This autumn the CWU are running a series of 8 online writing and performance workshops. The workshops are free and open to all members. They are delivered by the critically acclaimed Poets, Prattlers and Pandemonialists and are designed to be both entertaining and instructive.
Please share widely to make sure no-one misses out.
The first workshop runs from 5-7pm on 17th September. Please send applications to learn@cwu.org
Full details 17th Sept: What Could I Write About? Lists, repetition and recipes for creating poetry. 24th Sept: Building Blocks For Poetry I. Syllable counting and the natural world. 1st Oct: Building Blocks For Poetry II. To rhyme or not to rhyme. 8th Oct: The Poets Toolkit. Demystifying and experimenting with basic poetry terms. 15th Oct: The Tried & The Tested. Explaining traditional poetic structures. Half Term 5th Nov: Going Rogue. Free verse and experimental poetry. 12th Nov: Now What? Publishing your poems. 19th Nov: You Wouldn’t Get Me Up There! Performance
On 28/29/30 September the CWU will become the first ever union to hold an online engagement festival. A huge range of topics will be covered. This is the initial programme. You have to register for each session.
We encourage branches to select attendees and register for sessions ASAP.
It is vital all branches are represented. More info on the event will be shared next week.
The new head of the BBC has been urged to save the free TV licence fee for the over-75s.
The BBC’s new boss has been urged to bring back free TV licences for over-75s as he starts his new job.
Tim Davie takes up the role of director-general on Tuesday, having succeeded Lord Tony Hall.
Campaigners called on the corporation’s new chief to work with the Government to thrash out a solution to the free licences’ row – a month after 3.7 million pensioners were robbed of the lifeline.
The Silver Voices group warned 87% of its members were ready to stop paying their £157.50-a-year fee in protest at other OAPs being stripped of their entitlement.
The poll also found 97% back its “Gum Up the Works” campaign to disrupt the licence fee system.
Tim Davie faces calls for a u-turn on the decision to axe the benefit for pensioners.
Moves it has suggested to hamper administration include writing cheques in Cornish or Gaelic, “forgetting” to date or sign cheques and making out cheques for amounts slightly higher or lower than the precise fee.
Director Dennis Reed said: “The appointment of a new director-general provides an ideal opportunity for the Government and BBC to discuss a solution to end this long-running dispute.
“Mr Davie will not want a campaign of civil disobedience festering away and undermining the credibility of the whole licence system.
“The militancy of senior citizens on this issue is growing all the time, however, so early progress is essential.
“We will not hesitate to escalate our action if the BBC and Government continue with their barren ‘blame game’ approaches.”
The Conservatives pledged at the 2017 election to protect over-75s’ free licences for the rest of that Parliament, which was due to run until 2022.
Members of the National Pensioners’ Convention took part in protests over the reimposition of the TV licence fee on the over-75s.
But the BBC had already been handed responsibility for funding the benefit from June 2020, under a deal agreed in 2015.
It said keeping licences free for all over-75s would cost £745million by 2021-22.
The corporation announced restrictions from August 1, meaning only over-75s who receive pension credit are eligible.
The Mirror has campaigned to save the benefit for all over-75s, with more than 18,000 readers backing the fight by completing coupons in the paper.
Silver Voices, which carried out an email poll of its 2,700 members through SurveyMonkey, between August 18 and 25, claimed Mr Davie starting his job offered a chance for a rethink.
In a letter to the new boss, Mr Reed says he hopes “one of your first priorities will be to settle this dispute”.
He adds: “We do hope that the occasion of your appointment will prompt an attempt by the BBC and Government to find a solution on this issue.
“Attitudes have already hardened amongst senior citizens, who are the BBC’s most loyal viewers, and we have no sympathy for the blame game being conducted by the BBC and Government, when both bodies are clearly responsible for the current mess.”
Why The Daily Mirror is fighting this injustice.
One in four over-75s rely on TV for their main form of companionship, which is why the Mirror believes it is vital to keep this lifeline available through a free licence.
Tory George Osborne decided the BBC should take over from the Government to fund the free TV licence bill from 2020.
BBC chiefs have launched a public consultation but say the £745million cost would use a fifth of their budget and deep cuts would be needed on TV programmes.
Gordon Brown says the Government should pay, Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright thinks it’s the BBC’s responsibility.
We believe free TV licences for over-75s should continue – whoever pays.
Labour peer Lord Foulkes, chairman of Parliament’s cross-party group on ageing and older people, said: “The decision to scrap free TV licences for over-75s was cruel and unjust.
“As the gravity of the situation begins to take effect, many of those who rely on their TV for information, entertainment and company, will be forced to choose between increasing loneliness or poverty.
“While the BBC are treating the decision as a done deal, there are increasing calls, from both inside and outside Parliament, for the new director-general to take the initiative from the start and work with the Government to alter the direction of travel before it is too late.
“This Punch and Judy show between the Government and the BBC must come to an end, with both parties required to come together to find a solution.”
A BBC Spokesperson: ‘We’ve received the letter and will of course respond in due course. In the meantime, we would point out that it was the Government who decided to stop funding free TV licences for the over 75s.
“The BBC Board believes the fairest option is to help the poorest older pensioners. Around 1.5 million households could get free TV licences if someone is over 75 and receives Pension Credit.
“Critically, it is not the BBC making that judgement about poverty, it is the Government who set and control who is eligible for Pension Credit and what level of payments are made.”
‘REVIVE FREE TV LICENCE’
Protesters tell new BBC boss to expect disruption.
By Ben Glaze Political Editor Daily Mirror.
1ST SEPTEMBER 2020.
THE new head of the BBC has been urged to bring back free TV licences for over-75s as he starts his new job today.
Tim Davie succeeds Lord Tony Hall in the role of director-general – and campaigners last night called on him to work with the Government to thrash out a solution to the long-running free licences row.
Some 3.7 million pensioners were robbed of the lifeline a month ago and the
Silver Voices group has warned 87% of its members are ready to stop paying their £157.50-a-year fee in protest. Other disruptive protests planned by members include writing cheques in Cornish or Gaelic and “forgetting” to date or sign cheques.
Its director Dennis Reed said: “Mr Davie will not want a campaign of civil disobedience festering away and undermining the credibility of the licence system. “The militancy of senior citizens on this issue is growing all the time… We will not hesitate to escalate our action.” In 2017 the Conservatives made an election pledge to protect the benefit until 2022.
But under a deal agreed in 2015, the BBC had already been handed responsibility for funding it from June 2020.
A BBC spokesman said: “The BBC Board believes the fairest option is to help the poorest older pensioners. Around 1.5 million households could get free TV licences if someone is over 75 and receives Pension Credit.
“Critically, it is not the BBC making that judgment about poverty, it is the Government.”
Royal Mail Group – Provision of Visors as Additional/Supplementary PPE For Customer Service Point (CSP) Workers and Advanced Driver Coaches:
At the request of a number of Branch Area Health and Safety Reps, representations were made to Royal Mail for the provision of visors as an additional, supplementary Coronavirus/Covid-19 PPE item for members working in CSPs and members performing an ADC role. Royal Mail Group have now agreed to provide these items and they have been added to the list of available PPE items for offices.
Please find attached a copy picture which shows the visors that are now available for units to order to complement the facemasks. These are for use by those in Customer Service Points and for Advance Driver Coaches undertaking driving assessments and training. Also attached is a copy of the instructions supplied with the visors on how to use them.
LTB 373/20 reported to Branches that all open-plan Royal Mail Customer Service Points (CSPs)/Callers Offices and Reception Areas would have screens installed to support social distancing standards as a Coronavirus/Covid-19 health and safety precaution to separate staff from customers. However, CSP staff reported that they had to on occasion go to the side of the screens when completing transactions and visors would provide a solution.
For Advanced Driver Coaches undertaking driver assessments and training inside LGV cabs, visors were seen as an additional barrier protection/mitigation as ADCs were coming into contact with both employees as well as agency drivers.
Therefore, visors are now available as an alternative option to masks for those employees who work in our CSPs and an additional control for Advanced Driver Coaches. The visors can be ordered through the uniform online ordering portal, and come in packs of 12.
Wearing of face masks and visors at CSPs is a personal choice, however if wearing a visor, it is recommended that visors are worn with a mask. Any Advanced Driver Coaches undertaking assessments as a passenger can also be given access to visors, in this scenario they must be worn in conjunction with a mask.
Visors should be wiped clean with a sanitiser wipe or soap and water before and after use, all wipes should be disposed of in line with existing guidelines. The visor should be replaced if the visibility becomes obscured or steaming up increases due to wear or cleaning. Visors are personal issue, they should be named and not shared between employees.
The visors will be kept under review in order to ascertain whether additional job roles could benefit from their use.
Yours sincerely,
Dave Joyce National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Royal Mail Group – Provision of Water Bottles – Staying Hydrated Campaign – Communications Posters
Representations to Royal Mail were again made during the recent heatwave on the very important issue of the provision of water bottles to the outdoor workforce and on communicating the extremely important issue of staying hydrated at all times whilst undertaking manual work. Royal Mail have now agreed to provide water bottles to CWU members.
An ‘interim’ supply of refillable water bottles are now available for offices to order. There is a limited stock of 65,000 of the ‘interim’ water bottles and Royal Mail will be prioritising the outdoor workforce.
Beyond that a permanent long term solution is being progressed with a move to the provision of a ‘durable, Royal Mail branded, refillable water bottle’. Various manufacturer options are currently being assessed and considered for final selection and approval.
Our Royal Mail members provide the best postal service in the world and after the government declared that postal workers were ‘essential workers’ at the beginning of the Coronavirus outbreak, postmen and women have worked tirelessly through the six-months of the pandemic without the luxury of being furloughed.
Staff shortages, one-person per van, a 50% increase in parcels, lapsing and the recent record breaking heatwave have obviously piled the pressure on postmen and women, made worse by the fact that water fountains had been shut off due to the risk of virus transmission. All in all, working conditions have been tough – but tough on the outdoor workforce in particular.
Royal Mail, having at long last agreed to our request for the provision of water bottles for the outdoor workforce, have also agreed to jointly campaign on the importance of staying hydrated at all times, developments which are welcomed. This is an important health and safety issue when carrying out a manual job, walking many miles outdoors – especially when in excessively hot, sunny weather conditions, when temperatures are high as they were recently.
We will be continuing to look to ensure that in future Severe Weather Risk Assessments are carried out in hot, heatwave weather to avoid sunburn, dehydration, heat exhaustion and sun stroke and so protect the outdoor delivery workforce.
The problem of adequate water provision for members recently has been made worse by the fact that water fountains had been shut off due to the risk of virus transmission, therefore Royal Mail have issued internal communications to all Office Managers/PICs, informing them of the new provision of water bottles, consisting of:-
An ‘Opps Update’ entitled ‘Staying Hydrated’
A Safety Health and Environment (SHE) staff briefing/huddle document and
A joint poster to be displayed on ‘Refilling Water Bottles Safely and Sanitising the Water Dispenser’
All managers have been requested to:-
Brief all staff on staying hydrated
Display the poster
Ensure a good supply of sanitising wipes are provided at the water dispensers
Ensure water dispensers are used but water fountains remain out of use (see attachments)
Attachments:-
RM Opps Update ‘Staying Hydrated’
SHE Huddle F20 005 ‘Staying Hydrated’
Water Refill Poster
Sun Safety and Avoid Dehydration Poster.
The Importance and Health Benefits of Good Hydration
Good Hydration means getting the right amount of water before, during, and after work. Water regulates your body temperature and lubricates your joints and helps muscles and joints work better. It promotes better cardiovascular health and helps transport nutrients to give you energy and keep you healthy. If you’re not hydrated, your body can’t perform at its highest level. Water keeps organs functioning properly. Being well-hydrated also improves sleep quality, cognition, and mood.
Dehydration Dangers
Dehydration can cause heat exhaustion, heat cramps, heatstroke and can reduce the amount of blood in the body, which can put strain on the heart and cause shock – a dangerous decrease in blood pressure, which can have serious health consequences.
Yours sincerely,
Dave Joyce National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
CWU/Royal Mail National Terms of Reference – Uniform ‘Mini’ Proof of Concept Trial on a revised Stormproof Jacket
Branches may recall that as part of last year’s Royal Mail Uniform tendering process, the company advised that it was seeking to improve and update their current range and products, noting that a number of the existing standard uniform items have been in place for some 10 years or more.
As such, talks have been ongoing with Royal Mail on a new uniform range and the necessary trial/pilot activity which would take place before any wider national rollout. Whilst these talks remain ongoing and full scale trials/pilots are not planned to take place on the new uniform range until February/March next year, it has however been agreed to undertake a ‘mini’ proof of concept trial of the revised stormproof jacket in advance of this in order to evaluate the initial design improvements.
Attached to this LTB is a copy of the agreed Terms of Reference for this ‘mini’ trial of the revised stormproof jacket which will be limited to 6 Delivery Offices and 30 individuals.
The enhancements made to the stormproof jacket include storm cuffs, a peak on the hood and a drawstring on the hood which have all been designed to improve the fit and reduce the ingress of water when worn. This follows direct frontline employee feedback received at previous Uniform Roadshow workplace visits and the feedback also received at last year’s CWU Annual Conference.
Whilst ultimately any final decision on a revised stormproof jacket will need to be taken as part of the wider national trials/pilots on a new uniform range, this ‘mini’ proof of concept trial will clearly assist in terms of understanding if these initial enhancements have improved the overall jacket design.
Any enquiries in relation to the content of the above should be directed to the Outdoor Department reference 500, email address: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org.
For the information of branches. BT are continuing with their investment of £25M into the operational estate it uses via Project Spruce.
Over the course of the year there will be 31 Hubs and 74 Satellite sites improved by 31st October with a further 8 Hubs and 100 Satellites sites being delivered by 31st March 2021.
The sites emboldened below in light purple will have been completed or will be completed during the course of this financial year.
Openreach are already passing positive messages that the improvements are going down well although many of the facilities are still to be fully utilised due to the coronavirus restrictions.
Yours sincerely,
Brendan O’Brien
National Officer CWU Telecoms & Financial Services
Rare Tick-borne infections diagnosed in UK (Warning)
What you need to know about ‘Tick-borne’ diseases (TBDs):
Several diseases are carried by UK Ticks.
Lyme disease is by far the most common.
Cases of other Tick-borne diseases have now been officially reported in the UK.
Symptoms of these diseases overlap those of Lyme disease.
Most are treated with the same antibiotics as for Lyme disease.
Early diagnosis is very important!
For a summary of the latest news on TBDs see below.
Public Health England (PHE) has called for people to be ‘Tick-Aware’ as the first case of Babesiosis is diagnosed in the UK.
Public Health England has confirmed the diagnosis of a case of Babesiosis and a case of Tick-borne Encephalitis (TBE) in UK. This is the first record of a UK-acquired case of Babesiosis and the second case of TBE being acquired in the UK.
Babesiosis is caused by a parasite which infects red blood cells whilst TBE is a viral infection that affects the central nervous system. Both are rare infections spread by the bite from an infected Tick.
Both patients have been transferred to hospital, where they are receiving appropriate treatment and supportive care.
PHE regularly undertakes work to understand the potential risks of Tick-borne infections in England. This year, PHE has been undertaking surveys of various sites in Devon close to where the person with Babesiosis lives, collecting and testing hundreds of Ticks.
PHE has tested deer blood samples from Hampshire in areas near to where the person with probable TBE lives and they have shown evidence of likely TBE virus infection, which matches similar results found in 2019 surveys.
The risk of Babesiosis or TBE for the general public is remains low. However, a number of infections can develop following a Tick bite, including Lyme disease, and there are things people can all do to reduce the risk of being bitten by Ticks while either working or enjoying the outdoors during the summer.
It is important to be ‘Tick Aware’ and take precautions to reduce the risk of being bitten by Ticks when in green spaces this summer including:
Keeping to footpaths and avoiding long grass.
Wearing appropriate clothing such as a long-sleeved shirt, and trousers tucked into socks/boots making it less likely that a Tick will bite and attach itself.
Considering the use of repellents containing DEET.
Making it a habit to carry out a Tick check regularly when outdoors and after returning home.
If bitten by a Tick, it should be removed as soon as possible using fine, pointed, tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool which is sold by many outdoor stores, vets and pharmacies. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upwards slowly and firmly. Once removed, the skin should be washed with water and soap, and an antiseptic cream applied to the skin around the bite.
Tick bite victims should contact their GP promptly if they begin to feel unwell, remembering to tell the GP about being bitten by a Tick and having recently spent time outdoors.
PHE state that presently cases of Babesiosis and TBE in England are rare and the risk of being infected remains low. However, Lyme disease remains the most common Tick-borne infection in England.
Ticks are most active between spring and autumn, so it is sensible to take some precautions to avoid being bitten when working or enjoying leisure time outdoors.
Individuals should always seek medical advice if starting to feel unwell after a Tick bite.
Babesiosis
Most people with Babesiosis will have either no symptoms or mild symptoms of infection; people with weakened immune systems can become very ill and present with flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle ache, fatigue, and jaundice.
Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE)
Around two-thirds of people with TBE infections will have no symptoms. For those who develop symptoms, there are often two phases. The first is associated with flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache and fatigue. This can then progress to a more serious second phase that involves the central nervous system, which can lead to Meningitis, Encephalitis and paralysis.
Individuals developing flu-like symptoms after being bitten by a tick should visit their GP or go to hospital if they:-
get a stiff neck and a severe headache
get pain when looking at bright lights
have a seizure (fit)
have a change in behaviour – such as sudden confusion
develop weakness or loss of movement in part of the body
Lyme Disease
Several diseases are carried by UK Ticks. Lyme disease is by far the most common.
Many people with early symptoms of Lyme disease develop a circular red skin rash around a tick bite.
Some people also have flu-like symptoms in the early stages, such as:
a high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
headaches
muscle and joint pain
tiredness and loss of energy
See a GP if:
you have been bitten by a Tick or visited an area in the past month where infected Ticks are found and you get:-
flu-like symptoms – such as feeling hot and shivery, headaches, aching muscles or feeling sick, or
a circular red rash
tell them if you have been in forests or grassy areas
What you need to know about tick-borne diseases (TBDs):
Several diseases are carried by UK Ticks.
Lyme disease is by far the most common.
Very few cases of other TBDs have been officially reported in the UK.
Symptoms of these diseases overlap those of Lyme disease.
Most are treated with the same antibiotics as for Lyme disease.
Other TBDs not mentioned above are Rickettsiosis: It can cause a spotty rash, fevers and sometimes a black ‘eschar’, or scab, at the site of the Tick bite. Positive blood tests have been recorded in UK patients. Rickettsia infections respond to the same treatment as for Lyme disease. Borrelia Miyamotoi causes a Lyme-like illness but without an EM rash and with more fever (sometimes coming and going) and headache. In some cases Meningitis develops. There have been no reported UK cases yet. Louping Ill Virus is endemic to UK upland areas and causes a severe infection of the central nervous system. It is common in sheep, grouse and other animals. Human cases are rare. All these except Louping Ill are more common in mainland Europe. North America has a different spectrum of Tick-borne diseases as well as different Ticks so American information cannot be extrapolated to the UK.
Covid-19/Coronavirus v Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is a tiny risk compared with Covid-19 – on average only about 10% of UK Ticks carry it, and it gives rise to perhaps 10,000 cases per year in the UK, though precise numbers are not known. Unlike the Covid-19 (Virus), Lyme disease is a bacterial infection and when recognised early it can be treated with antibiotics.
Footnote:
The CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department has continued to work with and support UK charities striving to raise awareness about Tick-bite risks and for the prevention and treatment of Lyme disease and associated Tick-borne diseases after a small number of CWU members fell victim to Tick bites and Tick-borne diseases some years ago and those members requested our support. Awareness of Ticks is the key and will help CWU members, their families, friends and colleagues avoid these nasty illnesses, pain and suffering plus not adding to the NHS burden.
Attachments:
LDA Leaflet on Ticks in Britain
LDA Leaflet on Tick-Borne Diseases
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 