IFS predicts £50bn spending cuts if Conservatives win election

George Osborne’s austerity programme for the next parliament would see Britain enduring a tighter tax and spending squeeze than any other major economy if the Conservatives won the general election, according to tax thinktank the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

The IFS compares the coalition’s spending plans with those of 31 other countries. The chancellor’s aim of achieving an overall budget surplus make his plans for Britain the toughest, it said.

The IFS said the drastic squeeze would require further cuts of 14.1%, or more than £50bn, to annual spending over the next five years.

Voters should brace themselves for across-the-board tax increases in the early years of the next parliament

Labour’s fiscal target, of balancing the current budget as soon as possible in the next parliament, while allowing borrowing to fund investment, would require far less stringent cuts than the Tories’ plans, according to the IFS. Labour could meet its aim by cutting departmental spending by £5.2bn, or 1.4%.

The painful cuts planned by Osborne for the next parliament follow smaller-than-expected real terms cuts over the past five years than the coalition planned when it came to power.

Andy Beeby

Branch Political Officer

Conservatives Proposed Strike Ballot Threshold

Last month the Conservatives announced that if re-elected in the General Election in May they would introduce a range of measures to curtail industrial action.

They plan to introduce a 40% Yes vote threshold of those entitled to vote in the Public Service Sector, this is on the back of a previously announced plan to require 50% of members entitled to vote returning ballot papers.

Included in these measures is a review of the Minimum Service Level which means that people can rely on core public services and ending the ban on using Agency staff to cover striking workers.

Also included in the measures are

• Tightening the rules on picketing
• Requiring longer notice of intended industrial action (now 7 days’ notice)
• Introducing a time limit after the ballot result to make rolling action much more difficult.

If these proposals were applied to MP’s, only 2% would have been elected legitimately at the last General Election, only 15 of the 303 Tory MPs elected gained that level of support.

But make no mistake if returned to government in May, the Tories will not hesitate to form a government without the 40% support of the electorate, in other words one rule for them one rule for us.

This is why we must return a Labour Government in May

Andy Beeby

Branch Political Officer

To All Branches,

Dear Colleagues,

CWU Complaints Procedure

At its meeting in November 2014, the NEC agreed a new CWU Complaints Procedure.

This procedure is intended to standardise the way in which we handle complaints from members in circumstances when no other more appropriate procedure exists.

The attached booklet gives details of the procedure, the rationale, a form that should be used when complaints are being registered and a flow chart which describes the process. There is a separate guidance note for CWU representatives.

The first question that must be addressed, of course, is when is this procedure to be used?  As the introduction to the Complaints Procedure makes clear, if the issue cannot be dealt by our bullying and harassment helpline, under the arrangements within the Legal Services department for complaints, or under the terms of rule 14 then it may well fall within the parameters of the Complaints Procedure.

The Complaints Procedure has been drawn up with the assistance of and input from colleagues who handle complaints in both industrial and central sections of the union.  It has been the subject of discussion with Regional Secretaries.

Detailed presentations on the Complaints Procedure are being arranged for forthcoming meetings of Regional Committees.  Discussions are taking place with Head of Education & Training to ensure that appropriate material on the Complaints Procedure is introduced into the CWU’s syllabus for representatives.

The Complaints Procedure and guidance notes will be introduced with effect from 1 February 2015. However, there will be a thorough review after 12 months of operation with the findings from that review being brought to a subsequent meeting of the NEC for consideration.

This is because the NEC recognises that it is important to test the assumptions underlying the Complaints Procedure in the light of experience and will be prepared to make any necessary changes as a result.

Any queries on this LTB should be addressed in the first instance to Simon Sapper, Assistant Secretary at CWU Headquarters.

Yours sincerely,

W.Hayes

General Secretary

Just click on the links below to view,

complaints procedure                complaints procedure booklet

Click on the links below to view, print or save.

AGM 2015 Agenda pad PDF         AGM 2015 Agenda pad office  [17 MB]

No. LTB829/14
Ref: TK/tm/PM
Date: 22nd December 2014

To: All Branches

FORMAL NOTICE

PLEASE NOTE THIS LTB CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION
FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION AND DISPLAY THROUGHOUT YOUR BRANCH

Dear Colleagues

FORMAL NOTICE FOR NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ELECTIONS 2015

Election of:

▪ CWU GENERAL SECRETARY
▪ CWU ASSISTANT SECRETARY – POSTAL
▪ CWU ASSISTANT SECRETARY – TELECOMS & FINANCIAL SERVICES
▪ CWU NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
▪ CWU INDUSTRIAL EXECUTIVES

This LTB provides formal notification of the election timetable for the following CWU National Representative positions. The timetable has been approved by the NEC and the details are set out below for your information.

CWU General Secretary

The General Secretary is the chief negotiator and principle spokesperson for the union. The position is subject to election in accordance with the CWU national rule that requires election every 5 years.

CWU Assistant Secretaries

The responsibilities of all CWU Assistant Secretaries shall be to carry out and discharge under the direction of the GS such Union duties as they may be deemed required to perform.

CWU Assistant Secretaries are subject to election in accordance with the CWU national rule that requires election every 5 years.

1.​CWU Assistant Secretary – Postal

The above position is currently responsible for dealing with the following Royal Mail Group businesses; Mail Centres, Distribution Units and Royal Mail International Parcelforce Worldwide, Royal Mail Logistics, Quadrant & the Isle of Man

2.​CWU Assistant Secretary – Telecom & Financial Services

The above position is currently responsible for dealing with the following companies; BT Business (MVAS), Capita (Telefonica O2 UK), Huawei, ISS Eaton (Telefonica O2 UK Account), Manpower UK (BT Account), Telefonica O2 UK

CWU NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL & INDUSTRIAL EXECUTIVES

These positions are subject to election in accordance with the CWU national rule that requires election for NEC and Industrial Executive positions every 2 years.

The timetable for all of the above elections, as approved by the NEC, is as follows:

Nominations open​ ​ ​16 February 2015

Nominations close ​10 March 2015

Accept nominations (where applicable) ​ ​13 March 2015 (14.00)

Despatch of ballot material from* ​ ​24 March 2015

Ballot closes first post ​ ​14 April 2015

*please note that ballot papers will be sent to all eligible members who are included in the membership register maintained by the union as at 24 February 2015. Therefore any changes of address etc will need to have been received at CWU HQ prior to this date.

The independent scrutineer appointed by the union to oversee the election arrangements is Electoral Reform Services.

Any enquiries regarding the above elections should be addressed to Tony Kearns, Senior Deputy General Secretary, CWU HQ.

Yours sincerely

Tony Kearns​
Senior Deputy General Secretary

Just click on the links below to view, save or print.

AGM Report 2015  [PDF]

AGM Report 2015   [OFFICE]

Just click one of the links below to view, save or print the updated Branch rules

branch rules Jan 2015 PDF    branch rules Jan 2015 {office}

SPECIAL NOTICE

Mick Eldred
Postman

FUNERAL ARRANGMENTS

The funeral will be held at the Peterborough crematorium, on 3RD FEBRUARY 2015 at 15:30.

The Wake PSL club,
Lincoln Road

Family flowers only preferred, any donations to the Macmillan Nurses &/or Cancer Research.

Richard Line
Branch Chair
CWU Eastern 5