ELECTION OF NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE POSITIONS 2026 – CWU YOUNG WORKERS COMMITTEE

• CWU Young Workers Committee

The NEC has agreed the 2026 election arrangements for the National Positions listed above. Accordingly, please find attached the Regulations, Nomination Forms and Candidate Consent/Biographical detail form.

Branches are asked to print the attached forms, complete and sign them and send the forms back electronically to elections@cwu.org by no later than the advertised deadline of 14.00 hrs on 24 June 2026

Nominations are on the basis of one member coming from the TFS Constituency and one member coming from the Postal Constituency for each of the 10 CWU Regional Young Workers Sub-Committee areas as of June 2025, and two lay members elected by and from the UTAW Branch.  Additionally, all candidates must be aged 29 or under at the time of the election

Branches can only nominate candidates at a properly constituted branch meeting, where the Branch has members in the relevant Region.

The term of office for the CWU Young Workers Committee will be from 24^th July 2026 for a two-year period.

Branches will also wish to note that:

• Each candidate needs the nomination of their own branch
• The election is by means of a branch ballot within each respective constituency, i.e branches with members in the Postal Constituency will vote for the Postal member of the Committee within their Region and branches with members in the TFS Constituency will vote for the one TFS member and 2 lay members elected by & from the UTAW Branch.

The timetable for the elections is as follows:-

                Nominations Open:         3^rdJune 2026

                Nominations Close:        24^thJune 2026 (14.00)

                Ballot Opens:                    2^ndJuly 2026

                Ballot Closes:                    23^rdJuly 2026 (14.00)

Any enquiries regarding this letter to Branches should be addressed by email to lparrett@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward
General Secretary

LTB 164.26 – ELECTION OF NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE POSITIONS 2026 – CWU YOUNG WORKERS COMMITTEE

Attachment 1 -Young Workers Regulations 2026

Attachment 2 – YW-Candidate-Biographical-and-Consent-Form

Attachment 3 – YW-Postal-Nomination-Form

Attachment 4 – YW-TFS-Nomination-Form

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Royal Mail: Equalisation of New Entrants Pay, Terms & Conditions – Engineering, Fleet & HR Services

Within Section 3.1 of the National Agreement, there is a commitment that further negotiations would be held with the aim of concluding an agreement for our New Entrant members within Engineering, Fleet and HR Services by 1^st June 2026. Unfortunately, despite everyone’s best endeavours to meet this date, due to the complexities surrounding these areas it has not been possible to conclude an Agreement at this stage.  Further below is a Joint Statement confirming this position with Royal Mail.

Additionally, the JS confirms that a 3% pay rise for New Entrants in Engineering, Fleet and HRS will be made with July salaries and backdated to 1^st April (for legacy grades in these areas employed before 1^stDecember 2022, the 3% and arrears is being paid with June salaries).

The plan going forward is to prioritise further negotiations to establish an agreed way forward in respect of the first step towards equalisation for these members.

Joint Statement by Royal Mail and CWU on Equalisation in Engineering, Fleet and HR Services 

 In line with the commitment set out in the USO Reform and Equalisation of New Entrants Agreement, over recent weeks we have held a number of constructive and productive discussions on arrangements for New Entrants in Engineering, Fleet and HR Services.

 These conversations have helped build a stronger shared understanding of the position across each area. It is clear, however, that we cannot simply replicate the arrangements for OPGs, given the different starting points and the specific complexities within Engineering, Fleet and HR Services. As a result, there is no single solution, and further detailed work is needed to ensure the right outcomes are achieved in each area.

 While we had jointly aimed to reach agreement by 1st June 2026, more time is needed to work through the detail and land a fair solution. Both Royal Mail and the CWU remain fully committed to reaching an agreement at the earliest opportunity, and any agreement reached will apply from 1st April 2026.

 Further talks are already planned over the coming weeks as we continue to build on the progress made and work towards a mutually agreed outcome. In recognition of the additional time required, and to ensure CWU-represented employees are not disadvantaged, it has been agreed that a 3% pay uplift, in line with the 2025 pay deal, will be applied. This will be paid in July salaries and backdated to 1st April.

 We would like to thank everyone for their continued patience and engagement. Both parties remain focused on securing a positive and workable agreement in these key areas, and we will provide further updates as discussions progress.

 Kieran Judd, Interim Chief People Officer

 Andy Furey, Assistant Secretary 

 Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey      

Assistant Secretary                                                                                     

Davie Robertson

Assistant Secretary               

LTB 163/26 – Royal Mail Equalisation of New Entrants Pay, Terms & Conditions – Engineering, Fleet & HR Services                  

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Ballot Result – RMG/CWU Dispute Resolution Processes – Deployment of USO Reform & Equalisation of New Entrants’ Pay, Terms and Conditions

Please find attached the independent Scrutineer’s report confirming the result for the above ballots.

The results are as follows.

On the agreement between CWU and Royal Mail, which includes a resolution on USO deployment and the principle of equalisation:RESULTNo. votes% of valid voteYes19,34865.4%No10,24234.6%

Turnout for this ballot was 32.9%.

On the additional 1.75% pay increase for new entrants:RESULTNo. votes% of valid voteYes3,67272.2%No1,41527.8%

Turnout for this ballot was 32.3%

As this agreement has now been confirmed, the 3% pay rise for old contracts will be paid on the 5^th of June for weekly paid workers and by 30^th of June for monthly paid workers. For new entrants, the 4.75% pay rise will be paid on the 30^th of June. Both pay rises will be backdated to April 1^st.

This yes vote now puts us in a much better position to secure our members’ jobs and ensure that the company is sustainable and can grow in the future. The result also demonstrates that there was no significant appetite within the membership to reject the agreements and end up without a position on both USO reform and equalisation for new entrants.

However, while we welcome the sizeable yes vote, we recognise that the turnout is disappointing. It reflects the reality of how difficult things are locally and that many of our members are struggling to see any positive future for Royal Mail or how things will improve.

Though we understand that change is challenging and some members are disillusioned about the future, we can be confident that the circumstances in which this agreement will be deployed are different. This is because the union has now gained significant leverage, due to our campaigning for government scrutiny and the powerful recommendations from the recent Select Committee report.

This scrutiny has helped expose Royal Mail’s bad practices and has left them no choice but to publicly commit to a quality-of-service improvement plan and to stabilise resourcing, through the measures laid out in our agreement.

We know we have to engage more, at all levels of the union, to convince our members that this agreement can improve things in the workplace and this must be the focus of all CWU representatives in the coming weeks.

We will support our members through this change and ensure that all protections, safeguards and benefits within our agreement are deployed at local level and in every unit in the UK.

Next steps

 In the coming weeks, the CWU will be pursuing the following as a priority:

• Meeting all CWU representatives to develop and implement the union’s plan to ensure that no workplace is left behind.

• Publicising the actions that will fundamentally reset employee and industrial relations.

• Developing the new growth strategy that goes beyond just parcels and incorporates wider products and other streams of revenue, utilising our unique network and workforce.

• Campaigning to ensure the Government implement the recommendations made by the Business and Trade Select Committee regarding reform of Ofcom and the wider regulation in the sector, including establishing a USO network support fund.

• Launching the joint campaign for a level playing field.

Finally, the union will be engaging further with branches, reps and members on all the above issues.

Any enquiries relating to the content of this LTB should be referred to the Postal Department at hford@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh                                
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)                                                                    

Dave Ward
General Secretary

Andy Furey                   
Assistant Secretary                                                     

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

Tony Bouch
Assistant Secretary                                                         

LTB 162/26 – Ballot Result – RMG-CWU Dispute Resolution Processes Deployment of USO Reform Equalisation of New Entrants Pay Terms and Conditions

CWU RMG Consultation Ballot 2026                                                              

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USO DEPLOYMENT AGREEMENT – PART-TIME EMPLOYEE SCOPING EXERCISE – EXTENDED

Further to LTB 147/26 regarding the USO Delivery Scoping Exercise.

The business have confirmed that to date circa 7,000 employees have completed the exercise but to ensure further requests can be made, both parties have agreed that the exercise will be extended to Friday 5^thJune.

Taking part simply means expressing an interest in one or more options to support the wider planning for USO deployment.  Likewise, it is not a binding commitment for colleagues or Royal Mail, it is to understand employees’ preferences.

All CWU members in Delivery can participate via the People App/Robin to express their interest in the following options:

1. Increasing part-time (PT) contracted hours where available at your current office.
2. Increasing part-time (PT) contracted hours and voluntarily moving to another office where there is a vacancy.
3. Moving to another office on a voluntary basis where there is a vacancy.

If colleagues do not have access to the People/Robin App, they have been directed to their manager in the first instance to provide support to register and resolve any issues in completing the exercise.

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

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh                                                                           Tony Bouch
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)                         Assistant Secretary

LTB 160-26 – USO DEPLOYMENT AGREEMENT – PART-TIME EMPLOYEE SCOPING EXERCISE – EXTENDED

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REVISED CWU RULE BOOK – MAY 2026

Please find attached the revised 2026 CWU Rule Book.

The revised rule book contains the amendments carried at the Rules section of General Conference on Monday 11 May 2026, which for ease of reference are shown in red.

Any enquiries should be addressed to dwilshire@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward
General Secretary

26LTB159 REVISED CWU RULE BOOK MAY 2026

RULE BOOK – UPDATED MAY 2026

BUSINESS & TRADE SELECT COMMITTEE – RECOMMENDATIONS TO GOVERNMENT REGARDING OFCOM

As you will be aware, the CWU recently gave evidence to the Business and Trade Select Committee regarding the service quality crisis at Royal Mail and Ofcom’s failure to properly regulate the wider sector.

The CWU particularly emphasised the lack of regulation for parcel courier companies like Amazon and Evri, who use bogus self-employment models to undercut Royal Mail and hive off profits from our network, inhibiting the growth of the company.

The Committee was not satisfied by either Royal Mail or Ofcom’s responses to their investigation into service quality issues and had committed to ongoing scrutiny.

We are therefore pleased to receive the Committee’s recommendations on the regulation of postal services as a result of their investigation. Please see the attached document.

The report starkly acknowledges Ofcom’s failure to regulate the sector, stating “we conclude Ofcom is failing as the statutory regulator of the postal service to deliver on the task it has been set by Parliament”.

The Committee has therefore recommended a reset and an improvement plan for Ofcom to ensure they have a regulatory regime fit for the 21st century postal service. This involves Ofcom setting out a concrete plan for how they will improve their regulatory regime in a timely manner.

The Committee have also stated that if the improvement plan fails to deliver meaningful change from Ofcom within six months, they recommend that the Secretary of State takes steps towards changes on Ofcom’s duties and powers. They have also specifically recommended that the government take measures to ensure that “competitors are not able to free-ride on Royal Mail’s infrastructure, nor undercut employment conditions through gig economy models.”

In addition, the Committee has recommended that the government also consider a network levy on competitors – this is a key demand from the CWU that we have pushed for several years. 

The Committee has also stated that they “have not heard persuasive evidence to refute the previous Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee’s finding that Royal Mail has deprioritised delivery of letters” and have recommended that Ofcom undertake an enhanced investigation to identify and root out this practice.

This is a significant step in the right direction towards levelling the playing field for Royal Mail, among a market full of gig-economy competitors with poor pay and conditions. Our members’ evidence has helped secure this set of far-reaching recommendations and forces Ofcom to properly regulate the sector. Royal Mail must now also ensure that they resolve the chaos in workplaces and stamp out the practice of prioritising parcels over letters, lest they face harsher sanctions.

We will now continue campaigning for the government to accept these recommendations and go further to secure the future of our postal service. Our postal service and our members’ jobs will not survive unless the sector is properly regulated and parcel giants like Amazon are made to pay their fair share.

Please ensure branches and members have access to this report. We will keep you updated as to any further developments.

Any enquiries relating to the content of this LTB should be referred to the General Secretary’s department dlynch@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward

General Secretary                                                  

Martin Walsh                                        

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

Reissue – LTB 158/26 – BUSINESS AND TRADE SELECT COMMITTEE – RECOMMENDATIONS TO GOVERNMENT REGARDING OFCOM

LTB 158/26 – Att 1

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CWU NATIONAL DELEGATIONS – 2026

• TUC CONGRESS 13^th -16^th September 2026, Brighton
• LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE 27^th – 30^th September 2026, Liverpool
• LABOUR PARTY WOMEN’S CONFERENCE 26^thSeptember 2026, Liverpool

Further to LTB 127/26 dated 29^th April 2026 at the close of nominations the following have been received:

TUC 

Postal Constituency

NEC (1 Member)Rob WotherspoonBristol & District Amal*Elected

Lay Members (7 Members at least 2 delegates must be women & at least 1 delegate must be BAME)Tina HolmesLeicestershire*Elected (Woman)Adam AlarakhiaLeicestershireBALLOT REQUIREDMark BrownColchester & DistrictJohn CarsonGlasgow & District Amal Steve CrokeSouth Midlands Postal Keith HamiltonSouth Central Postal Darren JonesLeicestershire Sajid ShaikhBirmingham District Amal Tony SneddonScotland No 5 Lee Starr-ElliottBristol & District Amal Usman VarudiLeicestershire Tom WalkerNorthern Home Counties Postal 

Telecoms & Financial Services Constituency   

NEC (1 Member)Graham ColkSouth Wales, Capital, Edinburgh Dundee & Borders, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, North East,  Scotland No 1, Tyne & Wear Clerical, *Elected

Lay Members (5 Members at least 1 delegate must be a woman & least 1 delegate must be BAME)Stephen PhillipsEssex & Central Counties *ElectedJean SharrocksNorth East, Capital, Edinburgh Dundee & Borders, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, Scotland No 1, South Wales, Tyne & Wear Clerical, West Yorkshire *ElectedLouise ShortTyne & Wear Clerical, Capital, Edinburgh Dundee & Borders, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, North East,  Scotland No 1, South Wales, Tyne & Wear Clerical, West Yorkshire, *ElectedTrish VollansWest Yorkshire, Capital, Edinburgh Dundee & Borders,      Lincolnshire & South Yorks, North East, Scotland No 1, South Wales, Tyne & Wear Clerical, *Elected

LABOUR PARTY

Postal Constituency

NEC (1 Member)No Nominations Received

Lay Members (7 Members at least 2 delegates must be women & at least 1 delegate must be BAME)Adam AlarakhiaLeicestershire*Elected (BAME)Paul BraithwaiteNorth Lancs & CumbriaBALLOT REQUIREDHuw DaviesLondon Phoenix Hugh GaffneyGlasgow & District Amal Darren JonesLeicestershire David MullaneyBristol & District Amal Tom WalkerNorthern Home Counties Postal 

Telecoms & Financial Services Constituency   

NEC (1 Member)Sara MiahNorth Anglia, Capital, Edinburgh, Dundee & Borders, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, Mersey, North East, Scotland No 1 

South Wales, Tyne & Wear Clerical*Elected

Lay Members (5 Members at least 1 delegate must be a woman & at least 1 delegate must be BAME)Joyce StevensonScotland No 1, Capital, Edinburgh, Dundee & Borders, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, Mersey, North Anglia, North East, South Wales, Tyne & Wear Clerical, West Yorkshire*Elected

 (Woman)Craig AndersonScotland No 1, Capital, Edinburgh, Dundee & Borders,  Lincolnshire & South Yorks, Mersey, North Anglia, North East, South Wales, Tyne & Wear Clerical, West Yorkshire BALLOT

REQUIREDPeter FrancisCapital, Edinburgh, Dundee & Borders, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, North Anglia, North East, Mersey, Scotland No 1, South Wales, Tyne & Wear Clerical, West Yorkshire  Brian KennyMersey, Capital, Edinburgh, Dundee & Borders, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, North Anglia, North East, Scotland No 1, South Wales, Tyne & Wear Clerical, West Yorkshire  Stephen PhillipsEssex & Central Counties  

The ballot timetable is as follows:

Despatch ballot papers:             29^th May 2026

Ballot closes:                             12^th June 2026 (14:00)

Branches will see the dispatch of ballot papers will now take place a week later than originally notified, this is due to workload issues and has been agreed by the Emergency Committee.

Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed by email to lparrett@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward

General Secretary

LTB 155/26 – CWU NATIONAL DELEGATIONS – 2026

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ROYAL MAIL: BONUS PAYMENTS 2025/26 FOR CUSTOMER SERVICES, FINANCE, HR & LEGAL SERVICES AND LA1s IN LOGISTICS

Branches are reminded that the arrangements for the bonus schemes for our members working in Customer Services, Finance, HR/Legal Services and LA1s Logistics are based on Royal Mail’s overall business performance.

I am pleased to report the bonus for 2025/26 will be paid at the maximum for the respective Business Units.  The total amounts payable are as follows:Business UnitBonus Payment 2025/26HR/Legal Services£1,500Customer Services£2,000Finance£2,000LA1s Logistics£650

All of these payments (pro-rata for part-timers) will be made with May salaries to those who have been in post since 1^st January 2026 and who are still employed at the payment date. 

These bonus payments have arisen from agreements the union has reached on behalf of the members concerned.  Therefore, Branches and Representatives with members in these Business Units are encouraged to reinvigorate recruitment activities by focusing on this positive news which should aid recruitment amongst Admin grades.

Yours sincerely,

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB154/26 – Royal Mail – Bonus Payments 2025-26

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Dementia Action Week 18^th – 24^thMay

Dementia Action Week 2026 will take place from Monday 18th May to Sunday 24th May, focusing on raising awareness, supporting those affected, and promoting a dementia-friendly society.

Overview

Dementia Action Week is an annual campaign led by the Alzheimer’s Society to encourage individuals, communities, and organisations across the UK to take action in support of people living with dementia. The week aims to raise awareness, challenge stigma, and foster understanding, helping those affected to live well and feel supported. Each year, a theme highlights key issues such as diagnosis, care, and support services.

Key Campaigns and Themes

In 2026, Dementia Action Week is closely linked with the Forget Me Not Appeal, which encourages people to wear a Forget Me Not badge as a symbol of hope, unity, and action against dementia. The campaign emphasises the importance of early diagnosis, access to support, and community involvement. Participants are encouraged to share personal stories behind their badges to raise awareness and inspire collective action.

How to Get Involved

There are several ways to participate in Dementia Action Week:

Host an event: Organise coffee mornings, information sessions, or fundraisers in your local area.

Become a Dementia Friend: Join the Alzheimer’s Society program to learn how to support people living with dementia.

Share information: Use social media to spread awareness and encourage others to take part.

Advocate for change: Support campaigns for better diagnosis, care services, and dementia research funding.

For more information, support and ways to get involved, visit the Alzheimer’s Society website at: Dementia Action Week | Alzheimer’s Society

Importance

With nearly 1 million people living with dementia in the UK, and many more affected through family and friends, raising awareness and taking action is critical. Early diagnosis and support can significantly improve quality of life, while community understanding reduces isolation and stigma. By participating, individuals and communities contribute to building a dementia-friendly society where everyone affected is recognised and supported.

This LTB is shared on behalf of CWU Central Services.

If you have any questions or need any further information, please contact:

Jamie McGovern FRSPH MIIAI 

CWU Health & Safety Policy Assistant at jmcgovern@cwu.org

LTB 153/26 – Dementia Action Week 18-24 May

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