Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains. Karl Marx.
CWU DEATH BENEFIT
In accordance with the terms expressed in CWU Rule 4.1.11 Branches are advised that from the 1stOctober 2020 the CWU Death Benefit payment will be increased to £857.
This information will also be published in the Voice.
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
What are Mental Health Problems
Living with a mental health problem can often have an impact on day to day life, making things that others might not think about a bit more difficult. MIND has put together some tips and guides to help people cope with everyday things like money, work, university and more. Work can have a significant impact on our mental health and wellbeing, but there are steps we can take to be mentally healthy at work. Read their information on dealing with stress, managing difficult relationships, asking for support and advice on returning to work if you’ve had time off with a mental health problem.
“Living with a black dog” is a guide for partners, carers and sufferers of depression. It advises those living with and caring for people with depression on what to do, what not to do, and where to go
Below are details on services and organisations that offer help and support directly to people with mental health problems:
Mental Health Foundation (MHF) – https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/ Mind https://www.mind.org.uk
Time To Change – https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/
SAMARITANS – https://www.samaritans.org/
Samaritans 24 Hour Helpline
Whatever you’re going through, a Samaritan will face it with you, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Call 116 123 for free
POST OFFICE: PROPOSED JOB LOSSES ACROSS ADMIN AND SUPPLY CHAIN – AGREED JOINT STATEMENT
Further to LTB 457/20 dated 18th September 2020.
Branches will be aware of the Post Office’s proposal for c.41 potential job losses amongst CWU Represented grades across a number of sites/locations in Admin and Supply Chain. Following analysis of the proposals and in consultation with our Reps, we have now agreed 33 job losses and details have been provided to the Reps.
The agreed non-binding preference exercise closed on Friday 2nd October and we met with Post Office management on Tuesday 6th October to jointly review the outcomes. There was a good response to the preference exercise and the appetite for Voluntary Redundancy is a good fit in most locations and in some areas there is an over-subscription of volunteers. The following Joint Statement has been agreed and is being published today:
JOINT STATEMENT POST OFFICE & CWU
Restructures for Retail and Supply Chain
Further to our previous Joint Statement of 18th September 2020, Post Office and CWU have met this week to jointly review the preference exercise returns (closing date 2nd October 2020) and agree next steps.
Both parties are pleased with the overall response and thank you to everyone who returned their form. We wish to assure you, as with any changes that impact upon people, our discussions align fully with the Managing the Surplus Framework (MtSF) agreement which covers the policy and approach for dealing with surplus situations, redeployment and redundancy terms including selection criteria.
There has been a good response to the preference exercise and the appetite for Voluntary Redundancy is a good fit in most locations. There will however be people who will be disappointed as we are over-subscribed with applicants in some areas.
We currently have sufficient numbers of volunteers for VR in all areas with the exception of Swindon Stores (Admin) and we view this as a positive, further discussions regarding Swindon will be held to explore options. Consequently, at this stage we are not expecting to undertake any further preferencing for bumping purposes, although this position will be kept under review.
We have agreed that Line Managers will start to have conversations soon with those employees who have been selected by seniority to receive a VR offer. Settlement Agreements will be issued, together with the compensation estimates in line with MtSF. For those employees who wish to accept their VR offer, you will need to seek legal advice in regard to the Settlement Agreement. The Post Office will pay up to £350 for this requirement.
Where this is an over-subscription of VR applicants, Line Managers will also explain where offers won’t be made (as there are more senior applicants). Although subsequently, if somebody more senior declines their VR offer, further VR offers may be made. We understand, for some, this news will be disappointing.
HELP AND ADVICE
This situation may be unsettling for some and we are therefore fully committed to jointly providing support to all colleagues affected by the changes over the coming weeks. As a Post Office colleague you and your family are eligible for support via the colleague assistance programme provider, who operate a confidential 24/7 service. They can be contacted on 0800 6 888 777. You can continue to ask questions by emailing your Line Manager and by talking with your Union Representative.
Lee Kelly Andy Furey
Employee Relations and Policy Director CWU Assistant Secretary
Post Office
A further meeting is being arranged to continue our negotiations. Branches and members can be assured that all stages of these negotiations are being conducted fully in line with the MtSF agreement. If members have any questions relating to this matter, they are encouraged to contact their Representative.
Further developments will be reported.
Yours sincerely
Andy Furey
20LTB493 Post Office – Proposed Job Losses Across Admin and Supply Chain – Agreed Joint Statement
Union Learning Fund (ULF) – Planned Cessation in England
The CWU has received notification of the Government’s intention to cease funding for the Union Learning Fund (ULF) in England at the end of this financial year (31st March 2021). This disappointing news comes at a time when many of our members and people in the world of work more generally face a very uncertain and precarious future.
In relative terms, the Treasury Budget allocated to the ULF is very small and Branches will be aware that our consecutive ULF supported projects, assisted by our network of Union Learning Reps (ULRs) has a proven track record over the last two decades.
We consider that education and skills should be at the heart of the Government’s response to Covid-19 with ULR input. The CWU has consistently delivered excellent value for money, delivering high quality educational outcomes year-on-year providing learning opportunities for many thousands of our members.
Numerous case studies exist detailing how union learning has allowed our members to develop their skills, careers, enhance confidence and improve their mental health. Indeed, some of our wellbeing workshops have actually saved lives.
During the pandemic, we have been piloting a range of distance learning opportunities to support our members education, skills and mental health and any cessation of the ULF will clearly put all this and any future strategy objectives at risk.
We are in contact with the TUC, Unionlearn and the Labour Party to argue for this decision to be reversed and will provide further updates and information on how Branches may be able to assist in due course.
Any queries on this LTB should be directed to Equality&Education@cwu.org
Yours sincerely,
Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development
POST OFFICE: HORIZON SCANDAL – INQUIRY
Further to LTB 486/20 dated 2nd October. Branches are advised that a debate in relation to the Horizon scandal took place this week in the House of Commons (following an Urgent Question tabled by Kevan Jones, Labour MP for North Durham). The debate was well attended (both in the House and by virtual means) and strong challenges to the Minister were made by MPs from across all parties. Also, a further debate took place in the House of Lords (following a Private Notice Question tabled by Lord Arbuthnot). The transcript from both debates can be accessed via the following links:
Of particular note during the House of Commons debate was the following question from Andrew Bridgen, Conservative MP for North West Leicestershire and the Minister Paul Scully MP’s response:
Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)
May I congratulate the right hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Jones) on securing this urgent question? The Minister is well aware of my long-term interest in this topic, which has been a running sore for far too long. How confident is he that the review that he announced last week will gain the support and participation of all the stakeholders involved in this issue, and will it be able to hold to account and hold responsible those who allowed this gross miscarriage of justice to occur? If it cannot do the first of those, what confidence can he have that it will ensure that this intolerable situation will never ever be repeated?
Paul Scully
My hon. Friend makes an incredibly good point. It is important, first, that Sir Wyn Williams engages with the sub-postmasters, led by Alan Bates, as part of the group litigation, to explain how he intends to investigate and take evidence, and I hope that they would therefore engage. I have talked about the fact that the Post Office and Fujitsu are ready to comply fully with the investigation, but if there are important people with important evidence that is not coming out, for whatever reason, there are mechanisms available to the chairman, Sir Wyn Williams, to look at that further and to re-evaluate.
The response from the Minister is intriguing and it will be interesting to find out what “mechanisms” are available to the Chair of the Inquiry when it comes to pressing those responsible to fully comply with the investigation. Darren Jones, Labour MP and Chair of the BEIS Select Committee wrote to the Minister on 7th October to follow up on this particular aspect and ask exactly what these “mechanisms” are. The link to Darren Jones’ letter is as follows:
https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/2886/documents/27980/default/
We await the response from the Minister with interest.
Calls for ex CEO Paula Vennells to be Stripped of her CBE
During the debate in the House of Commons, Dr Julian Lewis, Independent MP for New Forest East called for “…those present or former Post Office officials who perpetrated this disaster and perpetuated the agony of the victims must be punished, not promoted, and shamed, rather than rewarded with honours, as I believe happened in at least one prominent instance?”
This comment was picked up in the Daily Mail the day after the debate with an article entitled “Now strip Post Office chief of her CBE: Former boss Paula Vennells should lose the honour over postmasters wrongly convicted in IT scandal, MPs say”. The link to the full Daily Mail article is as follows:
We also published a hard hitting article on the Union’s website:
https://www.cwu.org/news/shamed-post-office-boss-should-lose-cbe/
Letter from the Chair of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry
Finally, the General Secretary has received a letter (attached) from Sir Wyn Williams the newly appointed Chair of the Inquiry into the Horizon scandal. We will be participating in this Inquiry and will work with the General Secretary’s Department and our Research Department to prepare and finalise our submission in the coming days/weeks.
Further developments will be reported.
Yours sincerely
Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary
World Mental Health Day: 10 October 2020 – Theme: ‘Mental Health for All – Greater Investment – Greater Access’
The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH)
The WFMH has announced World Mental Health Day 2020 will take place on Saturday 10 October. The theme for this year is: Mental Health for All, Greater Investment – Greater Access.
At a time when the world is confronted by the unprecedented mental health consequences and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on billions of people, the WFMH is using the day as a focal point to call for the urgent redress and investment in mental health – a call which they say can no longer be ignored. Now more than ever greater investment in mental health is needed to ensure that everyone, everywhere has access to mental health care. The under investment in mental health has left large treatment gaps globally. Mental health is an investment and not an expense and should be prioritised to avert a further catastrophe.
The worldwide pandemic arose against an already dire mental health landscape that saw mental health conditions on the rise across the globe. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) about 450 million people live with mental disorders that are among the leading causes of ill-health and disability worldwide.
According to the WFMH, the treatment gap remains large with 50% of people with mental disorders in high income countries and 85% of persons in low-and middle income countries having no access to treatment (WHO Report). Fragile health systems have not been able to address or cope with the large treatment gaps and need for mental health care. Nations’ stretched health systems are further stretched and challenged by the increase in demand for mental health interventions as a result of the Covid-19 virus pandemic.
Hard and drastic lockdown measures implemented to reduce COVID-19 transmissions and deaths saw the enforcement of physical isolations and distancing become a new reality disrupting natural social interactions.
Parallel to emotional and health implications, large scale socio-economic fallout was witnessed as markets and economies were destabilised. The overwhelming impact of the virus has revealed and exposed the deep inequalities and levels of poverty experienced by many causing further mental distress and vulnerability.
According to WHO’s ‘Mental Health Atlas’ survey, governments spend on average 3% of their health budgets on mental health, ranging from less than 1% in low-income countries to 5% in high-income countries. The value of investment needed over the period 2016–30 for scaling up treatment, primarily psychosocial counselling and antidepressant medication, amounted to US$ 147 billion (Chisholm, et al, 2016).
Yet the returns far outweigh the costs. The WHO (2019) states that for every US$ 1 put into scaled up treatment for common mental disorders, there is a return of US$ 4 in improved health and productivity. Despite hundreds of millions of people around the world living with mental disorders, mental health has remained in the shadows. Despite a growth in mental health awareness, mental health investment has been stagnant across the globe. It is clear that greater movement and action needs to be seen within countries to increase access to mental health for all.
The WFMH state that while COVID-19 has increased the spotlight on mental health, the stocktaking of how greater access to mental healthcare can be improved must always be a continuous process. We can always do more to strengthen mental health response and support in our communities. These investments are not purely the government’s responsibility, nor should doctors be the only answer for those suffering. These investments are the responsibility of all. More importantly, they indicate that we ourselves are an untapped resource in mental healthcare.
World Mental Health Day is simply not a one-day event however it provides the opportunity to maintain a focus on Mental Health and maintain the attention of governments, policy-makers and all stakeholders to ensure action for greater investment in mental health – making good mental health a reality for all – everyone, everywhere.
The World Federation for Mental Health has put together educational material to support this year’s World Mental Health Day theme and is available for download from the WFMH website on this link: https://wfmh.global/world-mental-health-day-2020/
MIND
Mental health problems can affect anyone, any day of the year, but 10 October is a great day to show your support for better mental health and start looking after your own wellbeing.
UK Mental Health Charity ‘MIND’ say that World Mental Health Day 2020 is the most important one yet. The months of lockdown and loss have had a huge impact on us all, and prioritising mental health has never been more important than it is now. That’s why this year MIND wants to bring everyone together to mark the day with their ‘Do One Thing Better For Better Mental Health’ campaign. Making positive change can seem hard, especially during uncertain times, and sometimes, it can be hard to know where to start. MIND urges people to take the opportunity this World Mental Health Day to find out more about the MIND initiative and how you can start with one thing.
Our mental health is just like our physical health: everybody has it and we need to take care of it.
The MIND World Mental Health Day – ‘Do One Thing Better For Better Mental Health’ campaign information can be found at:
https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/world-mental-health-day/
Mental health problems affect around one in four people in any given year. We all need to take care of our mental health and wellbeing whether we have a mental health problem or not. Mental wellbeing describes how you are feeling and how well you can cope with day-to-day life. It can change from moment to moment, day to day, month to month or year to year.
MIND has produced a range of information, guidance and some tips and practical steps people can take to improve and maintain their wellbeing, including making time for yourself, building positive relationships and getting active. MIND has information on both common and rarer problems such as:
Living with a mental health problem can often have an impact on day to day life, making things that others might not think about a bit more difficult. MIND has put together some tips and guides to help people cope with everyday things like money, work, university and more. Work can have a significant impact on our mental health and wellbeing, but there are steps we can take to be mentally healthy at work. Read their information on dealing with stress, managing difficult relationships, asking for support and advice on returning to work if you’ve had time off with a mental health problem.
Mental Health Foundation (MHF)
The MHF produce a range of excellent guide books to order:
You can find out about prices and how to order any of their publications at this link: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-to-order
You can order any of the mental health publications listed above at the following link: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications
or browse their full publications listing here: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/listing
Time To Change
Led by MIND and ReThink Mental Health, ‘Time to Change’ is a growing social movement working to change the way people think and act about mental health problems. They’ve already reached millions of people and begun to improve attitudes and behaviour. Time to Change are preparing for World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2020, and are calling on everyone to open up to mental health, to talk and to listen. Time to Change are spreading the word that everyone deserves to feel safe and supported when talking about our mental health. But too often, mental health stigma leaves people feeling isolated and ashamed. At worst, it prevents people getting support, finding employment or having open conversations. They have a range of excellent resources for employers, workers, universities and the general public to help change attitudes this World Mental Health Day. More information and resources are available at:- https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/
Website Links:
World Health Organisation (WHO) – https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/09-09-2019-suicide-one-person-dies-every-40-seconds
International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) – https://www.iasp.info/
World Federation For Mental Health (WFMH) – https://wfmh.global/
United For Global Mental Health (UFGMH) – https://www.unitedgmh.org/
MIND – https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/world-mental-health-day/
SAMARITANS – https://www.samaritans.org/
Mental Health Foundation (MHF) – https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/
Time To Change – https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/
Samaritans 24 Hour Helpline
Whatever you’re going through, a Samaritan will face it with you, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Call 116 123 for free
Attachments:
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Important update on CDC pensions from DGSP Terry Pullinger https://www.facebook.com/981299138616232/posts/3413820748697380/?vh=e&extid=0&d=n
Royal Mail Group – Re-Introduction of Shared Vans
Over the last few weeks Royal Mail Group has been pressing the CWU to engage and agree the re-introduction of shared vans into Delivery in a controlled manner as they believed it could be achieved in line with government guidance.
As such discussions have taken place between Royal Mail Group and both the Health & Safety Department and the Postal Department regarding ensuring all the relevant safety and wellbeing risks are addressed and a robust risk assessment process is in place.
However given the changing nature of the pandemic and the significant increases in COVID-19 cases alongside the local restrictions being introduced across the country, the CWU has maintained that in view of the current second wave numbers this should not proceed and we would not support it.
The CWU has made Royal Mail Group aware of the above viewpoint and whilst both parties remain in opposing positions, they have stated and communicated to their respective managers that shared vans will be introduced on a voluntary basis from week commencing 12th October 2020 along with a range of operational constraints and risk controls.
Further discussions are due to take place with Royal Mail Group regarding this development and any further updates will be provided as and when appropriate however in the meantime CWU Representatives are advised that the position is we do not support van sharing being introduced and to ensure our members are not forced or intimidated into sharing a van.
Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the Outdoor Department
Yours sincerely,
Terry Pullinger – Deputy General Secretary (Postal)
Mick Kavanagh – Acting Assistant Secretary
Dave Joyce – National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Andy Furey – Assistant Secretary
Davie Robertson – Assistant Secretary
Carl Maden – Acting Assistant Secretary
Royal Mail Group – Re-Introduction of Shared Vans
Over the last few weeks Royal Mail Group has been pressing the CWU to engage and agree the re-introduction of shared vans into Delivery in a controlled manner as they believed it could be achieved in line with government guidance.
As such discussions have taken place between Royal Mail Group and both the Health & Safety Department and the Postal Department regarding ensuring all the relevant safety and wellbeing risks are addressed and a robust risk assessment process is in place.
However given the changing nature of the pandemic and the significant increases in COVID-19 cases alongside the local restrictions being introduced across the country, the CWU has maintained that in view of the current second wave numbers this should not proceed and we would not support it.
The CWU has made Royal Mail Group aware of the above viewpoint and whilst both parties remain in opposing positions, they have stated and communicated to their respective managers that shared vans will be introduced on a voluntary basis from week commencing 12th October 2020 along with a range of operational constraints and risk controls.
Further discussions are due to take place with Royal Mail Group regarding this development and any further updates will be provided as and when appropriate however in the meantime CWU Representatives are advised that the position is we do not support van sharing being introduced and to ensure our members are not forced or intimidated into sharing a van.
Terry Pullinger
Mick Kavanagh
Dave Joyce
Davie Robertson
Andy Furey
Carl Maden
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 