BRANCH BEST PRACTICE FOR THE NOMINATION PROCESS TO BE CONDUCTED FOR FIELD OFFICIAL ELECTIONS

Branches will recall the Branch ballot procedures circulated in LTB 230/25 on 24 October 2025. Whilst Branch Officers and Committees shall establish rules governing the conduct of elections, this documentation provided clarification in certain areas.

Given the number of elections being held each year the number of complaints and issues arising remains minimal, however an issue has come to light in terms of the nomination process for Field Official elections. This relates to the nationally advertised window for nominations and the completion of the Branch process within the allotted timescale.

This matter was considered by the NEC at a meeting on 24 June 2026 and to provide uniformity in this area, as well as clear guidance to Branches, the attached (below) best practice process was endorsed, to be adopted going forward.

Any enquiries should be addressed to dwilshire@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward

General Secretary

---

BRANCH BEST PRACTICE FOR THE NOMINATION PROCESS TO BE CONDUCTED FOR FIELD OFFICIAL ELECTIONS

Listed below are the steps Branches must adopt when the Branch nomination process is held for Field Official elections:

• An LTB will be circulated from CWUHQ advising of the opening and closing dates for nomination from Branches.
• Without undue delay branches are then to hold a properly constituted Branch meeting within these dates to agree the nomination(s) to be put forward to CWUHQ by the closing date for nominations advertised in the LTB.
• A time and date for the properly constituted Branch meeting is to be agreed between the Branch Secretary and Chair, or their deputies where either are on leave etc.
• A notice of the meeting should be advertised reasonably in advance to the appropriate membership through all the normal Branch communication channels.
• The meeting notice must state the business of the meeting in terms of the elections being held and state that nominations are being sought, as well as making clear the meeting will agree the number of nominations to be put forward by the Branch and who is nominated.
• The meeting notice must also stipulate the closing time and date for nominations and make it clear that after this time and date no further nominations will be accepted.
• The meeting will agree how many nominations will be put forward from the Branch. This may be all the nominations received, or a limited number.
• If the decision is taken to put forward less nominations from the Branch than the number of forms considered, a vote will be held at the meeting by a show of hands to determine the names that will be sent to CWUHQ.
• Prior to the vote being held each candidate will be allowed to speak for a maximum of three minutes in support of their nomination.
• The result of the vote will be recorded in the minutes of the meeting together with the name(s) of those who have been nominated for the position(s).
• Nomination forms for the Branch nominee(s) will not be signed by the relevant Branch Officials until after the meeting has concluded.

The provisions above apply equally to Section Committee meetings where the election relates only to Section members and in advance, the Branch Committee has taken a decision for the Section to deal with the election nominations independently. In such cases the Sectional decision must come back to the Branch Committee for ratification.

LTB 197/26 – BRANCH BEST PRACTICE FOR THE NOMINATION PROCESS TO BE CONDUCTED FOR FIELD OFFICIAL ELECTIONS

View Online

National Equality Event – Wednesday 23^rd and Thursday 24^th September 2026

We are pleased to confirm that this year’s National Equality Event will take place as follows:

Date:               Wednesday 23^rd and Thursday 24^th September 2026

Venue:            The Grand Hotel Leicester
                        73 Granby Street
                        Leicester
                        LE1 6ES

Times:            The event will start with registration on the 23^rd September between 12:00 and 13:00 and will finish no later than 16:00 on the 24^thSeptember.

Given the nature of the event, Branches are asked to give priority in the first instance to representatives who have responsibility for roles linked to equality, however, our industrial representatives are also very welcome to join us.

Please note that Branches are responsible for delegates’ travel and authorised expenditure for this event.

The agenda will be shared nearer the day but in the meantime, we would ask that Branches confirm their delegation details and any accessibility requirements no later than 7^th September by emailing equality&education@cwu.org

Accommodation

It is important that Branches book places early at The Grand Hotel Leicester, as they will be holding a number of rooms on a ‘first come, first served’ basis until Friday 21^st August 2026.

Booking arrangements:

Bookings can be made by calling the hotel’s sales office on 0116 257 5528. The office is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm OR emailing events.thegrand@the-ascott.com

Please quote Block ID 27452625 when calling or emailing

Accommodation rates: (Rates for nights of Tuesday 22^nd and Wednesday 23^rd September 2026)

Standard Double Bedrooms @ £115 per night for single occupancy, inclusive of full English breakfast. Full payment is required at the time of booking. All discounted rates are non-transferable and non-cancellable.

Rooms will be held at this rate until Friday 21^st August 2026 after which time they will be released and the preferential rate will not be available.

Parking:

The car park is located behind the hotel and the entrance is on Chatham Street. The post code for the car park is LE1 6PB. 

We look forward to seeing you in Leicester.

Yours sincerely,

Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development

LTB 196/26 – National Equality Event 23rd 24th September 2026

View Online

ROYAL MAIL: WINDING UP THE RMDCP SCHEME – TRANSFER OF MEMBER ASSETS TO LEGAL AND GENERAL MASTERTRUST IN JULY 2026 

Further to LTB 115/26 dated 20^th April 2026. Branches and Representatives are reminded that the Royal Mail Defined Contribution Plan (RMDCP) is winding up, with all savings/assets invested moving from Scottish Widows to the Legal & General Mastertrust from July 2026.

Update – Transfer Progressing as Planned

The transfer to L&G is progressing as intended and is now in the asset transition stage of the project. The assets and member data will be transferred in three tranches with the final tranche transferring in late July.  Further information on the transfer can be found by accessing: www.legalandgeneral.com/rmdcp

Welcome letters from L&G will be sent, also in three tranches, by the end of August, with tranche 1 including those members closest to retirement. The welcome letter will contain a QR code, making it easy for members to download the L&G app and access their account to check their pension value, view and update personal details, manage pension investments, access documents and update their beneficiaries.

We continue to engage with the scheme operators and will make any necessary representations as and when issues or concerns occur.  That said, it would appear the transfer and the transition are proceeding as planned and previously communicated so everything seems to be on track which provides us with a high degree of confidence regarding this change.

If you have any queries relating to this LTB please contact snicholas@cwu.org or hmaughan@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary 

LTB195.26 Royal Mail -Winding up the RMDCP Scheme – Transfer of Member Assets to Legal and General Masterust in July 2026

View Online

THE CRISIS IN GAZA – CWU/CWUHA APPEAL – UPDATE

Further to LTB 135/25, we are updating Branches and Regions on the CWU/CWUHA National Gaza Appeal. To date, the appeal has raised over £20,000 from branches, CWU Head Office, and CWU Humanitarian Aid.

We are pleased to confirm that, since the launch, CWUHA has formalised a partnership with UK-Med and looks forward to this collaboration directly supporting the people of Gaza.

Attached is a report from CWUHA outlining the use of funds and providing further details about the partnership with UK-Med.

Finally, we would ask and encourage those branches who have not yet donated to now consider supporting the appeal.

Donations should be sent to:

CWU Humanitarian Aid
Unity Bank
S/C: 60-83-01
Acc No: 20031169
Ref: Gaza Appeal

If you have any questions or need further information, please contact Carl Webb at cawebb@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward
GENERAL SECRETARY

26LTB194 THE CRISIS IN GAZA CWU CWUHA APPEAL UPDATE

The Crisis in Gaza – Special Report

View Online

Election of National Representative Positions – 2026

•  CWU Retired Members Committee (2026-2028)

 The NEC has agreed the 2026 election arrangements for the National positions listed above.

Accordingly, please find attached the Nomination Form and Regulations.

Nomination

Although Branches can nominate as many candidates as they wish, candidates must have the nomination of their own Branch.

Nominations must have been approved by a properly constituted Branch Meeting.

Dispatch and Return of Nomination Forms to CWU HQ

Nomination forms will be sent to branches electronically (attached to this LTB) and branches should return completed nomination forms to elections@cwu.org

Nomination forms will need to be returned by the advertised closing date to be included in the list of candidates

Dispatch and Return of Ballot Papers

The respective constituency based ballot papers will be sent by email direct to branches at the email address which we hold on file.  Branches should return the completed ballot papers by email to the advertised CWU election email address elections@cwu.org   Notification will be sent to branches confirming receipt of the ballot paper.  It will be the responsibility of the branch to ensure that the ballot papers are returned to the correct email address.

To be included in the ballot, ballot papers will need to be returned by the advertised closing date and time and be received to the advertised email address.

Election Timetable and Term of Office

The elections timetable for the above will be as follows:

• Nominations Open : 9 July 2026
• Nominations Close : 30 July (14.00)
• Despatch Ballot Papers : 6 August 2026
• Ballot Closes: 27 August 2026 (14.00)

Branches will wish to note that the term of office for the 2026 Retired Members Committee will run from 28 August 2026 for a 2 year period.

Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches should be sent by email to lparrett@cwu.org or by telephone on 0208 971 7222.

Yours sincerely,

D Ward
General Secretary

LTB 193/26 – Election of National Representative Positions – CWU Retired Members Committee (2026-2028)

Attachment 1 – RMC Election Regulations 2026

Attachment 2 – RMC-Biographical-and-Consent-Form

Attachment 3 – RMC-Nomination-Form

View Online

RMG/CWU National Dog Awareness Week (DAW) – 6^th July to 12^th July 2026

Dear Colleagues,

Further to LTB 184/25 issued 25^th June, this week will see the launch of the Royal Mail Group/CWU National Dog Awareness Week (DAW), which is the joint annual event where important messages are communicated to emphasise the ongoing safety risk of dog attacks within Royal Mail and Parcelforce.

National DAW was started back in 2012, with the key objectives to remind the public to be aware of their legal and moral responsibilities to control their dogs and prevent dog attacks on Royal Mail Group employees. It also serves as a good opportunity to remind CWU members who perform deliveries and collections in both Royal Mail and Parcelforce to be vigilant, keep safe and take no risks.

As part of DAW week, RMG have confirmed a total of 2,019 attacks by dogs have taken place on employees in the year ending 31^st March 2026. This is a very slight reduction from the 2,197 reported in the year ending 2025. But this figure highlights that, on average, 38 attacks take place every week across the UK on postal workers (Royal Mail and Parcelforce).

A further LTB will be issued this week to provide details of the dog attack figures by postcode areas from March 2025 to March 2026.

RMG/CWU DAW Message to Royal Mail & Parcelforce Customers:

As outlined, a key objective of Dog Awareness Week is to remind the public to be aware of their legal and moral responsibilities to control their dogs and prevent dog attacks on CWU members who are providing a service and simply doing their job. It is again noteworthy to recall that it was only following a successful campaign by the CWU to ensure that the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and its provisions regarding ‘a dog being dangerously out of control’ was extended to include both public and private places, thereby allowing for irresponsible dog owners to be prosecuted under the Act.

Dog owners need to understand the often-devastating impact of dog attacks and take proper measures to ensure their pets pose no threat to RMG workers through responsible dog ownership.

The public also needs to be aware that if their dog attacks a RMG employee, they will be prosecuted either by the Police, Local Authority or by Royal Mail Group via a private prosecution under the agreement between RMG and the CWU.

RMG/CWU DAW Headline activities 2026

Listed here is a summary of the week’s activities: –

• DAW Posters (Frontline and for Customers) And Briefing Communications 

All Royal Mail/Parcelforce workplaces will have received copies of the DAW 2026 frontline and customer facing posters. There is a total of 15 posters: three frontline versions and two customer-facing, with each set of five published in versions for England, Scotland and Wales, which are attached in a Zip File.

These new posters should replace last year’s versions, with customer facing posters being displayed in Customer Service Points (CSPs) and site reception areas. Additionally, these posters can be shared more widely for public display at suggested locations, such as local Vets, Doctors’ Surgeries, local Community Centres, Parish Councils, etc.

• CWU Press Statement

In line with Dog Awareness Week, the union has issued the attached Press Statement, which highlights that dog attacks remain one of the most significant safety risks facing Royal Mail and Parcelforce workers across the UK, with 30,000 having been attacked over the past decade.

The Press Statement also repeats the union’s call for tougher enforcement against irresponsible dog owners who fail to properly control and secure their animals, and further sets out the CWU’s particular concern at the Government’s recent decision (which came into effect on 1^st July) to remove the requirement for owners of exempted banned dogs to maintain compulsory third-party liability insurance.

• Other Dog Awareness Messages

Also attached here is a link to the RMG Dog Awareness customer website, which includes other items and former materials which may be of use and interest.

Dog awareness │ Royal Mail Group Ltd

RMG/CWU DAW Message

We are again reminding all individuals who perform deliveries and collections across Royal Mail and Parcelforce of the need to remain vigilant, cautious, keep safe and take no risks:

• Be vigilant, keep safe, take no risks and protect yourself at all times.
• Always err on the side of caution.
• Don’t enter properties where dogs are running loose.
• Don’t assume a dog won’t bite, as any dog can be aggressive.
• Don’t accept an owner’s word that their dog will not bite.
• Look for the presence of dogs.  Signs on gates, walls and windows, cages in vehicles, toys in gardens.
• Rattle the gate to warn a potential dog of your presence.
• When calling with an item, ask the customer to put their dog away and step well back from the doorstep to maintain a safe distance.  If the customer needs to leave the doorstep to fetch ID or another item, politely ask them to close the door/secure the dog.
• Don’t put fingers through the letterbox (use your Posting Peg, the palm of your hand or a safe alternative).
• If you cannot get mail through the door without using your fingers, don’t do it.
• For undelivered mail, use a P6705 sticker when you return to the unit to endorse the mail item.

Also:-

• Report all dog attack incidents and near misses.
• Remember to report significant dog hazards and inform the manager of any increase in risk/changes.  This needs to be captured on ORA (Offsite Risk Assessment).
• Mark your frame with a yellow dot where there is a significant dog hazard.  Remove any yellow dots on frames no longer appropriate (e.g. the dog no longer resides there).
• Put ‘D’ on the envelope and parcels to remind yourself of known dog hazards when you are out on your route.

Message to Safety Reps

As part of the Royal Mail Group/CWU National Dog Awareness Week, the support and assistance from CWU WSRs (Workplace Safety Reps) and ASRs (Area Safety Reps) would be welcomed, including:

• Ensure that sites have displayed all of the Dog Awareness posters and are sending out external posters/leaflets to local Vets, Doctors’ Surgeries, local Community Centres, Parish Councils, etc.
• Support Unit Managers delivering Dog WTLLs and SHE Huddles, not just during DAW but all year round.
• Visit workplaces – organise a plan of visits ongoing throughout the year, focusing on dog risks and controls.
• Ensure supplies of posting pegs and P6705 stickers are available on site, and everyone understands the P6705 process to be used on all returned mail items to identify the unsafe reason/s that prevented any delivery attempt.
• Carry out inspections/investigations following dog related incidents.
• Talk to members about the threat of dog attacks.
• Introduce yourself to new starters in the unit. Typically, they will be most at risk, so speak to them about the principles of AVOID and the dangers posed by dog attacks.

Further Attachments

To further assist in promoting DAW, please find attached the further materials:

• Paws for Thought poster CWU-NPCC-RM-PFWW
• Blue Cross Protecting your Postie posters
• Copy of: Royal Mail P6705 Stricker

Given the CWU’s ongoing and wider commitment to promoting the aims of National Dog Awareness Week both within the workplace and with the public, can we ask that this LTB and its details be shared widely and used by Branches, Safety Reps and our Safety Forums to further support the work on seeking to reduce dog attacks and incidents during this week and beyond.

Any enquiries to this LTB should be referred to the DGS(P) Department email address: Hford@cwu.org/ACorbett@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

LTB 191-26 RMG CWU National Dog Awareness Week (DAW) 6th July to 12th July 2026

CWU DAW Press Statement 2026

Paws for thought poster CWU-NPCC-RM-PFWW

Blue Cross Protecting your Postie poster

Copy of_Royal Mail P6705 Sticker

Dog_Awareness_Posters_2026_A5_JPEG

View Online

NIGEL COTGROVE – FORMER NATIONAL OFFICER

Further to LTB 181-26 which reported that Nigel had very sadly passed away following a short illness.  We have now been advised that Nigel’s wife Vicki and the family have organised a celebration of his life, the details of which are set out below:

“Nigel’s Last Gig”

“Date: Saturday 25th July at 1pm. 

Venue: Tom Dollery Members Lounge, Edgbaston Cricket Ground. 

It’s intended to be very informal consisting of music and memories. 

People should dress how they like and there is plenty of free parking at the venue.”

We know that Vicki and the family would very much welcome Nigel’s friends and comrades from the CWU to attend this special tribute of his life.

As we all know, Nigel made a very special contribution to the work of the CWU and the wider Trade Union/Labour movement.

The General Secretary will be attending the event, alongside other national leaders and we look forward to seeing as many friends and colleagues as possible paying our respects to Nigel on Saturday 25^th July.

Any enquiries on the above LTB should be addressed to the General Secretary’s Office at dlynch@cwu.org . 

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward

GENERAL SECRETARY                           

Karen Rose

DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY (TELECOMS)  

LTB 192/26 – NIGEL COTGROVE                      

View Online

Points of Clarification USO Deployment

Over the last few weeks, several Divisional Reps have raised questions through the Regional Steering groups or contacted us directly for clarification on parts of the agreement.  Given the complexity of the USO Agreement, further guidance was always expected, especially when dealing with 1,250 different delivery units.

Negotiations took place over the last two weeks and we reached agreed positions on the Points of Clarification.  We then put this before the Postal Executive and whilst they welcomed the overall points of clarification and progress, they believed there was an over promotion of the Assurance process which was not compliant with the words within the national agreement.

Further exchanges took place with Royal Mail and the CWU offered alternative words, which would have met the approval of the Postal Executive to resolve the issue of Assurance.  However, the business has confirmed they are unwilling to make the required changes and therefore as a result we do not have an agreed Joint Points of Clarification.

As a result, Royal Mail have informed us that they now intend to issue the Points of Clarification document to their managers and the Regional Steering Groups on Monday morning at 10:00am.  Therefore, it is important to outline to Branches that the wording in the following document was negotiated by the union.

The Points of Clarification covered the following:

1. Units can align with Wednesday start times on USO deployment across the whole week.
2. Units can, as part of the formal review, propose changes to the standard attendance length from Monday to Friday.
3. Units can review the standard length of Saturday in January 2027.
4. A pragmatic approach will be taken if units go past the 4:30 last letter to select a duty option.
5. Confirming that if you are in unit where a Wallington /banked duty makes up less that 40% of the duty set that you keep your banked duty and move to the 2 in 5 Banked duty.
6. Confirming that if you are in a unit where a banked duty is between 60% to 100% then you will be able to move to 2 in 5 banked option.
7. There are 37 units where Wallington/Banked duties make up between 41% and 59% of the total duty patterns, these will now be reviewed by the Regional Steering Groups.
8. Clarifying that indoor performance should be based on the unit’s current indoor performance.

It is important that all Divisional, Area & Local Reps as well as Branches fully understand that the 2.4 of the main USO and Equalisation agreement holds the field along with the third bullet point in the Annex on USO principles, which all confirm that Regional Steering Groups have full autonomy to agree or reject any planned changes made by the assurance board.

For reference these are the lifts from the agreement:

Each Delivery Office is different, and both parties recognise the benefit of local knowledge. This agreement will allow local knowledge from Customer Operations Managers (COMs), CWU Reps, and all employees in the DO to influence key decisions to ensure successful deployment within the framework of principles laid out in the full deployment agreement, appendices, and via the joint review and governance processes.

As part of the planning and deployment processes, Dos can recommend localised solutions via the Regional Steering Groups (RSGs) (as outlined in the full Deployment Agreement). All Dos will be assured via a standard process, the purpose of which is to identify non-standard solutions and refer to the RSGs which will have full autonomy to agree or reject the changes.

We have now put in place a process with Divisional Reps to give us regular updates on the progress of the regional steering Groups, to ensure that the above commitments are honoured by their Regional Steering Groups and where assurance is not adhering to the wider application of the agreement, it will need to escalated to the National CWU for resolution.

Any enquiries relating to the content of this LTB should be referred to the Postal Department at hford@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh                    

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)                                                                                                 

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary            

Tony Bouch                   

Assistant Secretary                                                                                                                                  

Davie Robertson

Assistant Secretary                                                                                                    

LTB 190/26 – Points of Clarification – USO Deployment

Attachment to LTB 190-26                         

View Online

“Talk to Us” Month – July 2026

“Talk to Us” is a month-long observance initiated by the Samaritans focusing on providing emotional support, and which started in 2016.

This campaign emphasises the importance of open conversations about mental health, encouraging people to connect, share their feelings, and support one another. It also aims to reduce stigma around mental health issues and foster a culture of listening and understanding.

In 2026, “Talk to Us” month coincides with Samaritans Awareness Day, observed on 24th July, reflecting the 24/7availability of the Samaritans helpline. While the awareness day is a single date, campaign activity runs throughout July, providing opportunities for events and activities across the UK and Ireland.

The campaign focuses on:

• Raising awareness about mental health resources and the importance of talking about feelings.
• Encouraging empathetic listening and creating safe spaces for conversations.
• Promoting community engagement through events, workshops, and social media campaigns.

Practical ways to participate include:

• Using social media to pledge to be a better listener and share mental health resources, especially around 24th Julyfor Samaritans Awareness Day.
• Volunteering or donating to support the Samaritans’ work in providing emotional support.

By promoting open communication, “Talk to Us” month helps reduce stress, improve relationships, and provide clarity during challenging times. It also highlights the critical role of listening in supporting mental well-being and encourages communities to offer safe, judgment-free spaces for conversations.

For more information or to get involved, you can visit the Samaritans website and access downloadable materials for social media campaigns and community events here:  Downloadable Materials | Talk To Us Campaign | Samaritans Campaigns.

An online event taking place in July which may be of interest, is a webinar that will examine the value of peer-to-peer support networks. This webinar should provide useful information for Physical First Aiders, Mental Health First Aiders and CWU Representatives in readiness for dealing with impactful events.

Trauma Informed First Aid webinar

This webinar is being delivered by the union’s working partners who have supported the CWU with the recent development of a Trauma Informed First Aid guidance booklet, attached.

This booklet aims to assist CWU Representatives and and members dealing with sudden loss in the workplace. This printable booklet seeks to provide sensitive, trauma‑informed information for supporting colleagues affected by sudden loss, it therefore contains information which some may find impactful.

This CWU Trauma Informed Frist Aid guidance booklet further emphasises the importance of open conversations about and around mental health.

This LTB is shared on behalf of CWU Central Services.

If you have any questions or need any further information, please contact: 

Jamie McGovern FRSPH MIIAI 

CWU Health & Safety Policy Assistant at jmcgovern@cwu.org

LTB 189/26 – Talk to Us Month – July 2026

Attachment: 08664 – CWU Trauma Informed Guidance a5 – v3

View Online

DURHAM MINERS GALA 

The Durham Miners’ Gala will be held on 11 July 2026. It is the largest community and trade union celebration in the world.

The event includes brass bands, historic trade union banners, and attracts over 200,000 people.

The procession of banners, bands, and trade unions, including the CWU, will leave the Market Place in Durham at 8:30 am and parade through the city’s historic streets. Please look for the CWU flags and banners.

This year, the North East Region will again have a tent at the Gala to highlight CWU’s ongoing industrial and political campaigns and to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion. This is especially important in light of the Reform Council’s recent negative actions towards Durham Pride.

We have invited the organisation ‘Hope Not Hate’ to join our stand this year.

Here is the timetable of events:

08:30 am: The procession of bands and banners will leave the Market Place and move through Durham City towards the racecourse, where all the stands are located.

1:00 pm: The chair will officially open ‘The Big Meeting’ on the racecourse, followed by keynote speeches from union and community leaders.

Thank you to the North East Region for their hard work in making sure the CWU is part of this celebration of community and the working class. They welcome all CWU branches and activists who want to attend the Gala.

If you have any questions about this LTB, please contact Carl Webb, Regional Official, at cawebb@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely                                   

Karen Rose                                      

ACTING GENERAL SECRETARY         

LTB 188/26 – DURHAM MINERS GALA            

View Online