UN Anti-Racism Day – Resist Racism Demonstrations

Branches should note that the next UN Anti-Racism Day rallies organised by the TUC and Stand Up To Racism are taking place on Saturday 18th March 2023 in London, Glasgow and Cardiff. 

The London meeting point will again be Portland Place by the BBC London HQ. Click here for map. Click here for info on all Anti-Racism marches.

The CWU are committed to combating racism and fascism, historically our union has had fantastic support at past events. We hope we can again demonstrate our solidarity as part of a global day of anti-racist protest. 

For now, we would be grateful if you could mark this date in your diary and begin to generate as much interest as possible with a view to trying to encourage grassroots members into coming along and engaging in this important event.

Any queries on this LTB should be directed to equality&education@cwu.org         

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward
General Secretary       

Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development

23LTB 023 – UN Anti-Racism Day – M18 Resist Racism Demonstrations

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Re: TUC Union Safety Reps Survey 2022/23 – LTB 504/22

See attached LTB 504/22.

There is just one week left to complete the TUC Union Health and Safety Reps Survey for 2022/23.

If you haven’t completed it, please do so – it takes only a few minutes.

https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/we-want-hear-union-health-and-safety-reps

or

tinyurl.com/TUCSafetyReps

I would be grateful if you would complete it and help push it out and around to other Safety Reps again via any:

• Email lists, WhatsApp groups or other lists and forums you have for contacting other safety reps.
• Share the link on union social media channels.
• Make use of the QR code (attached) which can be printed in union newsletters, websites magazines or any other relevant literature.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 022/23 – TUC Union Safety Reps Survey 2022-23 – LTB 504-22

LTB 504/22-TUC-Health-Safety-Reps-Survey-2022

Att: SurveyQRcode

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Re: Workplace Minimum Temperature & Workplace Thermometers:

Following a number of enquiries from CWU Representatives and members during the current cold weather regarding minimum workplace temperature and provision of workplace thermometers, we are re-issuing advice for the assistance of Branches and Health and Safety Representatives.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) and Guidance is that employers should maintain a minimum temperature in indoor workplaces of 16C/61F or 13C/55F where employees undertake physical work.

For an office workplace therefore the minimum would be 16C or 61F.

Generally speaking, informal guides suggest the acceptable area of comfort for most types of work lies between 16C – 24C or 61F – 72F. Recent research has shown that concentration is reduced and therefore productivity suffers when working in a workplace which is too hot or too cold. Lack of concentration may also lead to increased risk of accident. More commonly workers can become irritable, and feel tired.

The Chartered Institute of Building Services provide the following recommendations for ‘minimum’ temperatures in different work areas:

• Light work in workplaces – 16C/61F
• Office and dining rooms – 20C/68F
• Heavy work in workplaces – 13C/55F
• Hospital wards and shops – 18C/64F

Employers must stick to Health and Safety At Work Law. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, Regulation 7 requires employers to keep the temperature at a comfortable level.

Under this regulation, employers must also provide a sufficient number of thermometers to enable workers to be able to determine the temperature in any workplace/building.

Employers must also ensure there is clean, fresh air in the workplace under these Regulations.

Outdoor Work in Cold and Wet Weather

In respect of outdoor work in cold and wet weather, employers are required by Health and Safety Law to provide clothing to protect workers from extreme weather under the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulations 1992. These Regulations compel employers to ensure that suitable PPE is provided to ’employees’ who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work including clothing and footwear affording protection against the weather which is intended to be worn or held by a person at work and which protects the person against one or more risks to that person’s health or safety, and any addition or accessory designed to meet that objective (e.g., storm-proof jackets and wet weather clothing etc.).

Maximum Working Temperature 

Although Health & Safety Regulations set no maximum working temperature, The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations require employers to provide a reasonable indoor temperature in the workplace. The law states that “During working hours, the temperature inside workplace buildings must be reasonable” and the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) to the regulations set out that “all reasonable steps should be taken to achieve a comfortable temperature”, this may be taken to include the provision of suitable fans, or portable air conditioning, air-cooling or climate control equipment. Suitable rest facilities should be provided in instances where local heating or cooling fails to give reasonable comfort. Where practical, there should be risk assessment and safe systems of work (e.g., task rotation, rest breaks) to ensure the amount of time individual workers are exposed to uncomfortable temperatures is limited. Employers must also ensure there is clean, fresh air in the workplace under these Regulations.

Outdoor Work in Hot Sunny Weather

Employers must also manage the risk of working outdoors in hot environments and extreme temperatures, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). When working outdoors, the weather can have a serious impact on a worker’s health, if the risks have not been properly managed. Working in the sun can be hazardous. Extreme heat can cause heat stress, heat stroke and fatigue. Too much sunlight can cause skin damage including sunburn, blistering and skin ageing. In the long term, it can lead to an increased risk of skin cancer. Sun burn and dehydration are dangerous and must be avoided by covering up the skin with sunlight/UV Ray protection clothing and using high factor sunscreen on any exposed skin. The new Royal Mail Uniform Clothing is manufactured with textiles that provide nearly 100% sun protection, rated at UPF50+ for the life of the garments, which means it will never wash out. The active particles in the fabric absorbs UV light and are designed to also cool the wearer down when in hot weather. Also whilst working in hot weather and intense sunlight it’s important to seek shade, take breaks out of the sun and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 021/23 – Workplace Minimum Temperature & Workplace Thermometers

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Royal Mail Group Dispute – Voluntary Redundancy Taken Before 2^nd March 2023

Branches and Representatives will be aware of the re-ballot timetable for the International Distributions Services (previously Royal Mail Group) dispute for all CWU represented grades in Royal Mail Group.

Due to the unilateral decision by RMG to instigate an unagreed preference exercise seeking applicants for Voluntary Redundancy (VR) which closed on 27^th November 2022, there may be members who, having been offered and accepted a VR package, will be leaving Royal Mail Group employment before the earliest possible date for taking strike action (2^nd March 2023).

The Union has tried to obtain information from RMG about those that have accepted VR, more detailed information as to RMG’s plans regarding VR and any changes since their original announcement about this. RMG has failed to provide this information.

Due to RMG not providing the Union with sufficient information, we have to send this LTB as some members unknown to us may have accepted offers of VR and will receive a ballot paper despite their employment with RMG ceasing prior to when strike action could first be held (2^nd March 2023).

This LTB is therefore to inform members of the following legal advice: 

Where members have accepted VR and will be leaving RMG employment before 2^nd March 2023THEY SHOULD NOT VOTE in the re-ballot.

All Branches are instructed to ensure this LTB receives the widest possible circulation.

Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward
General Secretary        

Andy Furey
Acting Deputy General Secretary (P)

LTB 019/23 – Royal Mail Group Dispute – Voluntary Redundancy Taken Before 2nd March 2023

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CWU NATIONAL WELFARE FUND

Please find below the branch breakdown of CWU National Welfare Fund donations that were made in 2022.BRANCHREASON

AMOUNTBournemouth & Dorset AmalDomestic£1,000Bournemouth & Dorset AmalDomestic£1,000Bristol & DistrictIllness£1,000Bristol & DistrictIllness£500Croydon & Sutton AmalIllness£500East London PostalDomestic£750Edinburgh, Dundee & BordersIllness£1,000Edinburgh, Dundee & BordersDomestic£250Edinburgh, Dundee & BordersDomestic£300Grampian & ShetlandIllness£750Greater Mersey AmalDomestic£300Harrow & DistrictIllness£500Lincolnshire & South YorksBereavement£1,000Northern Ireland CombinedDomestic£1,000Northern Ireland CombinedDomestic£500Northern Ireland CombinedDomestic£1,000Northern Ireland TelecomDomestic£100Northern Ireland TelecomDomestic£500Northern Ireland TelecomDomestic£200Northern Ireland TelecomDomestic£150Northern Ireland TelecomDomestic£105Northern Ireland TelecomDomestic£300Northern Ireland TelecomDomestic£200Preston Brook & Bury RetailIllness£500Preston Brook & Bury RetailIllness£1,000Scotland No. 1Domestic£500Shropshire & Mid WalesDomestic£300Shropshire & Mid WalesDomestic£400South Central PostalIllness£1,000South Central PostalDomestic£600South Central PostalIllness£1,000South East AngliaDomestic£500South East London Postal & CountersIllness£245South WalesIllness£500South WalesDomestic£500South WalesDomestic£350South WalesDomestic£200South WalesDomestic£300Total    £20,800

Any enquiries regarding this LTB 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

23LTB018

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ROYAL MAIL GROUP DISPUTES – UNAGREED OPG CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT

We have obtained a copy of a temporary contract of employment issued to an OPG for the period from 28^th December 2022 to 24^th March 2023.

Branches and Representatives will be aware that, in the past, when Royal Mail has wanted to change particular aspects of the contract of employment, input has been sought from the Union, with the aim of reaching an agreement.

A comprehensive comparison has been made between the clauses in the previously agreed OPG contract, against those in the attached, and a number of major unagreed changes have been identified and unilaterally implemented.

It is evident that some of the alterations made relate directly to areas of the current dispute, which is more evidence of the need to vote YES in the re-ballot.  Moreover, these unagreed amendments clearly have significant ongoing implications and cannot be left unchallenged.

As a result, the attached correspondence has been sent to Zareena Brown, RMG Chief People Officer containing a firm request, seeking to open up dialogue on the changes to the contract.

If Branches are aware of any other variations of new contracts which differ to the one attached, they are urged to send these to fkelk@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward                                  Andy Furey
General Secretary                   Acting Deputy General Secretary (P)

LTB 017 – enclosure New Contracts of employment LTB 017 -18.1.23 – RMG DISPUTES – UNAGREED OPG CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT LTB017 – Letter to Zareena Brown – Unagreed Introduction of New Contracts of Employment (OPG) for CWU Represented Grades

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DEFERMENT OF GENERAL, RULES AND INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCES 2023

At an Emergency NEC meeting held today, Tuesday the 17^th January 2023, the NEC have unanimously taken the decision to defer the above conferences until later in the year.

Conferences were due to take place Sunday 23^rd to Thursday 27^th April 2023as notified in LTB 326/2022, the conference will now take place Sunday 1^stto Thursday 5^th October 2023.  To be clear the Conference is being deferred and not cancelled.

There are a number of reasons for the NEC arriving at this decision.  As Branches will be aware the situation around our dispute with Royal Mail Group (RMG) is at a very crucial stage.  We have now served notice on RMG to ballot again on the issues in dispute, the ballot will open next Monday 23^rd January.

At this point in time it is essential that our messaging is that everything (and we mean everything) that Postal Branches need to do to produce both a high turnout and yes vote in this ballot is essential. This means devoting every resource and every amount of possible time to achieving these aims.

Arising out of this ballot and the ongoing negotiations are two possible scenarios. Either we reach an agreement or we don’t.  If we don’t then at the time the conference is currently scheduled, we will be heavily involved in large scale and widespread industrial action that will be crucial to achieving a successful outcome to the dispute.

Should negotiations continue and we reach an agreement there will be a need for urgent consultation, meeting and general discussion with Branches around any potential outcome and the deployment of such. Again there is no timescale for this as there is currently no agreement, but either way Postal Branches will be required to concentrate all efforts on the ballot and the outcomes, whatever they may be.

In short, important as Annual Conference is, it is not and cannot be considered more important than what is in reality, a fight for our members’ futures in Royal Mail.

In addition to the position set out above there is the question of the closing date for motions to General, Rules and Postal Industrial Conference.  Respectively these are 9^th, 2^nd and 23^rd February 2023.

For the NEC there is a linked issue. The closing dates set out above means that any motions and/or rule changes that the NEC needs to submit to conferences would need to go before the NEC scheduled for the 25^th/26^th January.  Given the involvement of the GS and other Senior Officers and Staff, as well as the PEC there is simply no time between now and then to discuss and present NEC motions and/or rule changes by that date.

Branches will be aware that there are a number of outstanding issues arising out of Redesign that the union needs to deal with in order to ensure we build a union fit for purpose in the future. This means developing a number of proposals around structures and subsequent discussions with Branches and Reps on these issues.

The same issue applies to the PEC, who would have to meet prior to the closing date to submit motions at a time when the industrial dispute with the employer remains unresolved and Officers and PE members are devoting all their time to dealing with this issue.

The deferring of Conference to later in the year allows us time to have the discussions required around those issues, consult widely within the union and place rule changes before conference 1^st – 5^thOctober. Clearly, with the ongoing dispute we are simply not in a position to do this and thus the deferment makes sense not just for the industrial reasons as set out above, but also for structural reasons regarding the future of the CWU.

The NEC understands that deferring these conferences may have some impact upon hotel bookings already made. However, the agreed new date for the Conference (01.10.23 – 05.10.23) is a time when Bournemouth hotels are operating out of season.  Most hotels should not have major issues with transferring bookings until the later date.  We will of course engage and discuss with any Branch that has difficulty in this area.

The NEC also understands that part of the focus of this debate is around industrial issues in the Postal constituency. The NEC are aware that there are a number of equally important issues being dealt with within the TFS constituency.  The TFSE are clear that, if required, a Policy Forum to discuss and debate matters with Branches will be utilised at the appropriate time.

The decision taken by the NEC is not taken lightly, however, as set out above, given both the industrial issues we face with a major employer, the demands on time and the need for the union to consider further restructuring issues the decision is taken in the best interests of the CWU both in the immediate and longer term.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB 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,Dave WardTony KearnsGeneral SecretarySenior Deputy General Secretary

23LTB016

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• Subject: Royal Mail and the Post Office
• Witness(es): Dave Ward, General Secretary, Communication Workers Union; Andy Furey, Assistant Secretary, Communication Workers Union
• Witness(es): Simon Thompson, Chief Executive Officer, Royal Mail
• Witness(es): Nick Read, Chief Executive, Post Office Ltd

2022/2023 DISPUTE RELATING TO INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTIONS SERVICES (PREVIOUSLY ROYAL MAIL GROUP) FOR ALL CWU REPRESENTED GRADES IN ROYAL MAIL GROUP (INCLUDING PARCELFORCE AND FLEET). PAY, UNAGREED CHANGE, JOB SECURITY, DISCIPLINING CWU REPS, ACTIVISTS AND MEMBERS. BREAKING AND TERMINATING VARIOUS COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS AND PROTECTIONS

Further to the information provided at the National Briefing on Tuesday 10^thJanuary, we have today served notice on Royal Mail Group for a re-ballot of our members on pay, change and associated matters.  The ballot timetable is as follows:

Ballot papers despatched:                       Monday 23^rd January 2023

Ballot closes and result declared:            Thursday 16^thFebruary 2023

Branches and members will be aware that the re-ballot incorporates both pay and change.  The exact wording on the ballot paper is reflected in the title of this LTB.

Branches are urged to bring this LTB to the immediate attention of all members and to hold members’ meetings at the earliest opportunity and throughout the ballot period.  Monday 23^rd January will be National Gate Meeting Day and we are asking Branches to cover as many units as possible on this day.  As highlighted in LTB 011/23, requests can be made if the assistance of a National Officer or Postal Executive member is required at these meetings by contacting Fiona Kelk – fkelk@cwu.org.

It is vital we secure an excellent YESvote in this ballot, with a huge turnout, and our thanks go to Branches and Representatives for all of your efforts in this regard.

LTB 015/23

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TUC WOMENS CONFERENCE VISITORS – 8^TH – 10^TH MARCH 2023

The TUC Women’s Conference 2023 is being held from Wednesday 8^th – Friday 10^th March 2023 at the TUC, Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS.  The Conference sessions will be as follows:

Wednesday 8^th March          14.00 – 17.30

Thursday 9^th March             09.30 – 17.30

Friday 10^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 £15 visitor ticket fee. The easiest way to pay the £15 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 £15 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 3^rd March 2023.

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

Dave Ward
General Secretary

23LTB014 – TUC Womens Conference Visitors – 8th-10th March 2023

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