current entitlements, whilst reducing the amount of time to be served before attaining the maximum.

It remains to be seen whether good progress can be made in a relatively short period of time, bearing in mind the wide-ranging nature of our pay claim.

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely,

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 007/26 – Post Office Pay Claim 6.1.25

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Postal Department LTBs (& General LTBs) Covering Primarily Safety Matters – And Other Linked Communications: 2025 Index

Reflective of previous years and as issued by the former CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department, please find attached an index of communications issued in 2025 covering primarily safety matters.

This list includes Postal Department LTBs on workplace safety matters, general LTBs, covering health, safety and wellbeing campaigns and linked items, and also includes CWU Safety Notes, alongside other department memos.

Whilst the index should be of particular assistance for our Safety Representatives, it is hoped it is equally of use to Branches.

Back copies of all LTBs are available for downloading via the CWU website.

All other back copy requests and any other enquiries in relation to the LTB should be addressed to: lpietrzykowska@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

LTB 001/26 – Postal Department LTBs General LTBs Covering Primarily Safety Matters And Linked Communications Index 2025

Att: 2025 Safety Communication Index

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