Facebook – Live Video AutoCaptioning

Dear colleagues,

As we have previously reported, we have been working hard and investing significant resources into making our communications as accessible as possible.

Today, we launched new streaming software, which we will use for major live video communications to members. We have received confirmation this software supports Facebook AutoCaptions which means viewers can turn on subtitles for live broadcasts.

We are delighted with this development and hope it gives branches further evidence of the efforts we are going to in order to reach every single member.

We have produced this short video to show you how to turn on the auto captioning service: https://vimeo.com/427350909

Kind regards,

Chris Webb
Head of Communications, Engagement and Media

LTB 304/20

Logistics Covid-19 Response – Occupational Driver Updates

Attached for information are the following Covid-19 Driver Updates that have been received from the business, further to revised guidance from the Department for Transport (DfT):

Annex A – DfT This Week in Logistics Briefing
Annex B – Logistics Comms Driver CPC
Annex C – Logistics Comms Tachograph Renewal 
Annex D – Logistics Comms Driver Photocards

Branches and representatives are requested to ensure that members are made aware of the attached information as soon as possible.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org quoting reference 014.14

Yours sincerely,

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

LTB 303/20
Annex A – DFT This Week in Logistics Briefing
Annex B – Logistics Driver CPC validity extended
Annex C – Logistics Tachograph card renewal
Annex D – Logistics Drivers granted seven-month photocard licence extension

Covid-19 CWU Survey and impacts on people with protective characteristics

The Equality, Education and Development department have become increasing aware that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected some sections of the population more than others, and that there are growing concerns that minority groups are being disproportionately affected. 

To raise awareness of some of the issues affecting people with protected characteristics the department has produced the attached report setting out some of the key points emerging from recent research and analysis. The report reviews the evidence that black and minority ethnic communities are at greater risk of catching and dying from the virus than their white counterparts. It also considers the impacts coronavirus is having on other minorities such as women, people with disabilities and LGBT+ groups. Exploring the government’s reactions, the report highlights what the trade union movement has been calling for in response. 

Whilst it is important that members and representatives are made aware of these issues and responses, it is vitally important that we conduct our own CWU research to help inform our CWU lobbying and campaigning work. We are particularly interested to hear about the impact of Covid-19 on our members, therefore the department has produced a short questionnaire for members and representatives to participate in. The survey will take less than 3 minutes to complete. A link for the survey can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/DMTMW6F 

The closing date for the survey is 30th June 2020. Please share your experiences of COVID-19 and fill in the survey. 

Any queries on this LTB should be directed to equality&education@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development 

LTB 302/20 – Covid-19 CWU Survey and impacts on people with protective characteristics

LTB 302/20 Attachment – Covid 19 – impacts on people with protective charateristics

COVID-19 – RETIRED MEMBERS

As you will no doubt be aware elder people are amongst those considered to be particularly susceptible to coronavirus.

We recently held an online meeting with members of the Retired Members Committee and a discussion took place around checking in on our retired members.

A number of Branches have already written to their retired members, making contact with them and offering assistance.

Attached to this LTB is a draft letter that we would like Branches to send to their retired members where possible as part of efforts to keep an eye on those considered more vulnerable during this difficult time. We appreciate that a number of Branches will have instigated their own approach when it comes to keeping in touch and the Retired Members Committee are extremely grateful to those who have done this.

Any further assistance that can be given, by way of sending a local version of the attached letter would be greatly appreciated.

In the meantime, the Retired Members Committee passes on its best wishes to all Branches and would like to thank you in advance for any assistance you can give on this matters.

Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 020 8971 7237, or email address sdgs@cwu.org.

 

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 301/20

Suggested Draft Template Letter for Branch Retired Members

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Celebrating Windrush Day Windrush Webinar – Monday 22nd June 2020, 6-7pm

Further to LTB 261/20, we attach a flyer for the above event. We would be grateful if you could share this widely on social media and with your members. The full details for the webinar are now confirmed and these are as follows: 

The event will be chaired by Eastern Region’s BAME Lead, Janice Richardson. Guest speakers include: 

Bishop Dr Desmond Jaddoo – Chair of the Windrush Movement UK Amrit Wilson – Writer & Activist Ian Taylor – NEC & North West Divisional Rep Tony Kearns – Senior Deputy General Secretary Ali Moosa – NEC BAME Lead 

A special solo vocalist performance has also been confirmed to round off the evening. 

The event does not require registration and will be available to view live on the CWU’s Facebook page. 

The CWU is committed to highlighting Windrush issues as part of our wider strategy fighting structural racism and tackling the hostile environment that sees many people from the BAME communities suffer inequality and injustice. 

Any queries on this LTB should be directed to equality&education@cwu.org 

Yours sincerely, 

Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development

LTB 300/20 – CWU Windrush Day Webinar Monday 22 June 2020 6-7 pm

Attachment 1

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Coronavirus Covid-19 Issues – CWU Courses (2)

Further to LTB 148/20, we are pleased to report that students attending Certificate courses in Occupational Health & Safety and Employment Law are being given the opportunity to complete their studies (online) through Ruskin College before the end of the Academic Year. 

Meetings are continuing with our Partner College/s to further explore ways of progressing an accredited activist education and training programme given the continuing restrictions. 

It should be noted that accredited classroom based training and education provides numerous advantages for the trade union movement. It affords us legally binding release agreements and compliance within trade union legislation. 

As some school children return under strict controls and certain other restrictions are easing, it is crucial that the CWU remain consistently clear in our approach. 

Therefore, any and all classroom based training is not to take place until further notice. This is the case for both activist training (regional or residential); and lifelong learning for members e.g. within our many CWU Learning Centres. 

Branch Union Learning Centres exist both within employers’ premises and CWU owned property. Looking to the mid-term future we are working on a generic risk assessment for both. This will not replace the employers own risk assessment – but it may compliment it and assist Branches. 

We will continue to offer bespoke, unaccredited and informal zoom workshops on a regular and focused way as well as those on CWU Left-Click and outlined in LTB 148/20. 

We will of course continue to review the situation as developments progress. 

Yours sincerely, 

Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development

LTB 293/20 – Coronavirus-Covid-19-Issues – CWU-Courses update 2

New Deal for Workers – TUC online Organise festival – 9-11 July

The purpose of this LTB is to notify branches of an online festival being held by the TUC on 9^th-11^th July on union organising.

The festival is being held as part of a series of initiatives the TUC is undertaking as a result of the CWU’s motions to TUC Congress on working together to deliver a New Deal for Workers.

The festival will have online sessions on new trends in organising and training sessions on new digital technologies and key elements of organising work. We would ask branches to register for information at the following link and once the final programme is confirmed, we would urge reps to attend (online) sessions relevant to them:

https://www.tuc.org.uk/organise-2020

Any queries on the contents of this LTB should be addressed to gsoffice@cwu.org and further information on the festival will be sent to branches shortly.

Yours sincerely,                     

Dave Ward                                                    Ray Ellis                                           

General Secretary  Acting Head of Recruitment & Organising

LTB 295/20 – New Deal for Workers – TUC online Organise festival – 9-11 July

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Black Lives Matter” Campaign

The CWU is deeply saddened to hear of the loss of more black lives as a result of institutional racism and racial injustice. 

Since the execution of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, millions of people across the globe have taken part in protests against widespread inherent racism and the way black people have been treated by police officers in the US and beyond. 

The recent protests and media campaign for justice for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and countless others, have once again highlighted the issues of inequality, racism, violence and injustice that exist in our society against black people today. Issues of police brutality and its links to racism should not be dismissed as just an American issue but an issue that affects black people globally. 

The CWU reaffirms its position of opposing all forms of racism and stands in solidarity with protestors and the “Black Lives Matter” campaign. 

Every day we see examples of racism in Britain. Hate crime for example has increased over the past several years, increasing significantly, after Brexit. Incidents of racism in football is still rife and British music artists, like Stormzy, constantly face attacks for speaking out against the institutional and systematic racism in the UK. Even during the current Coronavirus crisis we see the disproportionate impacts on our BAME communities with little action being taken by our nation’s leaders. 

Racism is not just a BAME issue, it is dehumanising to everyone it touches and the fight for racial equality is one that includes us all. How you can help? 

•  Call racism out – One example of action we can all take is to challenge acts of racism and the dismissing of black people and their experiences of racism. 
• Report acts of racism – contact the Equality, Education & Development department’s bullying and harassment helpline number on FREEPHONE 0800 090 2303 or email your concerns to equality&education@cwu.org Alternatively speak to your local CWU representative. 
• Sign the petition – Add you name to the Justice for George Floyd petition here: https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd 

Any queries on this LTB should be directed to equality&education@cwu.org 

Yours sincerely, 

Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development

LTB 292/20 – Black Lives Matter Campaign

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BT Personnel – Conference Motion 42 – Domestic Violence

Colleagues may remember Motion 42 (attached) from Conference 2019. The Personnel Team has been pursuing the instruction contained within Motion 42 for the past twelve months. Despite some difficulties with persuading the company that domestic violence is a significant issue for society and therefore CWU members, the company has agreed a domestic abuse guidance document (attached). Although not fully achieving the intent of Motion 42 at present, the Personnel Team believe the guidance contained within the attached document is a start to fully achieving the policy and worthy to be published to Branches and members.

The guidance contains information on what domestic abuse is, how to identify the signs of domestic abuse, and what to do if members are suffering from abuse and where to seek help. The help of the Equality Education and Development Department at Headquarters has been invaluable to helping the Personnel Team in our discussions with BT.

Although the guidance references the COVID-19 crisis, the document will be updated once the crisis has passed. The Personnel Team has also made it clear to the company that we will be pursing the full intent of Motion 42, and that we will still believe that this extremely important issue should have the status of a company policy and not just guidance.

The Personnel Team would be grateful if you could circulate the content of this letter to members

Any queries on this matter should be addressed to my office at CWU HQ.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Jukes
Assistant Secretary

LTB 291/2020
Attachment 1 – LTB 291/2020
Attachment 2 – LTB 291/2020

£200 COVID-19 Recognition Payment

Further to LTB 263/20 circulated on 20^th May 2020, colleagues are advised that a response has now been received from Royal Mail which provides clarification on their qualification criteria for this payment.

For ease of reference the questions raised by the union and the company’s response is listed below:

Q 1:     Will the payments be made in the spirit of the Christmas guidelines for such payments?

A:        “We make two separate payments to employees in the run up to Christmas.  You are right that there are some parallels with one of these, the Christmas Supplement that is paid to just OPGs, albeit not directly the same. 

This is a one-off discretionary non-contractual payment. This payment is based on appropriate eligibility criteria linked to colleagues contracted duty hours.”

Q 2:     In respect of part timers and the pro-rata nature of the payment (especially given the payment is focused on those who worked), will part-timers be paid for the actual hours they have worked?

A:        “For all eligible employees the calculation for the payment is based on contracted duty hours.  Additional hours worked on scheduled attendance and overtime does not count towards the payment for part time or full time employees. However, part-time employees that varied their contractual hours and worked full-time for a four-week period during the period (between Monday 16 March 2020 and Sunday 10 May 2020) will be paid the one-time Covid-19 payment in full.”

Q 3:     Attendance – To be eligible will an individual need to have attended work for the entire 16^thMarch – 10^th May 2020 period?

A:        “As we encouraged employees to take booked annual leave, employees who were absent due to annual leave do not have these days or weeks deducted for the purposes of calculating any payment.

The payments are proportionate. Ultimately this is not about judgement on those who could not work but a positive recognition of those who could and did support.”

Q 4:    Equality Act 2010 – Is there a potential risk that the qualification criteria could be discriminatory by excluding those who have been absent from work during the 16^th March/10^th May period due to conditions which mean they are likely to be considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010? Is there a further potential risk of discrimination claims by excluding those who have had to take unpaid leave due to caring responsibilities as in many cases this will be female employees. 

A:        “We believe our approach complies with all equality laws”

I trust the above information provides colleagues with clarification on the company’s position with regards to their qualifying criteria for the £200 recognition payment, although I appreciate the response may be disappointing for some members. It should however be remembered that we are dealing with a one-off, non-contractual, discretionary payment made to recognise the contribution of those members who were able to work and support the operation under the status of key workers.

Colleagues are however advised that I have written again to the company with the request that they reconsider the criteria for our part time colleagues who worked in excess of their conditioned/contractual hours, in light of the fact that many colleagues would not have had the opportunity to vary their conditioned hours of attendance at short notice. Branches will be updated accordingly once a response is received.

Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department.

Yours sincerely,

Terry Pullinger

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)         

20LTB290 £200 COVID-19 Recognition Payment