Dear Colleagues,

Election of:      Parcelforce Area Health & Safety Representative – South East Region
Parcelforce Worldwide Area Organiser – Northern Ireland

Further to LTB 043/26 dated 12^th February 2026, please see below the results for the ballots that closed today.

AREA HEALTH & SAFETY REPRESENTATIVE – SOUTH EAST REGIONHuw-Glyne-Thomas99*ElectedAaron Green17   Spoilt Ballot Papers – No Vote0 Spoilt Ballot Papers0 Total Ballot Papers Received116 Total Ballot Papers Despatched1023 

AREA ORGANISER – NORTHERN IRELANDStephen Gribben48Michael Mezza68*Elected Spoilt Ballot Papers – No Vote0Spoilt Ballot Papers0Total Ballot Papers Received116Total Ballot Papers Despatched150

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

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (P)

26LTB077 – Election of Parcelforce Worldwide Area Ballot Results

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TO:  BRANCHES WITH MEMBERS EMPLOYED BY PARCELFORCE WORLDWIDE (INCLUDING RMSS)

Dear Colleagues,

Election of:      Parcelforce Area Health & Safety Representative – South East Region
Parcelforce Worldwide Area Organiser – Northern Ireland

Further to LTB 043/26 dated 12^th February 2026, please see below the results for the ballots that closed today.

AREA HEALTH & SAFETY REPRESENTATIVE – SOUTH EAST REGIONHuw-Glyne-Thomas99*ElectedAaron Green17   Spoilt Ballot Papers – No Vote0 Spoilt Ballot Papers0 Total Ballot Papers Received116 Total Ballot Papers Despatched1023 

AREA ORGANISER – NORTHERN IRELANDStephen Gribben48Michael Mezza68*Elected Spoilt Ballot Papers – No Vote0Spoilt Ballot Papers0Total Ballot Papers Received116Total Ballot Papers Despatched150

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

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (P)

26LTB077 – Election of Parcelforce Worldwide Area Ballot Results

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Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2026

Dear Colleagues,

Neurodiversity Celebration Week (16th – 20th March 2026) is a time to recognise and celebrate the unique strengths and contributions of neurodivergent individuals. It’s also an opportunity for Trade Unions and employers to raise awareness, promote understanding and celebrate differences.

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

Neurodiversity Celebration Week Resources | Mates in Mind

We are raising awareness of the fact that there are several free of charge, open to all, online events for Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2026.

NCW26 Events (List) | Neurodiversity Week

These events cover key topics of neurodiversity, with the aim to educate and inspire.  Please do sign up for as many events as you like and share with your branch networks, as celebrating different minds is important.

Supporting CWU members in the workplace

Whilst lots of neurodivergent people would not consider themselves disabled; it is likely that they meet the wide definition of “disability” under the Equality Act 2010. The definition covers non-visible, mental impairments where they have a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

The most simple and straightforward reasonable adjustments can (and often do) make a massive difference to neurodivergent colleagues in their workplaces.

Neurodiversity inclusion

Neurodiversity inclusion in the workplace refers to recognising and accepting the natural human variation in neurological traits among individuals, especially concerning conditions such as Autism, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and other neurological differences.  When embracing neurodiversity inclusion, it is important to try and always emphasise the positive elements of neurodivergent workers, what they bring into workplaces and how they perceive and interact with the world differently than the neurotypical majority.

All employers should strive to create environments where all employees can thrive. Understanding and accommodating neurodiversity has become a crucial aspect of embracing difference in the workplace, as we all bring value to the world of work in our own unique way. Recently updated ACAS guidance can be accessed via the link below:

Making your organisation neuroinclusive – Neurodiversity at work – Acas

Hidden Disabilities Focus – DYSPRAXIA.

Dyspraxia is a neurodivergent condition that affects how the mind processes actions. It usually affects coordination, manual dexterity, movement, balance and organisational abilities. Dyspraxia can affect adults and children across a range of intellectual abilities and is a lifelong condition. It is a common disorder. It is thought that around 6% of the population have Dyspraxia, which equates to approximately 1.6 million workers in the UK, with many workers being severely impacted by the condition. Yet, despite it being as prevalent as dyslexia and significantly more so than Autism, Dyspraxia is much less known about.

Colleagues with Dyspraxia will often face unnecessary barriers whilst at work because of having this condition and often face unconscious bias.

Driving and learning new skills is often taken for granted but is more difficult for someone with Dyspraxia.  If unnecessary work barriers remain, there becomes a higher risk of developing mental health problems, which can include anxiety, depression and social withdrawal.

What causes Dyspraxia? There is no known cause, however you may be more likely to develop it if you were born prematurely. The condition is also more common in men and often runs in families.

Dyspraxia and reasonable adjustments – this could be as simple as removing tasks that require adept co-ordination skills, acceptance of potential reduced manual dexterity, affording extra time for work tasks/work tests and reducing lone working where balance or slip/trip risks exist such as working at height.

The CWU holds several disability risk assessment templates for various neurodivergent conditions which can be provided upon request.

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 076/26 – Neurodiversity inclusivity week

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NEC, INDUSTRIAL EXECUTIVE AND NATIONAL OFFICER ELECTIONS 2026

Branches will recall the current NEC and Industrial Executives were last elected in 2024 for an eighteen-month period as opposed to the usual two years. The term of office was from December 2024 to April 2026.

Branches will be aware that following the decisions taken at the Special Restructuring Conference on 28^thJune 2025, a tremendous amount of work has occurred to enact the policies that were carried. A significant part of this activity relates to the review of our national structures and the associated cost savings. A part of this process has involved negotiations between the industrial departments and their respective employers. These negotiations are currently ongoing in both the Postal and Telecoms constituency.  

It would therefore be nonsensical to hold NEC and industrial executive elections at a time when there may be changes to the structure shortly thereafter. At a meeting of the NEC on 25^th / 26^th February 2026 it was therefore agreed to defer the NEC and Industrial Executive elections until after Biennial Conference 2026.

A proposed election timetable will be placed before the NEC meeting in May. This will also take cognisance of the current term of office for the two TFS Assistant Secretary positions due for election this year, that runs until 1 September 2026. The NEC have agreed to the TFS Assistant Secretary elections being held at the same time as the NEC and Industrial Executive elections and this will additionally result in cost savings being realised.

Once the NEC have agreed a timetable for the above elections this will be circulated to Branches.

Yours sincerely                     

Dave Ward                                                   

General Secretary             

LTB 069/26 – NEC INDUSTRIAL EXECUTIVE AND NATIONAL OFFICER ELECTIONS 2026

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CWU POLICY FORUMS – REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES

Branches will recall that, at the Special Restructuring Conference (SRC) held on 28 June 2025 in Blackpool, the CWU debated and subsequently agreed the NEC Policy Paper covering CWU Conferences and Delegations.

This policy paper also included an important section setting out the intended policy that the NEC would be taking in relation to “modernising Conference and maintaining our democracy”. An important aspect of this was the utilisation of decision-making policy forums.

Reproduced below for ease of reference is the relevant section of the agreed policy paper:

“In order to ensure that the CWU is able to respond to urgent and important issues outside of the biennial Conference, the NEC will ensure that the CWU can utilise different decision-making processes. This will include using decision-making policy forums, which can be called by the NEC, branches and Industrial Executives, subject to the rules of the union. 

These should only be utilised if an urgent issue arises, a major issue of an unforeseen nature, or one requiring strategic direction between Conferences. This approach will ensure that when policy is agreed it will be at the right time and with the full involvement of those impacted. 

Guidelines for calling policy forums will be produced by the NEC or the Industrial Executives, where appropriate, including the delegation sizes and the bylaws to govern these forums. This would have to include the necessity for policy forums to be convened at short notice and ensuring there are procedures and processes in place that will not prevent this from occurring. 

Where appropriate, holding policy forums online can also provide further flexibility. The success of these during the pandemic can be used as the basis to make further improvements to supplement both future Conferences and Policy Forums. The Industrial Executives or the NEC, where appropriate, will adjudicate whether Policy Forums are held online or in-person. For any events held online, we will ensure we have the appropriate accessibility adjustments in place. 

The measures above will not only contribute to the financial reductions to put the CWU in the best position to remain as a standalone union but will help to support a more contemporary policy-making process going forward.” 

Branches will appreciate the wording contained within this section is very clear and establishes Policy Forums as an essential part of our democratic decision-making processes.

To supplement this the NEC submitted rule amendments to rules 8.1.7 and 8.4.3 at the Special Rules Revision Conference (SRRC), also held in Blackpool on 29 June 2025. The carriage of these rule amendments ensured the essential principle that Policy Forums were now “decision making” forums of the CWU and became enshrined in our rule book.

Prior to the commencement of the Conferences and following several questions from Branches, LTB 126/25 was published. This LTB illustrated how the NEC would be dealing with Policy Forums going forward and made it clear that Policy Forum regulations and guidelines would be produced by the NEC.

These restructured policies also reinforce the NEC commitment to maintaining and protecting our democratic principles of holding conferences, while supporting and supplementing these by the introduction of modernised decision-making processes such as policy forums.

This will result in urgent decisions being made as quickly as possible and made at a time when contemporary issues need to be dealt with swiftly. This would also include having the ability to utilise, where appropriate both in person and online/video conferences and policy forums as required.

Accordingly, any agreed and published regulations and guidelines need to ensure that mechanisms are in place that allow the NEC, Industrial Executives and branches to be able to call Policy Forums (in accordance with the rules of the union) in a speedier way and where necessary, at relatively short notice and with less restrictive timelines where this is necessary and unavoidable.

Additionally, to ensure we have a consistent approach across the CWU in respect of policy forums it is essential that we have a single set of regulations and guidelines in operation throughout the CWU that cover all planned policy forums i.e. General NEC related issues and for Industrial policy forums for Postal and TFS industrial issues. It was originally anticipated these would be agreed and circulated during September 2025 but there has been a delay due to the culmination of other redesign work and industrial developments.

At a meeting on 25th and 26th of February, the NEC agreed to the regulations and guidelines attached at Appendix 1 and 2 respectively. These were drafted following consultation with the two industrial departments, as well as the President and Vice President. Both capture the relevant policy contained in our rules, as well as the agreed conference policies covering decision making policy forums. These contain the guiding principles and procedures that allow the NEC, Industrial Executives and Branches to have the ability and flexibility to act as quickly as necessary to make urgent decisions as and when they are required.

The completion of the Policy Forum regulations and guidelines mean that a further strand of our restructuring work is now complete. Branches should however note the intention is to keep these regulations and guidelines under review and report back to the NEC should further amendments or clarification be needed as policy forums are called and documents have been put into practice.

If you have any questions, please contact the General Secretary’s Department at dlynch@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward

General Secretary

LTB 068/26 – Policy Forum Guidelines and Regulations

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Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2026

Dear Colleagues,

Neurodiversity Celebration Week (16th – 20th March 2026) is a time to recognise and celebrate the unique strengths and contributions of neurodivergent individuals. It’s also an opportunity for Trade Unions and employers to raise awareness, promote understanding and celebrate differences.

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

Neurodiversity Celebration Week Resources | Mates in Mind

We are raising awareness of the fact that there are several free of charge, open to all, online events for Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2026.

NCW26 Events (List) | Neurodiversity Week

These events cover key topics of neurodiversity, with the aim to educate and inspire.  Please do sign up for as many events as you like and share with your branch networks, as celebrating different minds is important.

Supporting CWU members in the workplace

Whilst lots of neurodivergent people would not consider themselves disabled; it is likely that they meet the wide definition of “disability” under the Equality Act 2010. The definition covers non-visible, mental impairments where they have a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

The most simple and straightforward reasonable adjustments can (and often do) make a massive difference to neurodivergent colleagues in their workplaces.

Neurodiversity inclusion

Neurodiversity inclusion in the workplace refers to recognising and accepting the natural human variation in neurological traits among individuals, especially concerning conditions such as Autism, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and other neurological differences.  When embracing neurodiversity inclusion, it is important to try and always emphasise the positive elements of neurodivergent workers, what they bring into workplaces and how they perceive and interact with the world differently than the neurotypical majority.

All employers should strive to create environments where all employees can thrive. Understanding and accommodating neurodiversity has become a crucial aspect of embracing difference in the workplace, as we all bring value to the world of work in our own unique way. Recently updated ACAS guidance can be accessed via the link below:

Making your organisation neuroinclusive – Neurodiversity at work – Acas

Hidden Disabilities Focus – DYSPRAXIA.

Dyspraxia is a neurodivergent condition that affects how the mind processes actions. It usually affects coordination, manual dexterity, movement, balance and organisational abilities. Dyspraxia can affect adults and children across a range of intellectual abilities and is a lifelong condition. It is a common disorder. It is thought that around 6% of the population have Dyspraxia, which equates to approximately 1.6 million workers in the UK, with many workers being severely impacted by the condition. Yet, despite it being as prevalent as dyslexia and significantly more so than Autism, Dyspraxia is much less known about.

Colleagues with Dyspraxia will often face unnecessary barriers whilst at work because of having this condition and often face unconscious bias.

Driving and learning new skills is often taken for granted but is more difficult for someone with Dyspraxia.  If unnecessary work barriers remain, there becomes a higher risk of developing mental health problems, which can include anxiety, depression and social withdrawal.

What causes Dyspraxia? There is no known cause, however you may be more likely to develop it if you were born prematurely. The condition is also more common in men and often runs in families.

Dyspraxia and reasonable adjustments – this could be as simple as removing tasks that require adept co-ordination skills, acceptance of potential reduced manual dexterity, affording extra time for work tasks/work tests and reducing lone working where balance or slip/trip risks exist such as working at height.

The CWU holds several disability risk assessment templates for various neurodivergent conditions which can be provided upon request.

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 076/26 – Neurodiversity inclusivity week

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Urgent Shingles Vaccine Reminder

Dear Colleagues,

Fewer than half of UK adults are taking up their free shingles vaccine in the first year of being eligible, according to latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data.

A single-dose shingles vaccine was introduced by the NHS in 2013, and since September 2023 it has been replaced by a new 2-dose vaccine called Shingrix. It is currently offered to people who turned 65 on or after 1 September 2023, those aged 70 to 79 who haven’t yet been vaccinated, and people aged 18 and over with a severely weakened immune system.

Evidence shows the shingles vaccine is over 70% effective at reducing the risk of developing shingles in people who receive two doses of the vaccine.

Understanding the Shingles Threat

The UKHSA have recently highlighted the significant risks associated with shingles. This condition is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for chickenpox. Once an individual recovers from chickenpox, the virus can lie dormant in the body for decades, only to re-emerge later in life as shingles when immunity declines, which can result in a potentially very severe four-week illness that is responsible for approximately 50 fatalities in the United Kingdom every single year.

Shingles – NHS

Shingles vaccine resources – Publications – Public Health Scotland

Shingles vaccine | nidirect

Shingles vaccine – Public Health Wales

Recognising the Symptoms

According to UKHSA guidance, the initial signs of shingles often include a tingling sensation or localised pain on one side of the face or body, sometimes accompanied by a headache or general malaise. A rash typically develops a few days later, progressing through several stages.

• The rash begins as red blotches, which then form itchy, fluid-filled blisters.
• These blisters eventually crust over and heal, a process that can take up to four weeks.
• The skin may remain painful for weeks after the visible rash has disappeared.
• It is crucial to note the rash usually appears on only one side of the body.

Recent health and safety meetings within our CWU regions have identified that there may indeed be lack of knowledge of the 2-dose Shingrix vaccine and therefore CWU branch awareness is encouraged wherever possible. A printable version of the UKHSA/NHS shingles guide is available via this link below.

There’s a vaccine to help protect you from the pain of shingles

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 075/26 – URGENT UKHSA SHINGLES VACCINE REMINDER

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Royal Mail: Sports and Social Clubs – RM Decision to Stop Subscriptions from Payroll – DRP Registered

Branches are advised that we were recently informed by Royal Mail that as a consequence of the new ERP System due to be introduced later this year (that includes payroll), a decision has been made to cease members’ subscriptions to Sports & Social clubs being taken directly from payroll.  This is as a result of what management are describing as a payroll simplification project.

Royal Mail have been clear that they are not seeking our agreement to this change, and the dialogue they initiated was simply consultation and a courtesy in case we received any enquiries from Branches / members who are impacted by the changes.  The reality is, these plans were advanced by the time management decided to engage with the Union.

As a consequence of the above, we have strongly objected to the actions of Royal Mail and in particular, the belated and cursory nature of the engagement, with them effectively telling us what they were planning.

Dispute Resolution Procedure (DRP) Registered

The reality is, Royal Mail’s unilateral changes will have an impact on thousands of our members, who support their local Sports & Social clubs via payroll.  I have therefore advised management that the Postal Executive feels very strongly about this issue, which impacts upon not only the wellbeing of our members, but also on the potential future viability of the Sports and Social clubs.

As Royal Mail are obviously intent on pressing ahead with stopping the subscriptions from payroll despite our opposition on behalf of our members, the Postal Executive has endorsed the submission of a DRP, which was formally lodged with Royal Mail on 23^rd February.  The following forms the basis of the DRP:

1. Royal Mail’s investment in the new HR payroll system should enable a more effective and cost-efficient way to fund the Sports & Social clubs whilst continuing the payment via members’ wages. If anything, it should be much easier on a new platform to continue with the current arrangements rather than withdrawing a benefit that thousands of our members subscribe to and support.

2. The Sports & Social clubs that our members have voluntarily agreed to subscribe to via payroll have been in place for many years and it is fair to say that these clubs rely heavily upon the monies received from our members via payroll. If our members don’t wish to pay into the clubs, it is their prerogative to cease the subscription via payroll and therefore, we have to assume that the members all want to support the clubs they are affiliated to.

3. Royal Mail’s decision, whilst acknowledging this is an unintended consequence, represents a direct threat to the very future of these clubs, many of which rely on these important revenues taken directly at source and could easily be in danger of closure.

4. Many of the clubs are run by volunteers who are also Royal Mail employees and crucially they provide a community and social hub that enables our members to come together to socialise with workmates outside of work. This is a matter of wellbeing and helps to create a healthy environment whereby our members are able to relax and interact on a social basis with co-workers.

5. Royal Mail should be encouraging participation and involvement in these clubs, rather than making it more difficult for our members. Furthermore, a lot of these clubs undertake significant work to support various charities and therefore there is an inescapable, genuine value to society through the involvement of Royal Mail employees.

We are awaiting a formal response from Royal Mail to our latest correspondence as well as dates to meet under the DRP process.  In the meantime, we understand that letters have already been sent from RM directly to the clubs and to members informing them of the cessation of subscriptions via payroll.  In this regard, Royal Mail have indicated to us that they are willing to be helpful by considering requests made directly to them from the clubs to afford the clubs more time to put in place alternative arrangements for the collection of subscriptions.  We would therefore encourage clubs to seek an extension of the timescales being proposed for the changes to enable further discussions to take place under the auspices of the DRP.

As a consequence of Royal Mail’s actions described above, the Postal Executive encourages Branches and Representatives to highlight the concerns of the members impacted with the appropriate HR Business Partners and crucially we would ask Branches to engage directly with the administrators of the Sports & Social clubs, with the aim of ensuring they strongly object to and challenge these unnecessary changes.

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely,

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 074/26 Royal Mail – Sports and Social Clubs

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ROYAL MAIL PARLIAMENTARY DEVELOPMENTS – THE VOICE OF POSTAL WORKERS MUST BE HEARD

Further to LTB 057/26 sent on 27^thFebruary 2026, we are now in a position to provide branches and representatives with a copy of an email that has gone to our members today regarding the forthcoming Royal Mail Select Committee hearing on 24^th March 2026.

As previously explained, you will see that the email includes engagement activities that we are asking our members to undertake so that what’s really happening in the workplace on customer service failures is understood by all politicians.       

One activity we are asking members to undertake is to email a factsheet, with key information and specific action requests, to their MP. They can do this easily via this link. Please encourage all members to take two minutes to email their MP, so we can keep up the pressure.

We are also asking reps to write to the Business and Trade Select Committee ahead of the 24^th, with their experiences of being a frontline postal worker and what is really happening at Royal Mail. The Chair of the Committee, Liam Byrne, can be reached at commonsbtc@parliament.uk.

It is now essential that all CWU branches and representatives support this membership engagement activity and hold meetings with our members next week to maximise participation.

This is a crucial moment and the voices of postal workers must be heard.  In this regard, you will see that our key messages also focus on the wider problems that our members are facing as a result of a toxic managerial culture and the failure of the company to move forward the rebuilding Royal Mail agreements.

Finally, we will provide branches and representatives with an update on talks next week and further information on this will be sent out on Monday.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward                                                     

General Secretary   

Martin Walsh                                                                   

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

LTB 73/26 – ROYAL MAIL PARLIAMENTARY DEVELOPMENTS – THE VOICE OF POSTAL WORKERS MUST BE HEARD

Attachment: RMG Member Email

Attachment: Factsheet

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Post Office: Two Year Pay Agreement – 2026 and 2027

I am pleased to advise Branches that the Postal Executive has endorsed a no-strings two-year Pay Agreement for our Post Office members covering 2026/27 and 2027/28. The Key Features of the Agreement (pay offer letter attached with full details) are as follows:

Year 1

• A minimum 3% consolidated pay increase for all grades from 1st April 2026 flowing through to overtime and Scheduled Attendance rates

• Employer Pension Contribution – minimum increased from 9% to 10%

• Annual leave entitlements – An extra day’s annual leave (31 total) after 5 years’ service

• Scheduled Attendance for Supply Chain Members – increased to 1.3x Monday – Friday (Saturday was already at 1.3x)

• London Weighting increases – Inner rising from £7,000 to £7,300 and Outer from £5,200 to £5,500

Year 2

• A minimum 2.5% pay increasefor all grades from 1st April 2027flowing through to overtime and Scheduled Attendance rates

• Employer Pension Contribution– an increase in the maximum employer pension contribution from 12% (which is paid if members opt to pay an 8% contribution) to 13%

• Annual leave entitlements – An extra day’s annual leave (32 total) after 10 years’ service

• London Weighting increases – Inner rising from £7,300 to £7,600 and Outer from £5,500 to £5,800

• Re-opener clause – If average CPI inflation for the three-month period December 2026, January 2027 and February 2027 is greater than 3%, discussions will be reopened. If inflation falls below 2%, Post Office will reopen talks.

This is the third year running we have concluded pay negotiations prior to the pay review date.  Feedback from our Territorial and Unit Reps indicates that members will appreciate the early settlement.

There are other benefits in the Pay Agreement, including the removal of various lower Pay Points for both Postal Officer (Admin) and CSA’s.  Additionally, we have assimilated the FSA / OSS grade onto the Crew rate of pay and this is especially advantageous for these impacted members.

Members’ Consultative Ballot – Timetable

We will now conduct an individual members’ ballot to ratify the Pay Agreement.  Ballot papers will be despatched from Wednesday 11^thMarch and the closing date is Monday 30^th March.  Assuming ratification, the Year 1 pay increases will be made with April salaries.  Also, the new pension arrangements for the minimum employer contribution of 10% and the extra day’s annual leave for members with more than five years’ service will apply from 1^st April.

Conclusion

Against the current economic climate, the Postal Executive believes this is a reasonable settlement, especially when taking into account the improvements to the employer pension contributions.  Also, the two-year Pay Agreement provides a good level of certainty for our members looking forward.  In essence, our members will be receiving benefits, including the consolidated pay rises, which will provide for an overall above-inflation package of measures.  The next pay review date is 1st April 2028.

Branches are urged to bring this LTB to the attention of Post Office members.

Yours sincerely,

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 071/26 – Post Office Pay Agreement

Att: CWU Pay Letter March 2026 FINAL

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Parcelforce Dental Benefits Update

The department has been notified by Parcelforce of a change to the dental benefit for Parcelforce employees. Branches will be aware that as part of their terms and conditions Parcelforce members enjoy some healthcare benefits including subsidised dental cover.  This cover along with Benenden Health care and Eye care are negotiated benefits and remain an entitlement and an integral element of terms and conditions.

Parcelforce recently informed the department that they have decided to change the dental care service provider and as part of this activity, they reviewed how often PFW employees used the dental care service. The business have formed a view that usage of the Dental care by employees had reduced, and whilst they accept and recognise that dental care is still an employee entitlement, going forward they intend to ask employees to opt into the service each year. Parcelforce did not seek CWU agreement and the union does not support this change which we view as entirely unnecessary and based solely on cost reduction.

However, we are aware that Parcelforce members have received a letter detailing the change to the Dental Care benefit which has caused some confusion, in particular the relation to references to Salary Sacrifice. For the avoidance of doubt the base Dental care entitlement is funded by the business and is not subject to Salary Sacrifice, which only applies to optional extended cover packages.

The change means that Parcelforce will no longer automatically enroll employees for the funded Dental benefit unless they opt into the provision on an annual basis. As such members will now need to opt in annually to register for the business funded benefit.

The Dental benefit is an agreed element of terms and conditions for Parcelforce members and in Royal Mail Group is unique to Parcelforce. The business have confirmed they will continue to fund the base benefit, however, to ensure members maintain their individual access to the business funded benefit for the next 12 months, they must opt in by 5pm on March 27^th 2026, via My Bundle+

How to apply for your 2026/27 Insurance:

• Go to My Bundle+ – use the QR code at the bottom of this email to visit “Your Benefits” page on Robin and follow the link to My Bundle+
• From the My Bundle+ homepage, select the insurance you want under “My Benefits” in this case it is Dental Cover
• This takes you through to Dental Insurance where you need to select Funded by Employer level of Cover, click on Radiant 1, then click continue and confirm declaration to maintain the funded Dental benefit.

Members who wish to add additional family or select a higher level of cover you can continue to do so, however the facility to do this through Salary Sacrifice has been removed in line with the policies RMG have deployed due to legislative changes on the use of Salary Sacrifice and the impacts on the minimum wage.    As such should members wish to take up or renew this additional cover they can review and select one of the other options, the cost for these is displayed. To be clear the business will not fund any additional costs. On selecting one of the additional options, members will be directed to the providers website where alternative payment options for the additional cover can be set up.

This is an unwelcome development, and it is imperative that our Parcelforce members are aware of the requirement to opt in and ensure that they secure the benefit for the coming year. We do believe the funded Dental benefit remains a valuable asset for Parcelforce members and we actively encourage all Parcelforce members to opt in to the Funded by Employer section, whether you believe you will need to access this or not. Any member not opting in by 5pm on March 27^th 2026 will lose access to this benefit for the next 12 months.

Branches are asked to ensure that the contents of this LTB are brought to the immediate attention of our members across Parcelforce.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: jrodrigues@cwu.org  or jmansell@cwu.org  quoting reference LTB 070/26.

Yours sincerely,

Davie Robertson

Assistant Secretary

LTB 70/26 – Parcelforce Dental Benefits Update

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