Generation Rent 

The CWU has been working closely with campaign group Generation Rent to fulfil the objectives of Composite Motion 1 on housing, from this year’s conference. (attached for ease of reference).

 

It is fair to say that Generation Rent have been highly effective in mobilising public opinion on this issue. Their “Queens Speech on Housing”, sponsored by CWUYouth, was a comprehensive manifesto for change which has been followed up in a number of important ways and can be found at:-

 

Click to access cwu__1431418093_Generation_Rent_-_Queens_Speec.pdf

 

First, by Generation Rent’s own research into which parliamentary seats are most affected by those in rental accommodation – and thus which MPs are most susceptible to a co-ordinated campaign affecting this group.

 

Second, CWU facilitated discussions between the TUC and Generation Rent which in turn lead to a more formal partnership involving Generation Rent, Unison, Unite, GMB and ourselves to co-ordinate and drive housing policy within the TUC.

 

Third, Generation Rent facilitated the contact between ourselves and Karen Buck MP which directly lead to Karen’s Homes (Fit for Human Habitation) Bill being laid before Parliament, representing a real chance of significant regulation in the private rented sector for the first time

 

So it is with disappointment and concerns that we received the attached letter from Betsy Dillner, the Director of Generation Rent.

 

The situation is that Generation Rent’s main funding body has withdrawn their support on the basis that the organisation has not achieved charitable status.
They need approximately £65,000 in order to survive and to put in place alternative and stable funding arrangements.

 

However, there is also the suggestion that there has been some attempt to influence the Charity Commission by objections being lodged against the possibility of Generation Rent being accorded charitable status on the grounds that their work is too political.

 

As summarised above, as a union we have shared platforms with and sponsored publications from and been generally supportive of Generation Rent. There is no doubt that they have made a major contribution to the housing debate within Britain and have been effective in developing a narrative that is attracting increasing support. I do believe that we should support the organisation in the existential crisis that they now find themselves. Work in this area would be significantly diminished were they to disappear from the scene.

 

The NEC therefore agreed an exceptional donation, and authorised an appeal to branches to also support this appeal. Similar requests are being made to GMB, Unite and Unison, plus a number of other unions, as well as organisations such as Shelter and Crisis. A public appeal for funds can be viewed at

 

https://peoplesrepublic.co/p/generationrent  

 

and the main Generation Rent site is at

 

http://www.generationrent.org/

 

Branches are thanked in anticipation of their support for this important and effective organisation.

 

If you have any enquiries on this LTB, these should be addressed to the General Secretary’s Office at gsoffice@cwu.org quoting the reference GS 16.0 LTB 538/15.

 

Yours sincerely

 

​​​ ​​

 

Dave Ward​​​​​​

General Secretary

LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE 2015: BRIGHTON 

The 2015 Labour Party Conference will be held from Sunday 27th to Wednesday 30th September 2015 at the Conference Centre in Brighton.

 

The union will be holding a reception on Monday 28th September 2015, the details of which are as follows:-

 

• DATE: MONDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER 2015

• TIME: 6.30PM – 8.30PM

• VENUE: THE GRAND HOTEL – ALBERT ROOM

• ADDRESS: 97 – 99 KINGS ROAD, BRIGHTON, BN1 2FW

 

If any branch has individuals attending conference as a delegate or observer who would wish to come along to the reception, please could you email details to cwuevents@cwu.org.

 

Branches in the area will be contacted separately regarding this event.

 

If you have any enquiries on this LTB, these should be addressed to the General Secretary’s Office at gsoffice@cwu.org quoting the reference GS14.12/LTB 542/15.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

D WARD

General Secretary

The Post Office – Election of:

 

• 10 Post Office Area Representatives for Crowns

 

 

Further to LTB 537/15 issued earlier today.

 

We have now been notified that Robert Leggatt has withdrawn his nomination for Crown Area Representative – Area 9.

 

Therefore Huw Davies has now been elected to the position of Crown Area Representative Area 9.

 

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

The Post Office – Election of: 

• 10 Post Office Area Representatives for Crowns

• 10 Post Office Deputy Area Representatives for Crowns

• 3 Post Office Area Representatives for Supply Chain

• 3 Post Office Deputy Area Representatives for Supply Chain

• 4 Territorial Representatives

Further to LTB 505/15 dated 31 July 2015. At the close of nominations at 14.00 on the 18th August 2015 the following had been received:

Crown Area Representatives

 

AREA 1

 

 

 

 

 

Carole Bowmaker

Glasgow District Amal

*Elected

 

 

 

AREA 2

 

 

 

 

 

Neil Barry

North Lancs & Cumbria

*Ballot Required

Jennifer Windsor

North Wales & The Marches

 

 

 

 

AREA 3

 

 

 

 

 

Laura Conlon

Newcastle Amal

*Ballot Required

Richard Titterington

Leeds No 1 Amal

 

 

 

 

AREA 4

 

 

 

 

 

Craig Andrew

Nottingham District Amal

*Ballot Required

Sue Trehearne

Gloucestershire Amal

 

 

 

 

AREA 5

 

 

 

 

 

Tim Pavelin

Eastern No 4

*Elected

 

 

 

AREA 6

 

 

 

 

 

Lynn Simpson

Gloucestershire Amal

*Elected

 

 

 

AREA 7

 

 

 

 

 

Dominic Lafont

Southdowns Weald & Rother

*Ballot Required

Sean Ryan

London No 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

AREA 8

 

 

 

 

 

Mole Meade

South East Ldn Ptl & Counter

*Elected

 

 

 

AREA 9

 

 

 

 

 

Huw Davies

London NW C&C

*Ballot Required

Robert Leggatt

South East Ldn Ptl & Counter

 

 

 

 

AREA 10

 

 

 

 

 

Clive Tickner

London No 7

*Elected

 

Crown Deputy Area Representatives

 

AREA 1

 

 

 

 

 

James Spiers

Glasgow District Amal

*Elected

 

 

 

AREA 2

 

 

 

 

 

Gordon Sergison

Greater Manchester

*Ballot Required

Jennifer Windsor

North Wales & The Marches

 

 

 

 

AREA 3

 

 

 

 

 

No Nominations Received

 

 

 

 

 

AREA 4

 

 

 

 

 

No Nominations Received

 

 

 

 

 

AREA 5

 

 

 

 

 

No Nominations Received

 

 

 

 

 

AREA 6

 

 

 

 

 

Sue Trehearne

Gloucestershire Amal

*Elected

 

 

 

AREA 7

 

 

 

 

 

Caroline Hatch

Portsmouth & District Postal

*Elected

 

 

 

AREA 8

 

 

 

 

 

Garrie Bond

Romford Amal

*Elected

 

 

 

AREA 9

 

 

 

 

 

Scott O’Connor

London NW C&C

*Elected

 

 

 

AREA 10

 

 

 

 

 

John Batt

North/North West London

*Elected

 

 

 

 

Supply Chain Area Representatives

 

NORTH AREA

 

 

 

 

 

Richard Darville

Leeds No 1 Amal

*Ballot Required

Keith Gibson

Newcastle Amal

 

Johnny McKeever

Northern Ireland Combined

 

Alan McLachlan

Glasgow District Amal

 

Alan Robertson

Grampian & Shetland Amal

 

 

 

 

CENTRAL AREA

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin Clarke

Midland No 7

*Ballot Required

Mark Worthington

Greater Manchester

 

 

 

 

SOUTH AREA

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Jones

East London Postal

*Ballot Required

Stephen Richards

Bournemouth & Dorset Amal

 

 

 

Supply Chain Deputy Area Representatives

 

NORTH AREA

 

 

 

 

 

No Nominations Received

 

 

 

 

 

CENTRAL AREA

 

 

 

 

 

Mark Worthington

Greater Manchester

*Elected

 

 

 

SOUTH AREA

 

 

 

 

 

Craig Dapson

Portsmouth & District Postal

*Ballot Required

Stephen Richards

Bournemouth & Dorset Amal

 

 

 

Territorial Representatives

 

David Bowmaker

Glasgow District Amal

*Ballot Required

Huw Davies

London NW C&C

 

Mole Meade

South East Ldn Ptl & Counter

 

Peter Meech

South East Ldn Ptl & Counter

 

Jim Reeves

Birmingham District Amal

 

Chris Roche

Plymouth & East Cornwall

 

 

The timetable for the ballots is as follows:

 

Ballot Papers Dispatched ​Friday 4th September 2015

Ballot Close ​​​Friday 18th September 2015 (14:00)

 

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.

MR PAUL SHARPE: FORMER NATIONAL CHAIRMAN 

It is with great sadness that I write to inform you that Paul Sharpe of the Birmingham District Amal Branch after a long period of ill health, passed away peacefully on Sunday morning.

 

Paul served the union for many years having been active in the Union since November 1953. He became a Branch Officer in 1961 and held many other positions at branch, regional and national level.

 

He was a very well respected branch officer within the branch and also at CWU Headquarters where he was a National Chairman of the former UCW, served on the Postal Executive and on the formerly known Postal Group Management Committee and finally Paul served as a Policy Advisor to Ray Ellis. He will be sadly missed by all his friends and colleagues in the union.

 

At this sad time our thoughts are of course with Paul’s family – and close family and friends. I have on behalf of the CWU conveyed our deepest sympathy and condolences to them.

 

An additional LTB will be sent out when further information becomes available regarding funeral arrangements.

 

If you have any enquiries on this LTB, these should be addressed to the General Secretary’s Office at gsoffice@cwu.org quoting the reference GS1.3/LTB XXX/15.

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

​​​ ​​

 

Dave Ward​​​​​​

General Secretary

           

National D2D Discussions 

Branches will be aware that we have been in ongoing discussions with Royal Mail regarding D2D, looking at ways to expand the product including revised ways of working and delivering the items.

 

Last week Royal Mail confirmed that from the 24th August 2015 they would like to proceed with a ‘pilot’ in 3 postcode areas (WD-BA-KA) that removes what is termed as cold calling. In essence this means that you only deliver D2D to delivery points where you already have ‘live’ mail. This of course is contrary to the procedure for the delivery of D2D items as contained in the BT2010 Agreement. However we are aware that there are various practices taking place around the country that are outside the terms of the BT2010 Agreement, but providing the items are being delivered to specification we have taken a pragmatic view of things and not intervened.

 

The proposal from Royal Mail though is an entirely different scenario as it is the intention for this to be ‘The Standard Process’ and is based on delivering 1/6th per day Monday to Saturday but only to those addresses that have live mail, which will undoubtedly mean that all the residue D2D items for those addresses that have not received live mail will have to be delivered on Saturday in order to meet the specification and requirement of the contract. The Union has made the point that this will be very difficult to manage and will also prove unpopular with our members due to the Saturday connotation.

 

We have informed Royal Mail that we are not in a position to support any trial from the 24th August due to the late notice and implications involved. Also we are not in a position to support this particular proposal as things stand as there are questions that remain unanswered and issues that remain unresolved. We have requested a meeting this Wednesday to discuss this and other proposals to see if we can agree an acceptable way forward. In the meantime no agreement should be given to any proposal as outlined above until we have an agreed way forward at national level. Branches will be updated ASAP.

 

Any enquiries to Bob Gibson’s Office, quoting reference 230.03

Email address: hnutley@cwu.org or Mstewart@cwu.org

 

Yours sincerely
Bob Gibson
COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION 

PCS DISPUTE – URGENT APPEAL FOR SUPPORT 

The General Secretary of PCS, Mark Serwotka has contacted all TUC affiliates to seek urgent assistance in support of the union’s long running campaign against the plans to privatise two thirds of staff at the National Gallery. I attach a copy of the letter for your information.

 

PCS members have taken over 50 days of strike action over the last few months and more is planned from 11th August 2015. The CWU will be making a national donation to the hardship fund and we would encourage branches to do likewise.

 

Direct payments can be sent via bank transfer to sort code: 08-60-01 – account no: 20169002 or cheques to PCS Culture Media and Sport Association, c/o PCS North West Region, Jack Jones House, 1 Islington, Liverpool, L3 8EG.

 

If you have any enquiries on this LTB, these should be addressed to the General Secretary’s Office at gsoffice@cwu.org quoting the reference GS17.4/LTB 530/15.

 

Yours sincerely

 

​​​ ​​

 

Dave Ward​​​​​​

General Secretary

   

 All CWU Postal Branches

CWU Area Delivery Representatives 

CWU Delivery Reference Group

CWU Walk Design Group

 

Dear Colleague

 

Area Delivery Representative Briefings – October 2015

 

A further series of ADR briefings have been arranged as detailed below. Every conceivable effort should be made by Area Delivery Representatives to attend one of these briefings, given the nature of the agenda items which will be published in due course.

 

 

Date: Wednesday 21st October 2015

Time: 11:00 – 14:00

 

Venue: Edinburgh Royal Overseas League,  

              Overseas House, 100 Princes

              Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3AB

 

Date: Thursday 22nd October 2015

Time: 11:00 – 14:00

 

Venue: Post Office Club, 26

             Marygate, City Centre, York

             YO30 7BH

 

Date: Friday 23rd October 2015

Time: 11:00 – 14:00

 

Venue: Birmingham & District Branch, 47

              Summer Lane, Hockley,

              Birmingham, B19 3TH

Date: Wednesday 28th October 2015

Time: 11:00 – 14:00

 

Venue PCS Union

           160 Falcon Rd, London    

           SW11 2LN

 

 

Branches are responsible for the travel and other associated costs for this type of meeting and, where an ADR has responsibility for an area which covers more than one Branch, these costs should be shared proportionately. However, if a Branch has any particular financial difficulties for these specific briefings and a case for assistance is made to this department this will be given the fullest consideration. Any such requests should be made prior to the meeting taking place.

 

Any enquiries to Bob Gibson’s Office, quoting reference 535

Email address: hnutley@cwu.org or Mstewart@cwu.org

 

Yours sincerely
Bob Gibson
COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION 

URGENT INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS 9

CWU Assistant Secretary

Sunday Services – Enquiry Offices 

Branches and Representatives will be aware of the national trial currently taking place regarding the above, and that we agreed to an extension of the current trial until 28th June 2015 to allow more time for national discussions to take place and reach an acceptable way forward.

 

Those discussions have become more protracted than anticipated and are at a critical stage of negotiation. Branches need to be aware that there are some fundamental differences between the CWU and Royal Mail that impact on existing terms and conditions and until those differences are resolved the CWU will not be supporting any extension of Sunday opening, or the introduction of new services at Enquiry Offices.

 

A further meeting has been arranged with Royal Mail on Tuesday 18th August 2015. Branches will be updated ASAP following that meeting.

 

In the meantime any approaches from Royal Mail regarding Sunday Opening, general opening times, and the introduction of new services should be reported to your CWU Divisional Representative and/or the CWU Outdoor Department without delay for further guidance. No agreement should be given to any proposal that encompasses any of the initiatives referred to above and should be resisted utilising the IR Framework if necessary.

Any enquiries to Bob Gibson’s Office quoting reference 530. Email address: hnutley@cwu.org or mstewart@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Bob Gibson
COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION 

URGENT INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS

CWU Assistant Secretary – Outdoor  

RE: MR BOB EVANS RETIRED MEMBER AND FORMER BRANCH SECRETARY 

It is with great sadness that I write to inform you that Bob Evans, CWU Retired member and trade union officer and activist for over 50 years, passed away peacefully on the 8th August 2015 at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital.

 

Bob served the union as branch secretary of the Luton Post Office Engineering Union (POEU) Branch. Through various mergers in the region he continued to be branch secretary for the Luton and North Herts Branch and the Beds Herts and Bucks Branch. Over the years Bob also held various District and regional positions. He was a retired member of the Central Counties & Thames Valley Branch.  

 

His dedication and commitment to the union was recognised by the CWU on his retirement when he was awarded the union’s Gold Badge.

 

Bob was a very well respected Branch officer and was also held in very high regard nationally. He will be sadly missed by all his friends and colleagues in the union.

 

At this sad time our thoughts are of course with Bob’s family and friends and to those we convey our deepest sympathies.

 

The funeral will take place on Wednesday 2nd September 2015 at 3.15pm in the Vale Cemetery & Crematorium, Butterfield Road, Luton, LU2 8DD. Refreshments will be available afterwards at Hilton Garden Inn, Butterfield Business Park, Hitchin Road, Luton, LU2 8DL.

 

If you have any enquiries on this LTB, these should be addressed to the General Secretary’s Office at gsoffice@cwu.org quoting the reference GS1.1/LTB 527/15.

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

​​​ ​​

 

Dave Ward​​​​​​

General Secretary