TUC Sexual Harassment Campaign

The TUC and an alliance of 20 organisations and trade unions have launched a campaign called #ThisIsNotWorking. This calls on the government to introduce a new, easily enforceable preventative duty that would require employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.

Attached is a copy of their manifesto for change.

We would be grateful if Branches could assist in pushing this worthwhile agenda forward by sharing the petition to your members via email and social media. Please include #ThisIsNotWorking in all social media posts.

The suggested social media texts are as follows:

 Facebook:

1. Sexual harassment has no place in the workplace. But every day, people across the UK are sexually harassed at work. Join the call for the government to take immediate action. #ThisIsNotWorking. https://www.megaphone.org.uk/p/endsexualharassmentatwork

 Tweets:

1. Everyone should have the right to work free from harassment. We need govt to change the law to prevent sexual harassment at work. #ThisIsNotWorking https://www.megaphone.org.uk/p/endsexualharassmentatwork
2. We need a new law to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace before it happens. Join the call for the government to take immediate action. #ThisIsNotWorking. https://www.megaphone.org.uk/p/endsexualharassmentatwork
3. Harassment shouldn’t be a fact of working life – and it’s time the government did something about it. #ThisIsNotWorking https://www.megaphone.org.uk/p/endsexualharassmentatwork

Any queries on this LTB should be directed to Fevzi Hussein fhussein@cwu.org or Lee Wakeman lwakeman@cwu.org in the first instance.

Yours sincerely,

Trish Lavelle

Head of Equality, Training and Development

19LTB391   This is Not Working Campaign

TUC Pride Campaign – CWU Support

Last year, the TUC and affiliates ran a joint campaign to encourage more young LGBT+ people to join a union. A number of unions have asked the TUC to put together and help coordinate a similar “Pride Campaign” for the movement drawing on the TUC’s “LGBT Sexual Harassment Report” which can be found at:

https://www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/sexual-harassment-lgbt-people-workplace

As it is 50 years since the Stonewall riots, which was clearly a political response to oppression – the theme is ‘Pride is Political.’ It is intended to allow you and your members to explain why pride is political.

There are updated assets for 2019, which point out why Pride is, and must, stay political. The assets all start with ‘Pride is Political because:’ and pull out the following statistics and quotes.

In total there are 7 covering the following:

• “When I was sexually assaulted, my supervisor thought it was hilarious and told everyone at work. They made fun of me for weeks.”    26 to 33 year old bisexual man
• “I was told I should be out if I didn’t want to talk about the details of my sex life.” 46 to 55 year old lesbian woman
• 7 out of 10 LGBT people have experienced sexual harassment at work
• 1 in 8 LGBT women have been seriously sexually assaulted or raped at work
• 1 in 6 LGBT people said that sexual harassment at work had a negative effect on their mental health
• 66% of LGBT people don’t report sexual harassment at work
• 25% of LGBT people won’t report sexual harassment at work because they don’t want to out themselves. 

These can be used in conjunction with the 6 ‘Life is Better” when you’re in a Union’ images, which can all be downloaded, along with the campaign materials by clicking on the ‘TUC Pride assets’ link:

https://www.tuc.org.uk/tuc-pride-campaign-assets

Also included are a couple of suggested tweets and links to make supporting the campaign easy.

The TUC’s micro-site has been updated to reflect this year’s theme, please see:

https://www.tuc.org.uk/tucpride

Please tag any social media activity with #TUCPride #PrideisPolitical so the success of the campaign can be tracked.

We would encourage all Branches to join in this campaign to keep “Pride Political” and to show how much work still needs to be carried out to address workplace inequality.

We have been extremely pleased and grateful to Branches who have been present at Pride Events up and down the country recently.

To continue to underpin and promote CWU Equality relating to LGBT + work, we hope that as many Branches as possible can support future Pride events over the summer by continuing to attend and promote.

Any queries on this LTB should be directed to Fevzi Hussein fhussein@cwu.org or Lee Wakeman lwakeman@cwu.org in the first instance.

Yours sincerely,

Trish Lavelle

Head of Equality, Training and Development

19LTB390

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Board – Trade Union Representative Appointments

Further to LTB571/16, this is to update Branches, Regional Health and Safety Forums and Health and Safety Reps on the Government (DWP) announcement this month on a number of new appointments to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Board.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, established the Health and Safety Executive enforcement body and its controlling Executive Board which was to be a balanced, “Tripartite” body consisting of a Chairman, 3 members from employers, 3 members from Trade Unions and up to 4 others from organisations such as local authorities and professional bodies. Parliament also decided that in the first place there will be consultation with the C.B.I., the T.U.C., local authorities and that the role of the Trade Unions and consultation was to be greatly strengthened.

For 40 Years the process of appointing the Trade Union HSE board members was carried out in consultation with the TUC who would put forward nominees on behalf of Trade Unions.

In 2014, that was halted by the Tory led Coalition and subsequent Tory Government when Ministers refused, for the first time in history, to appoint a TUC-nominated candidate to the HSE board and TUC nominated Matt Wrack, the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) was rejected.

This led to a long drawn out battle between the TUC, Trade Unions and the Government over appointments to the three Trade Union HSE Board seats.

The Government first filled one of the seats with Jonathan Baume, the retired general secretary of the First Division Association (FDA), which represents the interests of senior civil service managers.  Baume who was ‘hand-picked by the Tory Government wasn’t supported or nominated by a single Trade Union, including his own former Union the FDA.

With Kevin Rowan of the TUC the only remaining Trade Union nominee appointed to the board the Government then attempted to fill the third remaining Trade Union seat with a ‘boss’ in the name of Susan Johnson OBE the retired Chief Executive of the Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service and former Chief Executive of the Northern Business Forum, and Executive Director of Business Development for the Yorkshire Regional Development Agency.  She was a director of Greggs plc, Legacy Trust UK and Network Rail.

The TUC, CWU, all UK Unions and the Hazards Campaign collectively condemned the appointments which caused outrage across the Trade Union and Labour movement.

After a huge public furore kicked up by the Trade Unions, Hazards, FACK, Professional Safety Organisations and Trade Press, Johnson’s appointment was withdrawn and she was given an alternative seat but vindictively the third Trade Union seat was kept vacant by the Government for several years and Trade Unions and the TUC had just one instead of three HSE Board members.

The move was the latest in a series of Government actions to silence the voices of working people on health and safety at work. Many of the joint industry groups that gave advice to the HSE were also disbanded. The right of Trade Unions to nominate members to the Board of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority was also abolished.

These moves and appalling decisions outraged every Trade Union who collectively, with the TUC, objected in the strongest possible terms, raising the matter with the Secretary of State and the Chair of the HSE Martin Temple.

Since then Unions, including the CWU have been campaigning and lobbying, pressing the Prime Minister, Ministers and MPs from all parties, SMP, MLAs and HSE, protesting at the appointments process which led to three Trade Union seats on the HSE Board shrinking to one.

The 2016 TUC Congress debated the matter and carried Emergency Motion E6 committing the TUC and Unions to fight to protect the tripartite composition of the HSE Board and to restore the balance on the board by reinstating the three Trade Union seats.

After a long and protracted battle campaigning on the issue, I’m pleased to be able to inform you that the TUC and Trade Unions (CWU included) have won back the three seats on the HSE Board, filled by TUC nominated individuals who will take up their appointments in August/September.

The three are:-

• Kevin Rowan TUC Head of Organising, Services & Learning.
• Claire Sullivan TUC General Council Member and is the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy’s National Health and Safety Officer. (Claire has just completed ten years as a TUC representative on the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council).
• Ged Nicholls TUC General Council and is the General Secretary of the Banking Union ‘Accord’.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

19LTB389 Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Board – Trade Union Representative Appointments

It’s time to order your Organ Donation Week materials – Organ Donation Week 2019 is happening between Monday 2nd and Sunday 8th September

In line with CWU Conference Policy we are once again supporting Organ Donation Week and urging all Branches, Regions, Reps and Members to give their support to the week by raising awareness, urging members to talk about it to their families and sign-up and carry a donor card.

Ordering Organ Donation Week Promotional Materials

Organ Donation Week 2019 is happening between Monday 2nd and Sunday 8th September. Please follow the link below to order promotional materials for you to use in your promotional activities during the week and at other times during the year:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/odw2019

Please note, the deadline for ordering a promotional pack in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is Friday 28^th June.

A key priority for Organ Donation Week activities in England this year will be help explain to people that the law is changing, what this means and to encourage people to make and share their donation decision. Therefore, different packs are available which have been tailor made to reflect the legislation around organ donation in that country as follows:

England – packs will consist of a mixture of ‘Yes I Donate’ promotional materials and materials for the opt-out campaign “Pass it On”. Also included is a key fact sheet, so that supporters have the relevant information available to answer questions on the new legislation if asked.

Digital promotional materials for the Pass It On campaign are already available to download from the Get Involved Hub.  Please use these and raise awareness that the law is changing.

Wales – packs will consist of a mixture of Yes I Donate materials in both English and Welsh languages. There will also be bilingual promotional items sent from the Welsh government for anyone who requests a promotional pack.

Northern Ireland – packs will consist of Yes I Donate materials in line with the current opt-in system operating in Northern Ireland.

Scotland – If you would like to order promotional materials for use in Scotland during Organ Donation Week 2019, you can place an order online at:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/odmaterialorderform

or email:

Organ_Donation_Scotland@gov.scot to discuss your requirements.

There is a checkbox on the survey if you wish to be kept informed about future promotional activity too.

If you have any questions, please contact marketing.comms@nhsbt.nhs.uk

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

19LTB387 Order your Organ Donation Week materials – Organ Donation Week 2019 2 – 8 September

Organ Donation1

RMPFS Pay Review April 2019

Dear Colleagues,

As was previously advised to Branches in LTB 332/19, negotiations regarding the 2019 Pay Claim in RMPFS have been ongoing since the beginning of the year. The negotiating team has continued to press the pay related policies carried at last year’s RMPFS Policy Forum in Birmingham along with Annual Conference policy.

Whilst previously acknowledging that discussions are being conducted against the background of the tight financial targets placed on RMPFS by Royal Mail Group, these discussions have nevertheless, and up to this point been constructive. However the Union’s negotiating team has now received a closed offer from the company which falls short of the Union’s claim and is unacceptable. This pay offer has therefore been rejected by the Postal Executive.

Whilst the pay offer is a closed one and therefore does not represent RMPFS final pay offer or final position, it is extremely disappointing that although some small progress has been made on pay, there remains a fundamental difference between the respective negotiating teams on the issue of pensions.

Joint discussions are continuing and further meetings are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks. Branches will be updated on progress accordingly.

Any enquires regarding this LTB should be directed to the Outdoor Department, reference 120.12, email address: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org.

Or to Ray Ellis, reference 301, email address: khawkins@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Baulch  – CWU Assistant Secretary

Carl Maden – CWU A/Assistant Secretary

LTB 383.19 – RMPFS Pay Review April 2019