Parcelforce Worldwide Regional Organiser, Parcelforce Worldwide Regional Organiser Substitute and Parcelforce Worldwide Regional Chair – 2026

Election of:  

Parcelforce Worldwide Regional Organiser, Parcelforce Worldwide Regional Organiser Substitute and Parcelforce Worldwide Regional Chair – 2026

Nominations are invited from Branches with Members in the respective Parcelforce Worldwide regions (including members in RMSS) for the following Parcelforce Worldwide Regional Organiser & Substitute positions:

• South East Region
• Central Region
• Scotland/Northern Ireland/North East Region
• Northern Region
• South Central Wales & West Region

Election of:  Parcelforce Worldwide Area Organiser – 2026

Nominations are invited from Branches in Northern Ireland with members in the respective Parcelforce Worldwide Area (including members in RMSS) for the following Parcelforce Worldwide Area Organiser position;

• Northern Ireland

The term of office for the above positions is two years and the successful candidates will take up office in  March 2026, however candidates should be aware that the above Regional and Area positions have been under review for some time by the CWU & Royal Mail and therefore the term of office may be subject to change.

A Nomination form is attached to this LTB. All Branch Nominations must be agreed at a properly constituted branch meeting. Completed forms which must be signed by the Branch Secretary and Branch Chair or accredited deputies and the nominee, should be returned on the following email elections@cwu.org by 26^thJanuary 2026 (14:00)

Nominations Open:                        5^thJanuary 2026

Nominations Close:                        26^thJanuary 2026 (14:00)

If Ballots are required, branches will be advised on the timetable in due course. Any ballots will be conducted on an individual member ballot basis of the relevant eligible CWU members and will be conducted in accordance with the election guidelines for CWU Senior Regional/Field officials, a copy of the guidelines are attached for your information.

Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to Lisa Parrett on telephone number 020 8971 7222, or email address lparrett@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (P)

26LTB005

005- Guidelines

CWU Regional Org Nomination Form 2026

Substitute Regional Org Nomination Form 2026

Area Org NI Nomination Form 2026

Regional Chair Nomination Form 2026

Consent Bio Form

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Royal Mail Engineering:  Field Officer -Territorial Representative Election

There is a requirement to seek nominations for the 6 positions of Engineering Territory Reps. These will be elected on the basis of 3 from each of the 2 Royal Mail Territory boundaries i.e. North and South.  The timetable is set out below.

NORTHERN TERRITORY            –              (3 Positions)

SOUTHERN TERRITORY            –              (3 Positions)

The nomination form is attached. Completed nomination forms must be signed by the Branch Secretary and Branch Chair (or accredited deputies) and the nominees before being returned no later than 26^th January 2026 by email to elections@cwu.org  Only branches with Royal Mail Processing Engineers in membership are entitled to nominate.

All Branch candidates must return the nomination form, signed candidates consent and biographical details form and any biographical detail information by email to the above email address.  All branch nominations must be agreed at a properly constituted branch meeting.

The timetable for nominations is as follows:

Nominations open:                     5^thJanuary 2026

Nominations close:                    26^thJanuary 2026 (14.00)

If ballots are required, branches will be advised on the timetable in due course.  Any ballots will be conducted on an individual member ballot basis of the relevant eligible CWU members and will be conducted in accordance with the election guidelines which are attached for your information.

Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to Lisa Parrett on telephone number 0208 971 7222 or email address lparrett@cwu.org.

Yours Sincerely,

Martin Walsh

Deputy General Secretary (P)

LTB 003/26

Att: 003 – Guidelines 2026

Att: Nomination Form 2026 (Download)

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Robin 

Branches will be aware that in recent months the business has begun to migrate their own communication platforms away from Workplace and the People App to a new platform called Robin.

The union understand the concerns widely reported by our members on social media concerning the switch to the Robin platform and therefore met the business with a view to provide our members with further guidance on how to navigate this new platform. As a result of these meetings the business has now shared with the CWU the attached documents:

• Introduction to Robin (Annex 1)
• One page employee guide on how to login to Robin (Annex 2)
• Robin 4 step guide (Annex 3)
• FAQ document for Robin (Annex 4)
• Step-by-step video instructions – https://vimeo.com/1133765620/3e0d1c3094?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

I trust this information will be prove useful to our members.

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

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (Postal) 

LTB 279.25 Robin

LTB 279.25 Annex 1

lLTB 279.25 Annex 2

LTB 279.25 Annex 3

LTB 279.25 Annex 4

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NATIONAL ONLINE BRIEFING – CWU LEGAL SERVICES/UNIONLINE – MONDAY 2^ND FEBRUARY 11AM – 1PM

The purpose of this LTB is to advise branches that we will be holding an online National Briefing on Monday 2^nd February at 11am to update you on all the issues associated with our Legal Services and Unionline, including how this will move forward under CWU restructuring plans.

We can also advise that under our restructuring plans, Ian Taylor has been appointed to head up our legal services work as part of our new Central Services team.  Ian comes to his new role with wider experience as an appointed lay member for the Employment Tribunal Services in the North West of England and we are confident that his expertise in this area will benefit our branches and members going forward.

As part of our update on Unionline, we have also made arrangements for Matt Cordall (Unionline senior manager) to join us for a session during the briefing and this will give our branches an opportunity to ask Matt questions about the services Unionline provides.

We would ask branches to make this briefing a priority engagement for the New Year and a further LTB with the full agenda will be issued in January 2026, including the appropriate Zoom link.

Finally, we would like to place on record our thanks to Ray Ellis who has been covering this role on an interim basis.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward
General Secretary

25LTB278 NATIONAL ONLINE BRIEFING CWU LEGAL SERVICESUNIONLINE MONDAY 2ND FEBRUARY 11AM 1PM (003)

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ROYAL MAIL: DRUGS & ALCOHOL – FOR-CAUSE TESTING PILOT EXTENSION

Further to the previous LTBs on this subject matter. The Postal Executive has endorsed an extension to the Pilot for Drugs & Alcohol For-Cause testing to include the North East and Scotland ROD areas from week commencing 19^th January until the end of March.  The previously agreed ToR (attached) continues to apply.  Crucially, there will be no discipline arising from positive tests during the extended Pilot, provided members in these circumstances agree to participate in the Support and Rehabilitation programme.

This means that any member who fails a drugs or alcohol test during the Pilot and who takes up the offer of the Support and Rehabilitation service will not be taken down the Conduct route.  There are two caveats to this – a positive drug/alcohol test on the roadside following an accident/incident where the police are involved, or an individual being found in the possession of illegal drugs in the workplace.

Representative Briefings for North East and Scotland

We will be holding two briefings for our Divisional Reps, Branch Secretaries, Area Reps and Area Safety Reps as follows:

North East (Postcodes – DH, DL, NE, SR, TS)

Tuesday 13th January, 11.30am – 2.30pm

Customer Experience Contact Centre

2 Admiral Way,

Doxford International Business Park,

Sunderland,

SR3 3XW

Scotland: Wednesday 14th January, 12 noon – 2.30pm

CWU Branch Office

22 Geissler Drive,

Leith, Edinburgh,

EH6 6AP

We will be presenting the full details of the ToR for the extended Pilot and the protections and safeguards we have secured for our members in both the ToR and the Colleague Framework document.  There will be an opportunity for a Q&A session at the Briefings.

Andy Furey, Assistant Secretary, continues to lead on this matter, supported by Rob Wotherspoon, Postal Executive member.

The Postal Executive will be closely monitoring the extended Pilot and all Branches will be kept informed of any key developments as the extended Pilot progresses.

Yours sincerely,

Andy Furey                                                            Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary                                           Assistant Secretary

Tony Bouch
Assistant Secretary

Attachment 1: 25LTB277 RM – Drugs & Alcohol – For-Cause Testing Pilot Extension

Attachment 2: Attachment to 25LTB277 – Terms of Reference

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EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS BILL PASSES THROUGH PARLIAMENT

As branches may be aware, the Employment Rights Bill passed through the House of Lords yesterday, meaning it has now passed all of the necessary votes to become law. The Bill will receive Royal Assent shortly and after a standard waiting period of a few months, the Employment Rights Act will then become law in 2026.

Following this, there will be a staggered implementation of different aspects of the Bill but we expect most provisions to be in place in early 2027. Almost all of the new trade union rights will be introduced in Spring 2026.

This Bill is a genuine improvement to millions of working people’s lives that has been fought for by unions after nearly a decade of campaigning. The CWU can be proud of launching the New Deal for Workers campaign in 2016 and the pivotal role we have played in securing these important rights. Unelected Lords and business interests have tried to stop this Bill from going through but I am pleased to say they have not succeeded.

However, the work does not stop here. The CWU, alongside other unions, will continue to campaign for the swift and effective implementation of the policies in the legislation. Many regulations and practical elements of the policies will be decided in secondary legislation and we will continue to lobby the government to ensure that they are implemented in the strongest way possible.

There are also other parts of the New Deal for Workers that are not contained within the Bill itself but the government will be reviewing as part of the Make Work Pay manifesto commitments. This includes taking further action on the gig economy, introducing further sectoral collective bargaining measures and creating a single status of worker. The CWU will be campaigning strongly for these policies and we will keep branches updated with the progress of these other initiatives as developments occur.

I want to thank every branch, representative and member who has supported our campaign over the last nine years. This is a historic moment that we can all be proud of and an important step in restoring power to workers across all sectors of our economy.

If you have any questions, please contact the General Secretary’s department at dlynch@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely                            

Dave Ward                                                   

General Secretary                                     

LTB 276/25 – EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS BILL PASSES THROUGH PARLIAMENT

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LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE 2025: CWU DELEGATION REPORT 

The 2025 Labour Party Conference was held in Liverpool from Sunday 28th to Wednesday 1st October 2025.

For your information, the below attachments are reports on the decisions taken by the CWU delegation at their meetings.

Any enquiries on the above LTB should be addressed to the General Secretary’s office aobrien@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward

General Secretary 

LTB 275/25 – LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE 2025 

Attachment: LP Sat 27th Sept 2025 Delegation Meeting Minutes

Attachment: LP Sunday 28 Sept 2025 Delegation Meeting Minutes

Attachment: LP Monday 29 Sept 2025 Delegation Meeting Minutes

Attachment: LP Tuesday 30th Sept 2025 Delegation Meeting Minutes

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H3N2 “super flu” infection risk

Dear Colleagues,

The UK is currently facing an unprecedented flu season that is putting immense pressure on hospitals, schools and workplaces.

Health authorities have cautioned that a ‘drifted’ flu variant, designated as H3N2 – (or subclade K) has quickly emerged as the dominant influenza strain right across the UK. The H3N2 subtype represents one of three primary viruses responsible for seasonal flu.

Symptoms include high-temperatures, coughing, loss of appetite, feeling tired and weak, muscle aches and joint pains. In more severe cases the virus can cause pneumonia and can be fatal to individuals with compromised immune systems.

We are therefore encouraging CWU health and safety reps to engage with employers to protect members by aiming to prevent transmission in workplaces by drawing on principles learned from Covid-19 risk assessments and established public health guidance on respiratory infection control.  Some suggested actions may include some or all of the following:

• Reviewing ventilation in shared spaces.
• Promoting better fresh air circulation wherever possible (dilution ventilation).
• Reviewing hand-washing facilities and hand sanitiser supply.
• Allowing colleagues to wear face masks in close or crowded indoor settings if they choose.
• Reviewing and updating local risk assessments to include flu.
• Identifying any high-risk workplace areas.
• Discussing and agreeing mitigation measures and review their effectiveness weekly.
• Requesting information regarding sickness absence and emerging risk areas.
• Ensuring there is clear communication to workers about symptoms and reporting.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is urging all eligible people to ensure they are vaccinated in the lead up to Christmas as rates of flu continue to rise week-on-week.

Last chance to get vaccinated before Christmas as flu cases rise – GOV.UK

Self-protection routines and good practice learned during the Covid 19 outbreak can equally be applied during this unprecedented flu season such as:

• Washing hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
• Cough into your bent elbow or use a tissue and dispose of it safely.
• Ensuring shared surfaces are clean and wiped down regularly.
• Adopt safe distancing whenever practicable.

How to avoid catching flu, COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses this winter – UK Health Security Agency

People who are at higher risk from respiratory infections such as Flu include:

• Older people.
• Those who are pregnant.
• Those who are unvaccinated.
• People of any age whose immune systems mean they are at higher risk of serious illness, or those with known about health vulnerability.

Further regular updates on public information advice and infection rates can be accessed via the website links shown below.

NHS England » NHS facing ‘worst case scenario’ December amid ‘super flu’ surge

Flu activity continues to increase in Scotland – News – Public Health Scotland

Flu | nidirect  Flu vaccine | nidirect

Weekly Influenza and Acute Respiratory Infection Report – Public Health Wales

CWU engagement via local workplace health and safety committees is encouraged wherever possible, with primary focus on risk assessments and local risk control for workplaces and vulnerable colleagues as necessary.

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 274/25 – HN32 Super flu risk guidance

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NATIONAL POSTAL WORKERS DAY – MONDAY 15^TH DECEMBER

National Postal Workers Day is a time to celebrate the hard work all our postal members do throughout the year, but also to ask Royal Mail to keep their word when it comes to showing postal workers the respect we deserve.

The Union will be engaging MPs, the wider union movement and the public to ask for everyone to thank their posties, and to show their gratitude by standing with us as we face a very challenging situation with Royal Mail. We have secured significant media coverage for it as well.

We also need you to back this important day.

Therefore, we are asking all branches to do the following:

• Print the attached posters and take photos of your members on site holding them on Monday.  Please print in size A3 in colour.
• Send your photos to Rory McCourt, our new Digital Communications Co-ordinator, on WhatsApp at 07711 940 520. Photos should be sent in by midday Monday 15^thDecember.
• Post your group photos to your social media channels (Facebook, X, LinkedIn) using the hashtag #PostalWorkersDay.

We will need every single CWU official, rep and postal branch to help to get #PostalWorkersDay trending on the day. Thank you for your ongoing support.  If you have any questions, please contact the GS Department at dlynch@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward
General Secretary

LTB 273/25 – NATIONAL POSTAL WORKERS DAY – MONDAY 15TH DECEMBER

Attachment: NPWD Posters

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