Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains. Karl Marx.
WOMEN’S LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE 2024: CWU DELEGATION REPORT
The 2024 Women’s Labour Party Conference was held in Liverpool on Saturday 21st September
2024.
For your information the below attachment is a report on the decisions taken by the CWU Women’s delegation at their meeting.
Any enquiries on the above LTB should be addressed to the General Secretary’s office dlynch@cwu.org.
Yours sincerely
Dave Ward
General Secretary
LTB 371/24 – Womens Labour Party Conference 2024 – CWU Delegation Report
Election of CWU Delegates to the TUC Equality Conferences 2025
Please find attached the Regulations, Nomination Forms, and Candidate Consent and Biographical Details Form for the above conferences. The details of which are as follows:
TUC Women’s Conference
Date: 5th – 7th March 2025
Venue: TUC Congress House, London
TUC Black Workers Conference
Date: 11th – 13th April 2025
Venue: TUC Congress House, London
TUC Disabled Workers Conference
Date: 20th – 21st May 2025
Venue: TBC
TUC LGBT+ Workers Conference
Date: 26th – 27th June or 3rd – 4th July 2025
Venue: TUC Congress House, London
The Timetable for the elections is as follows:
Nominations open: 25 November 2024
Nominations close: 9 December 2024 (14:00)
Dispatch ballot papers from: 11 December 2024
Ballot closes: 23 December 2024 (14:00)
Reminders:
All candidates for election to the TUC Women’s Conference must be women. All candidates require the nomination of their own Branch.
Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches 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
LTB 370/24 – Election of CWU National Delegations – TUC Equality Conferences 2025
Att: Nomination Forms 2025 – Word Download
Att: Candidates and Bio Form 2025 – Word Download
Hi All,
CWU session yesterday on takeover, USO, pay, new entrants and more.
Dave Ward and Martin Walsh also took several live questions from members.
Here is the full show via podcast. Please give it a listen and share 🎙️
CWU NEC and National Representative Elections 2024
Please find attached a copy of the Independent Scrutineer’s report for the above elections.
Please can you ensure that the results are brought to the attention of the members of your Branch.
The detailed Branch analysis will follow as soon as it is available.
Any enquiries regarding this matter should be directed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s department for the attention of Dave Wilshire:
Telephone: 0208 971 7368
Email: dwilshire@cwu.org
Yours sincerely,
Tony Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary
LTB 369/24 – CWU NEC and National Representative Elections 2024
Attachment: T0500_1 201124 ROV CWU Officers NEC Industrial Executives Elections 2024
Core / Online Education & Training Programme 2025
The purpose of this LTB is to advise Branches that the NEC has endorsed a programme of courses for 2025.
Core Residential Programme
Arrangements have been made for our residential training programme to be delivered at the GFTU owned Quorn Grange Hotel, 88 Wood Lane, Quorn, LE12 8DB.
Representative’s accommodation costs on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis will be met centrally.
Branches are responsible for student travel and any other appropriate expenses.
Scheduled Programme 2025
The programme cuts across all the specialisms that our representatives perform incorporating both accredited and unaccredited courses:
Residential Programme 2025FromToCourseCut-off date20/01/2524/01/25Essential Skills 109/12/2427/01/2531/01/25Essential Skills 116/12/2403/02/2507/02/25Postal Agreements23/12/2410/02/2514/02/25Essential Skills 130/12/2417/02/2521/02/25Introduction to Health & Safety 106/01/2503/03/2507/03/25Advanced Skills 120/01/2517/03/2519/03/25Mental Health Awareness03/02/2524/03/2528/03/25Intermediate Health & Safety 110/02/2507/04/2511/04/25Postal Agreements24/02/2528/04/2502/05/25Union Learning Reps 117/03/2512/05/2516/05/25Essential Skills 131/03/2502/06/2506/06/25Essential Skills 221/04/2509/06/2513/06/25Introduction to Health & Safety 228/04/2516/06/2520/06/25Intermediate Health & Safety 205/05/2530/06/2502/07/25Women in the CWU19/05/2507/07/2509/07/25BAME Representatives in the CWU26/05/2521/07/2525/07/25TBC09/06/2501/09/2505/09/25Essential Skills 221/07/2508/09/2512/09/25Introduction to Health & Safety 228/07/2529/09/2503/10/25Advanced Skills 218/08/2506/10/2508/10/25Branch Chairs25/08/2513/10/2517/10/25Postal Agreements01/09/2527/10/2531/10/25Introduction to Health & Safety 115/09/2503/11/2507/11/25Essential Skills 122/09/2510/11/2512/11/25LGBT+ in the CWU29/09/25
Online Programme 2025FromToCourseCut-off date24/02/2528/02/25Introduction to Health & Safety 113/01/2510/03/2511/03/25Discipline & Grievance (UTAW Branch)27/01/2531/03/2504/04/25Intermediate Health & Safety 117/02/2519/05/2520/05/25Mental Health Awareness07/04/2523/06/2527/06/25Introduction to Health & Safety 112/05/2514/07/2518/07/25Postal Agreements02/06/2521/07/2525/07/25Essential Skills 209/06/2528/07/2529/07/25Discipline & Grievance (UTAW Branch)16/06/2515/09/2519/09/25Intermediate Health & Safety 204/08/2522/09/2526/09/25Equal Rights 111/08/2520/10/2524/10/25Essential Skills 108/09/2527/10/2531/10/25TBC15/09/2510/11/2514/11/25Postal Agreements29/09/2517/11/2521/11/25Equal Rights 206/10/2524/11/2528/11/25Introduction to Health & Safety 213/10/25
All of the above is subject to the necessary funding being available.
Application Process
Branch Secretary’s and Branch Admins should continue to use the CWU Portal, please make sure applicants emails are up to date.
Release & Notice
Paid release should normally apply where the union is recognised and/or in line with any existing agreements.
Prospectus
The CWU Course Prospectus for 2025 is currently being finalised and will be issued shortly by LTB and here CWU. The prospectus will assist branches and students in planning their training requirements for the coming year and gives an overview of course content.
Online courses
Online learners must preferably have access to a good PC or laptop. Tablets can be used but have some limitation in our experience. Attending training courses using a mobile phone is not possible.
There must be a stable internet connection from where the learning is taking place.
Colleges will also be in contact before the course to advise of any additional requirements.
We would appreciate Branches / ULRs assistance in ensuring any applicants are prepared in line with the above points. If any representative encounters difficulties getting set up with IT equipment in preparation for course attendance, please advise their Branch Secretary, Union Learning Rep or the Equality, Education & Development department as soon as possible.
Any queries relating to this LTB should be directed to equality&education@cwu.org
Yours sincerely,
Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development
LTB 368/24 – Core Online Education & Training Programme 2025
Election of National Representative Positions
The NEC has agreed the election arrangements for the National Representative positions listed above. Accordingly, please find attached the regulations and nomination form for this election.
Branches will wish to note that the term of office for these positions is from 1stJanuary 2025 until the end of April 2026
The timetable for the elections is as follows:
Nominations open: 22ndNovember 2024
Nominations close: 6thDecember 2024 (14:00)
Dispatch ballot papers: 9thDecember 2024
Ballot closes: 23rdDecember 2024 (14:00)
Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches 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
LTB 36724 – Election of National Representative Positions – Members Auditors PDF
Nomination Forms – Word Doc Download
Consent & Biographical Details Form – Word Doc Download
Election of CWU National Trustees 2025/2026
The NEC has agreed the arrangements for the election of the CWU National Trustees.
Please note that the term of office for these positions is from January 2025 to the end of April 2026.
Accordingly please find enclosed the Regulations, Nomination Forms and Candidate Consent and Biographical Details Form for these positions.
The Timetable for the election is as follows:
Nominations open 22ndNovember 2024
Nominations close 6thDecember 2024 (14:00)
Dispatch ballot papers 9thDecember 2024
Ballot closes 23rdDecember 2024 (14:00)
Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches 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
LTB 366/24 – Election of CWU National Trustees 2025-2026 PDF
CWU Trustee Nomination Forms 2024 Word Document Download
Candidate Consent & Biographical Details Form Word Document Download
JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL NATIONAL LOGISTICS AND THE CWU REGARDING BANK HOLIDAY RESOURCING FOR NETWORK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS, CHRISTMAS 2024/25
Colleagues will recall that as an integral part of the 2007 Professional Drivers Agreement, Bank Holidays effectively became normal working days for Network LGV Drivers and while we have long had an understanding with the business that, where possible, attendance would be on a voluntary basis, in reality our members can be compelled to attend on those days where sufficient numbers fail to volunteer. In line with the PDA, all staff who attend are credited with a lieu day.
Branches and representatives will be aware that, in addition to the generic Christmas Arrangements Agreement, the department has in previous years reached agreement with Royal Mail Logistics on specific guidelines covering the resourcing of Network LGV duties across the Christmas and New Year Bank Holidays.
In line with previous arrangements, discussions have therefore taken place with the business and the attached Joint Statement has been concluded and endorsed by the Postal Executive.
The Joint Statement reaffirms the following commitments:
Much like in previous years, the department believes that the attached clarification provided in relation to the arrangements for 2024/25 will be welcomed by representatives and members.
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: jrodrigues quoting reference LTB 365/24.
Yours sincerely,
Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary
LTB 365/24 – JS BANK HOLIDAY RESOURCING FOR NETWORK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS, CHRISTMAS 2024.25
Royal Mail – Christmas Arrangements 2024
Branches are advised that discussions have been ongoing with Royal Mail for some time with regards to a Christmas Arrangements document for 2024. The CWU sought an early agreement and initial discussions took place during September/October 2024.
An initial draft was received from the business on 1st October which included a number of difficult areas and omissions from previously agreed documents, the last of which had been agreed in 2023.
Those areas of concern included the approach to Customer Service Point Opening, Sunday Delivery, proposed temporary changes to workplan and additional wording on Working Time Directive (WTD), which could restrict the hours our members could work during peak. Wording around Cyber Weekend, new entrants and the imposed change to monthly paid employees pay date being moved to 31st December.
A meeting took place on 14th November 2024, where the CWU raised concerns and sought clarification in a number of areas.
The final draft retains the structure from previous agreements and addresses the majority of the areas of difficulty in the initial drafts. The revised section on National Peak Workplan now includes commitments which ensure that all internal Mail Centre Resource, including current Supernumerary employees, are fully utilised in line with the Peak Resourcing arrangements prior to any movement of work and confirms any agreed change to workplan with regard to 2c / T48 is temporary for peak only.
Words have been included with regard to CSP opening during peak and the ability for local agreement to adjust attendance times and this will be subject to local discussions.
On the Attendance and Resourcing arrangements, the Bank Holidays this year fall on the least complicated pattern with no additional non USO days. The words in this section mirror previous years.
The document confirms that Christmas Supplement and the additional £100 ex Colleague Share payment will be made as usual and are unaffected by the Peak Incentive Scheme. The traditional paragraphs on Scheduled Attendance, SA Holiday Pay and Temporary Variation to Contract have been retained unaltered in the final draft.
Traditional paragraphs on Scheduled Attendance, SA Holiday Pay and Temporary Variation to Contract have been retained, cyber weekend working is also covered. The agreement also addresses the imposed change to the monthly paid employees pay date, members can now request their December salaries to be paid as per normal on 24th December. This was reported to Branches via LTB 361/24, issued on 15thNovember and further information on the full process will follow in due course.
We believe that the final draft will provide guidance to Reps and Branches.
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to:
Processing/Distribution: Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: jrodrigues@cwu.org; quoting reference LTB 364/24.
Deliveries/Collections: Tony Bouch, Assistant Secretary, email: pharacz@cwu.org; quoting reference LTB 364/24.
Yours sincerely,
Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary
Tony Bouch
Assistant Secretary
Hi All. Here is an important update from Dave Ward and Martin Walsh.
It is absolutely crucial this gets briefed by local reps to members in every office.
Where they aren’t local reps we are asking branches to ensure the meetings and briefings take place.
Please share.
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 