RE: Review of the Future of Romec

 

The independently led review discussions on the Future of Romec resumed this week following Annual Conference.
 

Both parties believe that the review is likely to be completed by the end of the month and a series of meetings are scheduled for next week. 
 

The union has outlined the detailed, wide ranging, legally enforceable protections which will be necessary in the event that the company makes a decision to outsource Romec. It has been agreed that discussions next week will concentrate on exploring further and developing the alternative proposal put forward by the unions, which is that Royal Mail takes full control of Romec. 
 

We hope that a joint statement will be issued at the conclusion of the review. 
 

Any enquiries should be addressed to Ray Ellis’s department, quoting reference PTC/RE/dj/335. 
Email address: rellis@cwu.org  

 

Any enquiries should be addressed to Bob Gibson’s department, quoting reference 120.
Email address: hnutley@cwu.org
 

Yours sincerely

Ray Ellis,                              Mark Baulch,

Assistant Secretary             Acting Assistant Secretary

TO ALL BRANCHES WITH POSTAL MEMBERS

 

Dear Colleague

NATIONAL BRIEFING – CONDUCT PROCEDURE DRAFT AGREEMENT AND POLICY GUIDES – WEDNESDAY 27 MAY 2015 AT TUC CONGRESS HOUSE LONDON

Talks have now concluded on a new national Conduct Procedure agreement and associated policy guides. LTB 331/2015 has been issued on this subject with attachments.

The briefing will take place on Wednesday, 27^th May at:

TUC Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS

Teas and coffees will be provided from 10.30 am.

The briefing will commence at 11.00 am, concluding not later than 2.30 pm.

Attendees

The following Representatives are invited to attend the National Briefing:

• One Branch Representative ·        Divisional Representatives ·        Regional Secretaries ·        Territorial Technical Services Representatives ·        Parcelforce Regional Organisers ·        All Royal Mail Area Representatives (Delivery, Processing, Distribution, Admin and Engineers) ·        Fleet and Maintenance Service Representatives ·        Multichannel Customer Experience Representatives

 

Note: In addition to the above attendees we are requesting that Branches send two Unit Representatives to the Briefing, one of which must be a woman.

Travel and subsistence costs associated with attendance at the Briefing will be in line with CWU policies and guidelines.

Any enquiries should be addressed to Ray Ellis’s department, quoting reference PTC/RE/dj/414. Email address: rellis@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Ray Ellis, Assistant Secretary

CWU Merchandise

As part of the modernisation of our CWU merchandise range, we have partnered with Pellacraft to bring you an easier way of ordering all CWU merchandise.  A new website will allow regions, branches and members to browse and pay for goods using a variety of familiar methods such as Pay Pal, Card and Account.

Shortly, regions and branches will receive an email with log in details a password and a “merchandise shop user guide” that will fully explain the navigation, billing and payment arrangements open to them.

The website will host all CWU merchandise along with UnionLine and all future merchandise for CWU campaigns.  Also, regions and branches will have the ability to personalise merchandise with their branch/region names etc.

We hope you’ll find this system more user friendly than the system we currently have as it will give greater access for our members, branches and regions to choose, order and pay for goods.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be directed to jcolbert@cwu.org or

020 8971 7244

Yours sincerely,

KEVIN SLOCOMBE

Head of Communications

Jafra Foundation Project Donation Request

We have received a request from the CWU Tyne & Wear Clerical Branch to circulate a donation appeal received by the Northern Region TUC from the Jafra Foundation Project. 
The Jafra Foundation for Relief and Youth Development is a Syrian-based NGO with offices in Yarmouk refugee camp. It works to ease the human suffering in cases of emergency, crises and disastrous situations, as well as to improve the living conditions prevailing in the Palestinian refugee camps in Syria, by involving young people in the development process.  
The Yarmouk Refugee Camp in Damascus, was built in 1957 to shelter Palestinians who had fled the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. Before the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War the camp housed the largest Palestinian refugee community in Syria, with over 150,000 registered refugees. There are now fewer than 18,000 refuges still in Yarmouk. 
The camp has been under siege since 2012 and in April 2015 the Islamic State/ISIL/ Daesh was able to gain control of a large amount of the camp, leaving the remaining civilians in a desperate situation. 
Jafra will bring to Yarmouk camp food, hygiene kits, aqua tabs, education materials and medicine. The Jafra team needs support to carry out this operation and to keep up the flow of relief materials to the camp.
Branches wishing to donate can do so by contacting Melanie Lowden (PA to the Regional Secretary of the Northern TUC) at mlowden@tuc.org.uk

    

Any enquiries on this LTB should be forwarded to the General Secretary’s Office gsoffice@cwu.org, quoting reference GS16.0 /LTB 323/15
Yours sincerely,

W HAYES

General Secretary

To: All Branches

Dear Colleague

Heroines and Heroes of the Labour Movement Booklet

 

The Equal Opportunities Department produced the attached booklet to coincide with BAME Day at Annual Conference this year. The booklet highlights a few Heroines & Heroes within our own organisation and the wider Labour Movement. It is important that we trumpet successes and ensure that we celebrate our own people.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be referred to the Equal Opportunities Department.

 

Yours sincerely

Linda Roy                 

National Equality Officer  

Click on the link below to view the booklet

Heroines & Heros of the Labour movement

 

TNT/WHISTL SUSPENDS ITS DELIVERY OPERATION ACROSS THE UK

 

All postal branches will be aware of the breaking news that TNT/Whistl has suspended their entire UK delivery operation as a result of the loss of their financial backers. In response to this, the Unions first reaction is one of concern about TNT employees who appear to have lost their jobs and we recognise this is a very difficult time for them and their families.

 

This latest development, coming 6 months after City Link folded, is further evidence that the model of competition promoted by Ofcom in a crowded post and logistics market is not working and does not benefit workers, businesses or the public.

 

The sad truth is that for Whistl to be successful it would mean even more job losses in Royal Mail and ultimately the end of 6 day a week deliveries to 29 million addresses in the UK.

 

Whilst we await further details and developments, the Union has issued the attached press release and Branches should ensure the content of this LTB is circulated to all workplaces. The Union will be seeking a meeting with Royal Mail as a matter of urgency to discuss these developments and further information will follow in due course.

 

Any enquiries on the above LTB should be addressed to the DGS (P) Department.

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

Dave Ward

Deputy General Secretary (P)

 

CWU response to the news that Whistl has withdrawn delivery services.

 

Dave Ward, CWU general secretary elect, said: “Our first reaction to this news is concern for the workers who have lost their jobs. This is of course a difficult time for them and their families and coming less than 6 months after City Link folded, is the most recent effect of a crowded post and logistics market.

 

“Ofcom needs to pay attention to the impact of competition in the postal market which is not only causing job losses but playing a leading role ‎in driving terms and conditions downwards.

 

“The sad truth is if Whistl had been successful then it would have been at the expense of even more job losses in Royal Mail and the end of 6 day a week deliveries to 29 million UK addresses.  Ofcom must understand that promoting this model of competition in a declining letters market does not benefit workers, business or the public.”

 

Ends

 

 

No. 318/15

Ref: TK/DW/la

8th May 2015

 

 

To: All Branches

 

 

Dear Colleagues

 

THE CO-OP

 

We have been contacted by Karin Christiansen, General Secretary of the Cooperative Party in relation to changes being proposed by the Co-op Group regarding the Co-op position on political funding. They are asking for eligible members to vote yes to all sections of motions 9 and 10 on political funding.

 

As Karin has highlighted, we in the union movement have long had a partner in the Co-op, through the Co-operative Party.  From votes for women to credit unions and employee ownership, for 98 years we have worked together to create a fairer society where profits and power are more equally shared.

 

The Co-op Group is trying to break that historic link. The new bosses (which include ex-Royal Mail chairman Allan Leighton) do not seem to understand that the Co-op is not just an ordinary supermarket, that the co-op movement needs a strong voice in Parliament, and that turning its back on politics would be a historic mistake.

 

That is why the Co-operative party is asking that anyone who is eligible to vote should vote yes in Co-op ballot motions 9 and 10

 

They are asking us to do whatever we can to make contact with anyone who may be eligible to vote in the Co-operative’s AGM.  They are asking us to urge such members to VOTE YES TO ALL SECTIONS OF MOTIONS 9 AND 10. These motions refer to political funding. If people vote no, the Co-op Party – and almost 100 years of historical links to co-operatives, working people and trade unions – are under threat.

 

We are asking Branches to do whatever they can to publicise this issue, we acknowledge that deadlines are extremely tight but we were only contacted by the Co-operative party today on this matter. 

 

The message we are trying to get across to eligible members is if you’ve recently received a voting pack from the Co-op by post or email, vote YES to all parts of Motions 9 and 10 – click on the link below to learn more about how to vote.

 

http://www.keepit.coop/how_to_vote/?recruiter_id=30263%29

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re on Twitter please join the twitter thunderclap for Monday 11th May: 

https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/25712-2-days-to-keep-it-co-operative   

 

If you’re on social media, please follow @letskeepitcoop  and like facebook/keepitcoop. 

 

Any assistance Branches can give would be greatly appreciated.

 

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 0208 971 7237 or email address sdgs@cwu.org.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Tony Kearns​	Dave Ward
Senior Deputy General Secretary	Deputy General Secretary (Postal)