Royal Mail Group – Coronavirus Precautions & Hygiene – Supply Shortages of Gloves, Sanitizer Wipes, Soap, Detergents and Paper Towels:

The Health, Safety & Environment Department continues to work in liaison with the Royal Mail Safety, Health & Environment Team, Royal Mail Assets and Royal Mail Procurement Teams as well as Royal Mail Property & Facilities Services (RMP&FS) during the current Coronavirus outbreak.

The Health, Safety & Environment Department has been heavily inundated with various enquiries and questions on the Coronavirus Covid-19 Pandemic on top of our existing extremely heavy workload and commitments being dealt with by our small department. Please bear that in mind and that instantaneous replies are not always possible. However, rest assured all matters of importance are being dealt with.

As an added precaution and taking account of various advice received, Royal Mail Group agreed to provide Antiseptic/Sanitizer Wipes and Gloves, as branches will know.

Royal Mail Assets and Procurement advised us that demand for antiseptic wipes has hugely outstripped supply across the UK, and following a period of increased buying, Royal Mail Group were unable to keep up with demand, so exhausted all of the Company’s supplier’s stocks of wipes across the UK.

Royal Mail Group Assets and Procurement have confirmed that they have purchased:

• 336,200 Alcohol wipes between 11th February 2020 & 4th March 2020 
• 182,500 pairs of gloves between 24th January 2020 & 4th March 2020 

As we know, there is now also a well-publicised national shortage of wipes, gels etc. and Royal Mail Group have now exhausted all their supplier’s stocks.

Royal Mail Procurement have been actively looking for alternative suppliers, but this is a UK national shortage, which we understand is a nationwide position and not a Royal Mail position of choice. However, Royal Mail are continuing to talk with existing and new potential suppliers and are awaiting confirmation on back orders.

Currently Royal Mail do have a supply of gloves in stock. Suppliers have advised Royal Mail Group that they do not have the same concerns over glove supply, as they do with Antiseptic Wipes. There are also other glove lines that Royal Mail can switch to, if there becomes a shortage of the current type. At this point, the suppliers are not envisaging the glove supply running out. That being said there is a high demand for small sizes, which is affecting stocks and Royal Mail is looking for confirmation on this and identifying if there are alternative styles, or other suppliers to bridge the gap.

With regards to Sanitising Gel & Dispensers, the current position of Royal Mail Group is that their Health & Wellbeing and the Safety Health and Environment Risk & Improvement Team’s decision is not to provide sanitising dispensers and gel. Their conclusion is that it is far more effective and efficient to promote regular handwashing with soap and water as they conclude that Royal Mail is not a high-risk environment, in comparison to hospitals or care homes where Sanitising Gel is used as standard. The CWU Health, Safety & Environment has challenged them in respect of the availability of hand washing facilities out on Royal Mail and Parcelforce Deliveries.  

In relation to ‘Face Mask Requirements & Regulations’ Royal Mail state that their advice from the World Health Organisation and UK Agencies guidance on this, is that these are only effective and beneficial to stop the spread of the virus for:-

• People who are ill, coughing and sneezing to reduce them from spreading the virus to others.
• People who are caring for, or in close contact with someone who is infected. People who are healthy, only need to wear a mask if they are taking care of a person with suspected 2019-nCoV infection.

Additionally, many masks being sold to the public are ineffective for Virus protection for a number of reasons. Firstly, they are not effective against respiratory illnesses like the flu and COVID-19 and won’t stop the wearer from inhaling small airborne particles, which can cause infection. Nor do these masks form a snug seal around the face. Most experts only recommend surgical masks for people who already show symptoms of coronavirus, in order to help prevent spreading the virus around by protecting others nearby when the infected person coughs or sneezes. Royal Mail Group policy therefore, based on expert advice, is not to issue face masks for protection during flu pandemics, therefore RMG would not be issuing masks as PPE against Coronavirus.

The very latest update is as follows as of yesterday evening 12 March 2020.

Ø  Suppliers are being scoped all over the UK.

Ø  There is an ample supply of gloves to meet demand.

Ø  300 Boxes containing half a million antiseptic wipes have arrived and will be despatched on a priority basis.

Ø  Soap, detergents and paper towel supplies have also be replenished.

Ø  Royal Mail Assets expect to have better provisions and stocks over the next two weeks by when suppliers expect to meet Royal Mail’s demands. 

The Health, Safety & Environment Department will be meeting Royal Mail Assets and Royal Mail Procurement on Monday, to discuss a number of things including an update on this important issue. Further updates will be issued to Branches in due course.

Yours Sincerely

Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer  

LTB 125.2020

Coronavirus Precautions Hygiene E4-DJ-lmp

We need this final video everywhere

IAmTheUnion 🙋‍♀🙋‍♂

Coronavirus (COVID-19) – NHS Updated Advice for the Public as of today 13 March 2020, including ‘Stay at Home’ Advice

Introduction

The NHS have updated their advice to the public regarding Coronavirus Covid-19 which is set out below and includes the ‘stay at home’ advice.

Number of Cases

As of this morning approximately 30,000 people have been tested in the UK for Coronavirus (Covid-19), of which 29,200 were confirmed negative and 600 were confirmed as positive. 10 patients who tested positive for Coronavirus Covid-19 have died.

Main Symptoms to look out for are:

• Fever (high temperature).
• Cough.
• Shortness of breath/breathing difficulties.

Updated NHS Advice 

COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways.  It’s caused by a virus called Coronavirus.

Stay at home if you have Coronavirus symptoms. 

Stay at home for 7 days if you have either:

• A high temperature/fever.
• A new, continuous cough.
• Shortness of breath/breathing difficulties.

Do not go to a GP surgery, Pharmacy or Hospital.

You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you’re staying at home.

See below ‘Advice about Staying At Home’.

Urgent Advice: Use the NHS 111 Online Coronavirus service if:

• You feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home.
• Your condition gets worse.
• Your symptoms do not get better after 7 days.

Only call 111 if you cannot get help online.

How coronavirus is spread

• Because it’s a new illness, we do not know exactly how Coronavirus spreads from person to person.
• Similar viruses are spread in cough droplets.
• It’s very unlikely it can be spread through things like packages or food.

How to avoid catching or spreading Coronavirus

Do

• Wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds.
• Always wash your hands when you get home or into work.
• Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze.
• Put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards.
• Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell.

Don’t

• Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean.

Treatment for Coronavirus

There is currently no specific treatment for coronavirus.

Antibiotics do not help, as they do not work against viruses.

Treatment aims to relieve the symptoms while your body fights the illness.

You’ll need to stay in isolation, away from other people, until you have recovered.

NHS Stay at Home Advice – Coronavirus (COVID-19) 

Tips for staying at home

It’s important to stay at home to stop coronavirus spreading.

Do

• Try to keep at least 2 metres (3 steps) from other people in your home, particularly older people or those with long-term health conditions.
• Ask friends and family and delivery services to deliver things like food shopping and medicines – but avoid contact with them.
• Sleep alone if possible.
• Regularly wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
• Try to stay away from older people and those with long-term health conditions.
• Drink plenty of water and take everyday painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, to help with your symptoms.

Don’t

• Do not have visitors (ask people to leave deliveries outside).
• Do not leave the house, for example to go for a walk, to school or public places.

Urgent advice: Use the NHS 111 online Coronavirus service if: 

• You feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home.
• Your condition gets worse.
• Your symptoms do not get better after 7 days.

Use the 111 Coronavirus service.

Only call 111 if you cannot get help online.

Yours Sincerely,

Dave Joyce
National Health Safety & Environment Officer

20LTB124

BT Workplaces and Coronavirus – COVID-19

The CWU have met with BT’s Property and Facilities Services team to be briefed on the ramp up of workplace cleaning in the face of the Coronavirus COVID-19 that is becoming of increasing concern across the country.

BT have stressed that the current advice is to use common sense and follow the good hygiene practice that is being widely publicised and available on the BT Today homepage; wash hands thoroughly and be thoughtful of colleagues by not overusing or removing consumable items such as soap, paper towels, hand sanitiser and toilet rolls.

BT have a Threat Assessment Response Group (TARG) which is a Director led command group and forum made up of senior managers from across the business. In this instance it is taking medical advice from Dr Richard Caddis, the BT Chief Medical Officer.

At present there are 150 key sites that are inhabited by the greatest proportion of BT staff across the country and enhanced cleaning in these locations will be heavily increased. Those locations with a full-time housekeeping presence will have more frequent checks on washroom areas and consumables. The enhanced cleaning will focus on breaking the chain of infection by targeting the cleaning of workplace touchpoints where there is an increased probability of contamination. This includes common areas, corridors, lifts, doors, desks and keyboards.

BT has access to dedicated specialist Electrostatic cleaning machines across the country that can be deployed quickly to deep clean any workplace where confirmed cases arise. Deep clean scenario testing is already underway to assess the potential impact arising from multiple deployment requirements. The deep cleaning focuses on decontamination of the workplace to allow safe re-occupation.

A toolkit of information is being prepared by BT which will include fact sheets, FAQs and guidance and this will be provided to branches as it becomes available.

Yours sincerely,

Brendan O’Brien
Assistant Secretary

122.2020

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) IMPACT UPON THE CWU

The purpose of this LTB is to inform branches of the actions we are taking in response to the above as it affects the CWU.

Branches will be aware that the Health and Safety department have issued a number of LTB’s that are directed at the industrial health and safety aspects of this matter as it impacts upon our members working conditions. In relation to those issues Branches and Representatives should continue to deal with those matters through the relevant industrial departments in conjunction with the H&S Department at CWU HQs.

We have embarked upon instigating a series of measures that would allow, as far as possible the CWU to continue to function as the impacts of this viral infection worsen in line with Government and Public Health England (PHE) predictions.

The latest announcement by Government (Thursday 11^th March 2020) is that the situation currently being experienced in Italy is likely to occur here in approximately 4 weeks’ time.  Obviously whilst the spread of the virus is beyond our control we are working on a series of measures that would allow, as far as is reasonably practicable, for the CWU to continue operating in order to serve and support our members should the need arise whereby through Government directive or a diagnosis of infection, we have to close or are unable to operate out of, 150 The Broadway.

Amongst the issues being scoped we are:

• Asking all departments at CWU HQs to immediately identify their essential work issues.
• Identify key staff to carry out this work.
• Equip a larger number of staff to be able work remotely e.g. from home.
• Sourcing of alternative “emergency” premises.
• Open up more video conferencing facilities to allow access by Branches, Regions, Reps.
• Identify what meetings, events, etc. may need to be cancelled in order to protect Reps and staff.

This plan will be under continuous review and development as the public landscape changes.  You will have seen that the latest Government advice on this matter was sparse i.e. self-isolate for 7 days even with mild symptoms and continue to wash hands thoroughly.  However they did give a clear indication that as the virus escalates, as they expect, much stronger measures will be introduced.

We are already seeing a number of businesses and institutions advising against unnecessary travel and in Scotland we have seen a ban on events of more than 500 people.  Our intention here is not to be alarmist but medical experts state that “the trajectory is that we are 4 weeks behind Italy”.   In response to this the Government has stated that they are “considering banning major events over the coming weeks”.

The introduction of such measures, as seems inevitable in the coming weeks, would seriously impact on our normal way of operating i.e. via meetings, briefings, schools and conferences.  As a result we are currently scoping what options are open to us in this regard, but we are of the view that these are measures we will have to make decisions on within the next few days.

We clearly have a responsibility here to ensure that we do not place members, activists and staff and by association, their families and friends in danger. Again, we are dealing here with what Government describes as the “worst public health crisis for a generation” and that “many families are going to lose loved ones before their time”.

There is no question about the gravity of the situation we face, over the next few days we believe we will need to go further than the extremely minimalist approach being taken by Government in order to protect our members, activists and staff.  This means that as well as putting in place what measures we can to continue try and operate as a CWU, we will need to consider our responsibilities and what other actions we believe we should take as we face the significant public health risk posed by the virus.

Once we have considered all aspects of our operation in the context of an environment that is increasingly concerning and changing daily, we will communicate again with Branches to update you as necessary.

The contents of this LTB deal with the way the CWU will operate in dealing with this issue.  Industrial or Health and Safety issues that are impacted by Coronavirus should be raised with those departments.

Any questions or comments on the content of this LTB i.e. on CWU issues, should be addressed to Tony Kearns, Senior Deputy General Secretary via sdgs@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,Dave Ward

General SecretaryTony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

20LTB121

Postponement of UN Anti-Racism Day Demonstration on the 21st March 2020

Due to the Coronavirus (CONVID-19) pandemic and the threat to public health, the planned UN Anti-Racism Day Demonstration on the 21st March 2020 in London and Glasgow has been cancelled and a new date will be announced in due course.

Any enquiries on the above LTB should be addressed to gsoffice@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward

General Secretary

20LTB120 Postponement of UN Anti-Racism Day Demonstration on the 21st March 2020

POST OFFICE: HORIZON SCANDAL – BEIS SELECT COMMITTEE INQUIRY – FIRST ORAL EVIDENCE SESSION & WESTMINSTER HALL DEBATE

Further to LTB 104/20 dated 4th March 2020. 

The first evidence session of the BEIS Select Committee Inquiry into the Horizon scandal Chaired by Rachel Reeves MP, took place on Tuesday 10th March in Westminster. Giving evidence to this session were the following: 

• Wendy Buffrey and Tracy Felstead, former Postmaster and Post Office worker respectively
• Alan Bates, former Postmaster, lead claimant in the Group Litigation and founder of the Justice for SubPostmasters Alliance
• Andy Furey, CWU
• Calum Greenhow, Chief Executive Officer of the NFSP
• Ron Warmington and Ian Henderson from Second Sight Forensic Accountants, who were hired six years ago by the Post Office to look at the Horizon system and investigate Postmasters’ complaints.

The Committee heard firstly from the former Postmasters/Post Office workers who had been prosecuted by the Post Office. Wendy Buffrey was accused of theft by the Post Office and despite no evidence being found, was eventually pressured into pleading guilty to false accounting (rather than face a custodial sentence for theft). Wendy was convicted of this charge and was forced to do 150 hours of community service. She had to sell her home (at a much reduced rate compared to its value) to repay the missing £36,000 the Post Office had accused her of stealing.

Visibly moved by relaying her story, Wendy informed the committee she had been spat at as she walked from her court conviction. Astonishingly, Wendy also told the Committee she received no help or support whatsoever from the NFSP, despite being a member. Although she made a number of phone calls to them she was told that because she had been suspended, she was no longer considered a Postmaster and therefore would not receive any representation or support from what was then her Trade Union (the NFSP was struck off as a Trade Union by the Certification Officer in 2013 and is now a Trade Association).

Tracy Felstead, former Post Office worker was accused of stealing £11,500 and at the age of 19 was sent to Holloway prison where she served 3 months of a 6 month sentence for theft. This is despite the fact her family clubbed together to find the money to repay the Post Office the £11,500 she didn’t take in the first place.

Alan Bates, who took the initiative to set up the Justice for SubPostmasters Alliance because of the lack of support from the NFSP, told the shocked members of the Committee that Post Office had acted “as judge, jury and executioner. They always have done, in a very high-handed way.” He also said that Postmasters were “abandoned” by the NFSP. 

Calum Greenhow, the current CEO of the NFSP, when questioned by one of the Committee members yesterday as to why Wendy had not received the support she required, after deliberating, informed the Committee he was not aware of a policy which would have prevented the NFSP supporting accused Postmasters such as Wendy due to their suspension. However, he said he would need to check on this and get back to the Committee as this happened prior to him becoming CEO (he became CEO following the departure of George Thomson back in 2018). It should be noted though that Calum had a prominent role in the NFSP for a number of years.

What is clearly evident is that the NFSP failed to provide the support and guidance to Wendy she needed so desperately. This is typical of the experience of many of the hundreds of Postmasters who supported the Group litigation and the JFSA and is one of the reasons we’re calling on the Committee to recommend the CWU has total recognition for representing Postmasters including collective bargaining so that Postmasters have strong collective representation through an independent trade union. This is also necessary as Postmasters’ remuneration levels have deteriorated significantly over a number of years. 

In giving his evidence, Andy Furey commented “We need a judge-led independent inquiry… The culture of the Post Office was to defend Horizon at all costs and should be held to account. The Post Office should hang its head in shame”. 

A recording of the Inquiry can be accessed via the following link:

https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/9a73af32-a8d7-4ead-ad17-dc92f2d9f131

Press & Media Coverage

The inquiry received significant media coverage. Tom Witherow, reporter for the Daily Mail, Tweeted the following comments from the debate:

Strong final statement from @AndyFurey_CWU

AF: No-one has been accountable, no-one has lost their job, no-one’s been dismissed from the PO board. It’s so fundamentally important to get this judge-led independent public inquiry. The scale of this is horrendous. The vast majority of the people who operate in the PO are public servants, they are part of the fabric of society.

This is a national scandal, it has impacted on their reputations and the PO needs to be held to account.

There were also stories in the New Statesman, Computer Weekly, Daily Mail and on the BBC which can be accessed via the following links:

https://tech.newstatesman.com/public-sector/horizon-it-scandal-judge-led-inquiry

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252479794/MPs-told-to-hold-to-account-those-responsible-for-Post-Office-Horizon-IT-scandal

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8098003/Post-Office-acted-judge-jury-executioner.html

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51817918

In addition, a Union web story has been published today:

https://www.cwu.org/news/post-office-bosses-shamed-by-powerful-testimony/

Second Session of the BEIS Select Committee Inquiry – 24th March

At a later evidence session scheduled for 24th March, the Committee is expected to question the current Post Office CEO, Nick Read, the former CEO, Paula Vennells, Fujitsu, a BEIS Minister and a representative from UKGI (UK Government Investments). A further LTB will be published following this meeting. In the meantime, any other developments will be reported. 

Westminster Hall Debate on the Post Office Network – Tuesday 10th March q

Also taking place yesterday was a Westminster Hall debate secured by Marion Fellows MP (SNP) on the Post Office Network. During the debate, Marion Fellows made the following points:

Communication Workers Union officials have also queried the wisdom of closing Crown post offices – those directly managed by Post Office Ltd – given that the company is profit making. The union notes that franchising causes people to leave the service because jobs advertised by firms such as WH Smith, which holds a very large number of franchises, are lower paid than those at the post office.

I asked the previous Minister for postal affairs for an independent review into postmaster pay. I know I have said this already, but I will keep saying it: we want a review. Will the Minister commit to one?

The Minister was in the Chamber last Thursday, when the hon. Member for Telford (Lucy Allan) led the debate on the Horizon scandal and its impact on postmasters and post office workers. We heard of appalling cases of injustice in which victims were imprisoned, were given community service, or lost homes, businesses and reputations. Victims were pressurised into paying money to Post Office Ltd to avoid criminal charges, even when they knew they had done nothing wrong. Post Office Ltd covered up what it knew about the Horizon system and recklessly spent public money trying to avoid blame. The Minister’s response to all of this was lacklustre.

Victims of the Horizon scandal must be recompensed. Will the Minister meet Post Office Ltd to ensure that those who run and work in our post offices will not be the ones who pay the price for this scandal?

Gill Furniss, Labour MP and Shadow Minister for Post Offices stated:

In the fight for justice for wronged sub-postmasters, we must not lose sight of the rest of the network. Ensuring that it is properly funded for the future is key. It is clear, even before we understand the full impact of the trial on the finances of Post Office Ltd later this year, that the network is hugely reliant on the network subsidy payment. The legal and compensation costs that the business will bear will make the Post Office hugely reliant on Government support.

The Government are hiding behind the idea that the Post Office is an independent commercial business, but the need for public support at critical moments means that the Government can and must play a far greater role in shaping the future of the Post Office, rather than simply providing credit and monitoring basic targets. In truth, since the separation of Post Office Ltd and Royal Mail, the Government have not taken their strategic role seriously. We have not had a comprehensive statement of strategic direction for that vital service since 2010, and we have reached the point where the long-term future of the network is at stake.

By contrast, we have a clear vision of the future of the post office network. First, the network would receive far greater protection if it were reunified with Royal Mail in public control. The disastrous decision to split the two and to sell off Royal Mail threatened both businesses. As high streets and the postal market develops, we have missed great opportunities to unify the management and services of those businesses. Working together, post offices and Royal Mail delivery offices could provide a much more comprehensive network of local points from which to send and pick up parcels, driving growth and delivering sustainability for the Post Office and Royal Mail. Britain’s post should be public.

Will the Minister commit to bring forward a comprehensive strategy for the Post Office? I know that she will not agree with every element of the plan I have laid out, but the House and the public must be able to see and scrutinise the Government’s plans for the future. Will she also set out what steps she will take to address the governance of the Post Office to ensure that sub-postmasters and the public are assured that the management of the company is able to take the network forward into the future with openness and transparency? Any strategy must identify the desperate need for fair remuneration of sub-postmasters….

The post office network is a national gem, valued by many up and down the country. It can provide a bulwark against a retail downturn and essential protection for the digitally excluded, but it must have the correct vision and investment to achieve that. In recent weeks, the Post Office has faced great challenges. The Government must react and lead the Post Office forward for the future.

Amanda Solloway MP, Under-Secretary of State for BEIS standing in for Paul Scully MP, the Post Office Minister responded to the debate and included the following statements:

BEIS has challenged the Post Office and, in fact, the new CEO and the chair personally to strengthen their relationship with postmasters and to take on board the lessons learned from the recent litigation. They have provided assurances that they will do so. BEIS has established, and chairs, a quarterly group with the National Federation of SubPostmasters and the Post Office.

Let me reassure hon. Members that improvements at all levels of the organisation are well under way, reflecting the lessons learned from the past. The Minister has already spoken to the Post Office’s newly appointed chief executive, and has been assured that a major overhaul of the Post Office’s engagement and relationships with postmasters is progressing.

The Government will continue to monitor and proactively challenge the Post Office leadership and will hold it to account on its progress. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is looking at what more needs to be done, and it will outline the next steps in due course.

Marion Fellows closed the debate by adding:

I do not want the Minister to take this personally, because I could have said it innumerable times to many other Ministers, but we do not just want to hear kind words from the Government. We do not want the Government to say, “We will press Post Office Ltd”; we want the Government to tell us what they are going to do. That was missing quite a bit from the Minister’s response.

I want to pick up on one thing. It seems as though where the Government find that Post Office Ltd is making a profit, that is fine—everything in the garden is lovely; we are moving forward and the Post Office is doing really well, because it is making money—but how much money will the Post Office be making when the full cost of the Horizon scandal hits? It is not just about the people who have been taken to court and whose cases are going through the criminal court review procedures; it is about the people who paid the Post Office money because they did not want to be prosecuted, and who were harassed and harangued into doing that. It is about the cover-up. The Government cannot sit back and let the post office network flounder because of the great cost coming down the line for the Post Office as a result of Horizon.

That does not even cover things such as franchising. Franchising is not good. It has been proven, especially where Crown post offices are franchised, that franchising leads to expertise being lost: people leave, there is a reduction in the services provided and everyone loses out. I honestly hope that the inquiry that the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee is carrying out prods Ministers into effort and deeds, instead of kind words. Post offices need to be kept, and they need to prosper. We need them to support our communities.

A link to the full debate can be accessed via the following link:

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2020-03-10/debates/C15938E1-712B-4764-97B0-5D280106D773/PostOfficeNetwork

Criminal Cases Review Commission

The CCRC is currently considering the cases of more than 50 former Postmasters who have been convicted (including imprisoned in some cases) due to accounting irregularities relating to Horizon. CCRC commissioners can refer cases to the Court of Appeal if they believe there is a real possibility that the convictions in question should be quashed where there are obvious grounds of a miscarriage of justice, bearing in mind that Horizon has now been exposed to have flaws and could be remotely accessed which wasn’t known at the time of the convictions. We understand the outcome of the CCRC’s deliberations will be communicated this month.

Finally, we would like to thank Rachel Reeves for calling this Select Committee Inquiry into the Horizon debacle and to the members of the Committee for their input and questions. It is clear that there is cross-party support for a judge-led independent inquiry to be held into this absolutely appalling scandal which has affected the lives of so many hard working innocent Postmasters.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward – General Secretary

Terry Pullinger – Deputy General Secretary (P)

Andy Furey – Assistant Secretary

20LTB116 – Post Office: Horizon Scandal – BEIS Select Committee Inquiry – First Oral Evidence Session & Westminster Hall Debate

All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Respiratory Health Publishes Inquiry Report Warning UK Government That It Must Act to Prevent the ‘next Asbestos’ Taking More Lives in the UK:

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Respiratory Health has urged the Government to take action to prevent the ‘next Asbestos’ from taking more lives in the UK with the publication of its report entitled “Silica The Next Asbestos”.

The APPG and not-for-profit organisation B&CE’s joint report, Silica – The Next Asbestos, examines the danger posed by Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS); the biggest risk to construction workers’ health after Asbestos.  The inquiry was launched on 9 July 2019 and the Report was published on 4 March 2020.

Around 600,000 UK workers are exposed to RCS each year, which is created when bricks or stone are either fractured, cut or drilled into. This can cause Silicosis, the most common chronic occupational lung disease in the world. In Australia, the recent rise in cases of Silicosis has been described as an ‘emerging occupational health epidemic’, but awareness and understanding of the risks of RCS exposure remains “low”, the report says.

The new report calls on the Government to take a number of crucial steps to address these issues and protect construction workers from exposure to RCS.

The Report recommendations include:

• Halving the workplace exposure limit (WEL) for RCS in the UK from 0.1mg/m³ to 0.05mg/m³ in line with the 2003 recommended exposure standard from the Scientific Committee on Occupation Exposure Limits.
• Developing and implementing a targeted industry awareness campaign for those at risk of developing Silicosis.
• Introducing occupational health services into GP surgeries to allow for occupational histories to be taken where work-related ill health is suspected.
• Introducing new health and safety regulations specifically relating to the control of Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS), to bring it into line with Asbestos.
• Introducing an NHS screening programme for those exposed to RCS.

Thousands of construction workers are being put at risk by breathing in tiny dust particles when they drill or cut stone, the new report states. Workers are being put at risk of developing Silicosis – a chronic lung disease caused by the inhalation of Silica dust. Silicosis occurs when the body’s immune system tries to remove the tiny particles of dust, resulting in swelling and scarring of the lung tissue. The condition usually develops after being exposed to Silica for at least a decade but some are affected sooner. Symptoms include a persistent cough, shortness of breath with weakness and tiredness. There is no cure and treatments aim to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.

The Inquiry has raised awareness around the risks of Silica dust and given insight into the steps being taken to improve at-work health, especially around the issue of Silica dust. The APPG hope the report will assist the Health and Safety Executive, the Government and the construction industry to shine light on an under-documented issue and protect the construction workforce from preventable injury and illnesses. The aim of this report is to start a long-overdue conversation between Government, Parliament, health bodies and the construction industry about how to tackle Silicosis; an entirely preventable, often fatal, condition.

Retired Stone Mason Gordon Sommerville, 59, from Scotland gave evidence to the inquiry and told how he had to retire due to ill-health. He recalled the almost non-existent levels of industry awareness to the dangers of inhaling dust at the start of his 38-year career. He said that today colleagues teach stoneworkers of the dangers, the HSE runs awareness campaigns and larger companies will supply employees with respiratory protection. But still the danger of dust has not filtered through to most and ignorance is still the major cause of dust diseases he concluded.

In a 2014 report, the HSE stated that Silica is the biggest risk to construction workers after Asbestos and in July 2019, The Australian Department of Public Health launched its ‘Taskforce into Silicosis and Other Dust Diseases’.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

20LTB108 All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Respiratory Health Publishes Inquiry Report

APPG Report – Silica-next-asbestos

Reminder – UN Anti-Racism Day 2020 Saturday, 21st March

This is a quick reminder for Branches that the next UN Anti-Racism Day rallies are taking place on Saturday 21st March 2020.

The meeting point for the London rally is Portland Place W1A 1AA. This is directly outside the London BBC office and the nearest tube station is Oxford Circus. We are asking CWU Branches to converge at the meeting point from midday onwards.

There will be a number of high profile speakers, including our own General Secretary, Dave Ward. Last year there was a huge CWU presence at the rally where parts of central London were turned pink. 

It will be helpful if Branches and Regions could contact the Equality, Education & Development Department to confirm your attendance on the day.

Any queries on this LTB should be directed to the Equality, Education & Development Department.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward – General Secretary                    

Kate Hudson – Head of Equality, Education & Development

20LTB 114 – UN Anti-Racism Day 2020 – Reminder

Attachment 1 – SUTR 2020 London Leaflet

Attachment 2 – SUTR 2020 London Poster

Attachment 3 – Map

View Online