I.T. FOR REPS COURSE 

In response to motion 80/2014 at postal conference we have now launched the IT For Reps course. This is an online course designed to give reps the IT skills they need to save them the time and effort in their busy lives.

 

Aims of the programme:

This course is divided into 4 sections:

 

• Word In The Workplace: Creating Address Labels, Setting The Agenda, Creating Attendance Sheets, Posters & Flyers

• Making Data Work: Creating Expenses Claim Forms, Creating Contact Lists, Analysing Branch Membership, Calculating a Pay Claim, More About Formulas

• Mastering Mail Merge: Creating Numbered Ballot Papers, Mail Merge Letters, Mail Merge E-mail, Mail Merge Labels, Mail Merge Envelopes

• Presentations: Getting Started, Using Tables & Charts, Formatting & Animating Text, Body Language

 

Who should take this course?

Any CWU reps who want to develop their competence in using computers and the Microsoft Office package. It focuses on Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint and provides links to further learning.

 

For those who are completely new to computers there is an introductory course, Getting To Know Your Computer, which is also available on Left Click and can be accessed directly from this course. This is designed to get people used to using their PC, laptop or tablet, internet and e-mail, although if they are really new to computers they might need a ULR or friend to sit with them for the first few minutes until they get going.

 

Release

We are seeking agreement from employers for this course but agreement has not yet been reached. However, Branches will be familiar with Paragraph 27 of the Code of Practice relating to time off for union duties which states that e-learning tools should be used where available and appropriate. It makes the point that their best use is as an additional learning aid and goes on to explain that time normally needs to be given during normal working hours for union representatives to take advantage of e-learning where it is available. We hope this assists branches in achieving local understandings regarding course participation.

 

 

 

Dates

This course is available now in the Learning for Reps section of CWU Left Click. Just go to http://www.cwu.org/leftclick . If you are logging on for the first time you will have to create an account. This should be self-explanatory but in the event of problems please contact learn@cwu.org

 

Please refer any enquiries regarding this LTB to Trish Lavelle at tlavelle@cwu.org

 

Best wishes,

 

 

Trish Lavelle

Head of Education and Training

 
COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION

URGENT INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS

 Facebook: Dave Ward CWU @DaveWardGS

 

PROFIT RELATED INCENTIVE SCHEME 

All CWU Postal Branches will be aware that until a new incentive scheme is finalised, an interim position was secured that put in place a one year profit related incentive arrangement directly linked to business performance – specifically over achievement of the company’s operating profit target.  

 

The results of the scheme for 2014/15 are as follows:

 

1. The company operating profit target for incentive payments in 2014/15 was £620 million before transformation costs.

2. The profit before incentive payment and at the budgeted foreign exchange rate was £628 million, meaning that the over achievement pot created to share amongst employees was circa £8 million.

 

3. At the actual foreign exchange rate and post incentive payment the reported profit was £611 million. 

4. The scheme covers all CWU Represented grades across the Royal Mail Group (including Parcelforce).

5. The £8 million pot is divided by the total number of full time equivalent staff (adjusted to include part timers’ overtime hours) of 117,868 FTE’s. This equates to a payment of £61 per full time employee.

6. Payment is pro-rata for part timers, although payment will be based on the actual hours worked by individual part timers over a 12 month reference period, where this is higher than their contractual hours.

7. Payment will be made on 26th June for weekly paid staff and in June salaries for monthly paid.

 

We have attached to this LTB a communication that should be copied to CWU members in the workplace.  

 

We have also been advised by the company that eligible full time employees with 729 free shares, will also receive a dividend of around £104 on the 31st July 2015.

 

It is important to emphasise to CWU members that the interim profit related scheme was a holding position until such time as new incentive arrangements are finalised. As such, expectations were never high as to the payment that could be generated, particularly given it was always related to over achievement of the company’s stated profit target.  

 

We should remind CWU members that the union’s priority for 2014/15 was to ensure the 2.8% basic pay increase was delivered in full irrespective of the inflation review clause. Going forward the union will now prioritise negotiations to hold the company to account on the commitment to introduce new incentive arrangements.

 

Any enquires on the content of this LTB should be addressed to the Acting Deputy General Secretary, Ray Ellis.

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

​​​​​​​​

 

 

Ray Ellis ​​​​​​​Dave Ward

A/ Deputy General Secretary (P)​​​General Secretary ​​​​​​

Errata to LTB 363/15 – Government Announcement to Privatise Remaining 30% of Royal Mail
 

Branches will wish to note there was an error in LTB 363/15.

 

The following paragraph should read as follows:-

 

The Union will strongly oppose this final part of the sale as well as continuing to campaign against competition and the race to the bottom, which privatisation inevitably brings. All CWU Branches will be able to discuss this development and the response required by the Union as part of our Postal Branches National Briefing on the 19th June.

 

Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

 

Any enquiries on the above should be addressed to the General Secretary.

 

Yours sincerely

 

​​​​​

 

Dave Ward​​​​​​​​​

General Secretary

Government Announcement to Privatise Remaining 30% of Royal Mail 

Following on from yesterday’s announcement that the Government intends to proceed with the sell-off of its remaining 30% stake in Royal Mail, I am writing to let you know the immediate steps we have taken in response to this.

 

Firstly, we have written to the Government Minister responsible for Royal Mail, Anna Soubry, outlining our opposition to the plans and asking for an urgent meeting with her to discuss this. Secondly, we have contacted the Labour Party and Chuka Umunna (in his role as Shadow Secretary of State for BIS); again asking for an urgent meeting to discuss how they will campaign against this. We have also contacted the SNP to build an alliance against the Government’s proposed action.

 

There is a clear link between the issues we have been campaigning on with regard to competition, the future of the universal service and employment standards in the postal sector and Government’s latest plans. Full private ownership of Royal Mail will inevitably put greater pressure on these and removes any public voice from the company.

 

We will give Branches more information about how we will move all of these issues forward at the Postal Branches National Briefing on the 19th June.

 

Yours sincerely

 

​

​​​​

Dave Ward​​​​​​​​​

General Secretary

Government Announcement to Privatise Remaining 30% of Royal Mail 

The Government has today announced its intention to sell off the remaining 30% of Royal Mail. In response the Union has sent out the attached press release condemning the Government’s action.

 

Following the earlier privatisation fiasco, the sale of the remaining 30% shows the Tories true colours. They have no interest in standing up for working people and are only interested in privatisation dogma to make the rich richer. Neither does this Government have any interest in maintaining the Universal Service Obligation and this action will threaten the very existence of our six day delivery service.

 

The Union will strongly oppose this final part of the sale as well as continuing to campaign against competition and the race to the bottom, which privatisation inevitably brings. All CWU Branches will be able to discuss this development and the response required by the Union as part of our National Briefing on the 19th June.

 

The CWU has made it clear to both existing and any potential new shareholders that any attempt to undermine the legally binding agreement that protects Royal Mail workers’ terms and conditions will be defended, if necessary, through industrial action.

 

Further information will follow in due course.

 

Any enquiries should be addressed to the General Secretary’s Department.

 

Yours sincerely

 

​

Dave Ward​

General Secretary

For immediate release

04.06.15

 

CWU opposes final sell off Royal Mail shares

 

Responding to announcement today (Thursday) by the Chancellor to sell off the government’s remaining shares in Royal Mail, the general secretary of the CWU, Dave Ward, said:

 

“Today’s announcement shows the Tories true colours, they don’t stand up for working people; instead they are only interested in privatisation dogma and making the rich richer. 

 

“Neither do they have any interest in maintaining services to the public. And selling off the final 30 per cent of Royal Mail threatens the very existence of the one price goes anywhere, six day delivery service that Royal Mail provides to 29 million UK addresses.

 

“When the first part of this privatisation was completed by the Coalition we were told that this was because Royal Mail needed private capital to invest in its future, but if you ask the workforce they have seen hardly any new investment but have witnessed the worse type of short term investors making a killing without any regard to the long term future of the company or the services it provides to the public. 

 

“As a minimum, if this Government wanted to say they were interested in the workers then they could at least increase the workers’ stake in the company.

 

“The CWU will oppose this final part of the sell off and continue to campaign against unfair competition and the race to the bottom, which privatisation inevitably brings. Both existing and any new shareholder should be in no doubt – any attempt to undermine the legally binding agreement that protects Royal Mail workers’ terms and conditions will be defended if necessary through strike action.”

 

Ends

 

 

 

 

RE: ROYAL MAIL ALLOWANCE REVIEW 

Further to LTB 122 dated 20th February 2015, branches will be aware Royal Mail conducted an allowance review during the latter part of 2014. The review looked at the allowance(s) members’ actually received against allowances they were entitled to.

 

In February 2015, the union was informed the work had been completed and there were over 2,600 cases where members received allowances they were not entitled to.

 

Royal Mail was going to commence the recovery of these allowances using the overpayment procedure. Negotiations took place in an attempt to ensure that any recovery of overpayment was performed within an orderly and logical process, ensuring our members fully understand and have the opportunity to challenge any alleged overpayment.

 

Due to several obstacles put in the way during the negotiations, it was proving difficult to reach agreement. However, whilst this has taken longer than originally anticipated, a process has now been agreed which is in line with the longstanding overpayment payment policy and ensures our members have the opportunity to:-

           

 

Fully understand how the overpayment occurred and have a breakdown of any alleged overpayment.

 

Comment on and challenge the overpayment.

 

Have their local representative present at discussions.

 

Refer the overpayment for national review with reference to the relevant collective agreement, if after discussion, any alleged overpayment (or part thereof) is still disputed.

 

Have their personal financial circumstances taken into account in agreeing any repayment plan.

 

 

I would like to thank Carl Maden who led the negotiations and will continue to lead the process on behalf of the DGS (P) Department going forward, including the national review.

 

A copy of the agreed process and joint statement are attached to this LTB.

 

Any enquiries on the above LTB should be addressed to the DGS (P) Department.

 

 

Yours sincerely

 
Ray Ellis,                                         

A/Deputy General Secretary (P)      

Black History Month 2015 

Further to motion 5, which was carried at the last CWU Black Worker’s Conference, our department is writing to ask Branches and Regions to consider organising a Black History initiative in order that our members can be better informed around the significant contribution of black people in history.

 

We are in possession of a number of interesting black history pull-ups, which feature various characters both from the past and present. These pull-ups, which are part of a wider exhibition, have been used and celebrated by organisations such as the Labour Party and other trade unions.

 

Use of the pull-ups is completely free but carriage costs would be met by anyone agreeing to use them. We also ask that any Branch or Region who uses the pull-ups considers making a donation to the African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT).

 

We are confident that all CWU members irrespective of their colour, creed etc. will find a black history initiative of great interest. Our Race Advisory Committee will be preparing a special leaflet to support Black History Month.

 

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be referred to the Equal Opportunities Department.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Linda Roy​

National Equality Officer​

 

 

BT Retirement Saving Scheme: Standard Life Freedom and Choice OptionsFollowing the “freedom and choice” changes introduced recently Standard Life is making changes to the investment options in the BT Retirement Savings Scheme (BTRSS) for those who are ten years or less away from their planned retirement date. For some members a decision is needed by 3rd July 2015.

 

Background

 

Pension scheme members now have more options about how they can take money from their pension when they retire.

 

Traditionally, on retirement, most people bought an annuity and took a tax-free lump sum. Now members have the option to take your money in a number of different ways, for example:

 

• Take a tax-free lump sum and buy a lifetime income (an annuity) with the rest.

• Take a lump sum, including your tax-free lump sum.

• Take a tax-free lump sum and use the rest to take a flexible income (known as drawdown).

• Take a combination of these.

 

These options are currently available from age 55 onwards.

 

More information on the background can be found in LTB 202/2015 and LTB 218/2015.

 

The Changes

Standard Life is making some changes to the low-involvement investment option, which is the default investment option of the BTRSS.

 

Members will not see any changes until they enter the investment glide path to retirement which starts ten years from their planned retirement date.

 

Once the glide path starts pension investments move into Pre Retirement and At Retirement Funds. These are designed to prepare an individual’s pension for buying an annuity when they retire.

 

With the new flexibilities, it is expected that many members will no longer buy an annuity at retirement. So Standard Life is making some changes to the Pre Retirement and At Retirement Funds because members are more likely to take lump sums or a flexible income from their pension.

 

 

Standard Life is changing the following:

 

a) The underlying investment mix of the Pre Retirement and At Retirement Funds. These changes mean that by the time most members retire they will be in a mix of investments that gives them the flexibility to take their money the way they want.  

 

b) The charges for the Pre Retirement and At Retirement Funds are increasing slightly because they now include a wider range of investments, which gives members greater flexibility about how they take their money. Previously these funds invested mainly in bonds. They now include equities from around the world, as well as bonds, property, absolute return funds and cash-type investments.

 

c) The name and code of the strategy used for the default low-involvement investment option to the Passive Plus III Universal Strategic Lifestyle Profile (code: U3PP), and some changes to the names, codes and fund descriptions of the Pre Retirement and At Retirement Funds.

 

The period over which individuals move into the Pre Retirement and At Retirement Funds will continue to be 10 years.

 

The Charges

The effective total annual fund charge for each fund is the fund management charge, plus any additional expenses which apply, minus the scheme rebate.

 

The effective total annual fund charges for the BTRSS low-involvement investment option will continue to be 0.35% when 10 or more years from retirement. This will reduce to 0.27% in the final three months before retirement. Previously the charges dropped to 0.26% in the final three months.

 

Charges and rebates are not guaranteed and may be changed in the future. However, Standard Life has confirmed to BT that the rebates which BTRSS members get will not be reduced until at least January 2020.

 

Other New Investment Choices

Standard Life is also introducing a range of additional strategic lifestyle profiles (SLPs) designed to meet the different options members now have when they retire:

 

• Universal SLPs – if you want the flexibility to take your money the way you want when you retire, or if you plan to take a flexible income (drawdown).

 

• Annuity SLPs – if you plan to take your full tax-free lump sum and buy a fixed annuity with the rest.

 

• Lump Sum SLPs – if you plan to take all of your pension as one or more lump sums

 

What it means for individuals

 

For most members in the BTRSS there is no automatic change as they are more than 10 years from their planned retirement date, or are not part of the default investment. So for the vast bulk of members Standard Life is providing information to members and encouraging them to think about the choices they have made, or will need to make, in the future.

 

However, for those in the BTRSS default fund with less than 10 years to go until their nominated retirement date, then there is a practical issue to consider.

 

For those individuals there will be changes to their investments as detailed above. If members are happy with the changes, they do not need to do anything. Standard Life automatically makes the change.

 

There will be a small one-off cost as a result of making the change to the underlying investments. This will be reflected in the price used to calculate the value of the funds on the day the changes take place. This charge will apply in full to those who have joined the BTRSS on or after 1st November 2014.

 

However, for members who were moved by Standard Life into the current default in January 2015 (from the ex-BTRP Lifestyle Profile) and who are within 10 years of their planned retirement date will receive a payment into their BTRSS account. For this group there were also one-off costs at the time of the move into the low-involvement investment default option in January. Therefore, to avoid a second charge, Standard Life has agreed with BT to add an amount to individual plans equivalent to the January one-off costs of moving into the Pre Retirement and At Retirement Funds, after all the changes have taken place.

 

If members would prefer to remain in an investment strategy that is designed for buying an annuity as at present, they can move to the Passive Plus III Annuity SLP or any of the other Annuity SLPs, at no cost. If members wish to do this then they must inform Standard Life by 3rd July 2015.

 

If members want to move to any other investment option, they should also contact Standard Life.

 

Next Steps

 

BTRSS members are currently being sent letters about these changes to their home addresses.

 

Attached for information are the letters that will be sent to those in the BTRSS default fund who are more than and less than 10 years from their nominated retirement date.

 

All BTRSS members should consider the issues carefully and read the information they receive from Standard Life. Any decision about which investment option to adopt is down to individual members of the BTRSS. The CWU is legally prohibited from offering financial advice.

 

If any member wants financial advice then they should speak to an independent financial adviser, and these can be found via http://www.unbiased.co.uk or 0800 085 3250.

 

Further information can also be found at the BTRSS web site http://www.btretirementsavingscheme.com

 

If members have queries about these changes then they should contact Standard Life on 0800 066 5432 in the first instance.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Nigel Cotgrove

Assistant Secretary

Election of National Delegations – 2015 

• TUC

• Labour Party

 

Further to LTB 337/15, dated 14th May at the close of nominations the following had been received.

 

 

TUC

 

Postal Constituency

 

NEC (1 Member)

 

Mick Kavanagh​South Midlands Postal​*ELECTED

 

 

Lay Members (7 Members at least 2 delegates must be women)

 

Kate Hudson​South Midlands Postal​​*ELECTED

 

Bob McGuire​Newcastle Amal​​ BALLOT REQUIRED (5 Positions)

James McKechnie​Glasgow & District Amal

Ian Murphy​Harrow & District Amal

Sean Ryan​London No 7​

Sajid Shaikh​Birmingham & District Amal​​

Amarjite Singh​South East Wales Amal​

Tony Sneddon​Scotland No 5​

Ian Taylor​Greater Manchester

Rob Wotherspoon​Bristol & District Amal​

 

Telecom & Financial Services Constituency  

 

NEC (1 Member)

 

Nick Darbyshire​Capital, Mid Wales The Marches & North Staffs,​*ELECTED

​

​

 

Lay Members (5 Members at least 2 delegates must be women)

 

 

Sylvia Beckett​Capital, East Midlands, Lincolnshire & South Yorks,​*ELECTED

Mid Wales Marches & North Staffs, North East,

Somerset Devon & Cornwall, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ali Moosa​Midland No 1, Capital, East Midlands, Lincolnshire & ​*ELECTED​

South Yorks, Mid Wales Marches & North Staffs,

North East, Somerset Devon & Cornwall, South Yorkshire,

West Yorkshire

​

 

Jaspal Singh​South Yorkshire, Capital, East Midlands, Lincolnshire &​*ELECTED

South Yorks, Mid Wales Marches & North Staffs,

North East, Somerset Devon & Cornwall, West Yorkshire​

​

 

Joyce Stevenson​Scotland No 1, Capital, East Midlands, Lincolnshire & ​*ELECTED

South Yorks, Mid Wales Marches & North Staffs,

North East, Somerset Devon & Cornwall, South Yorkshire,

West Yorkshire​

​

 

Jeffrey Till​Greater London Combined​*ELECTED

​

​

​

​

LABOUR PARTY

 

Postal Constituency

 

NEC (1 Member)

 

Joe Malone​Scotland No 5​​*ELECTED

 

Lay Members (7 Members at least 2 delegates must be women)

 

Kate Hudson​South Midlands Postal​​​* ELECTED

Vera Kelsey​Wolverhampton District Amal​​* ELECTED

 

Bruce Devenport​Greater Manchester​​BALLOT REQUIRED (5 Positions)

Kye Dudd​Bristol & District Amal

Peter Firmin​London West End Amal

Hugh Gaffney​Glasgow & District Amal

Sajid Shaikh​Birmingham District Amal​

Amarjite Singh​South East Wales Amal​

Alan Tate​London Regional MT​

Mark Walsh​Merseyside Amal​

​

 

 

Telecom & Financial Services Constituency  

 

NEC (1 Member)

 

Karen Rose​South Wales, Capital, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, ​*ELECTED

Mid Wales, The Marches & North Staffs, Somerset,

Devon & Cornwall, ​​​​

 

Lay Members (5 Members at least 2 delegates must be women)

 

Kate Hankey​Capital, East Midlands, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, ​*ELECTED​

Mersey, Mid Wales, The Marches & North Staffs,

North East, Somerset, Devon & Cornwall, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire​

​

 

 

 

Linda Woodings​East Midlands, Capital, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, ​ *ELECTED​

Mersey, Mid Wales, The Marches & North Staffs,

North East, Somerset, Devon & Cornwall, South Yorkshire,

West Yorkshire

​

​BALLOT REQUIRED (3 Positions)​

 

Jonathan Bellshaw​Lincolnshire & South Yorks, Capital, East Midlands, Mersey, Mid Wales, The Marches & North Staffs, North East, Somerset, Devon & Cornwall, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire

 

Francis Banks​Somerset, Devon & Cornwall, Capital, East Midlands, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, Mersey, Mid Wales, The Marches & North Staffs, North East, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire

 

Brian Kenny​Mersey, Capital, East Midlands, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, Mersey, Mid Wales, The Marches & North Staffs, North East, Somerset, Devon & Cornwall, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire

 

Duncan Strivens​London South East

​

 

 

The ballot timetable is as follows:

 

Despatch ballot papers​3 June 2015

Ballot Closes​17 June 2015 (14:00)

 

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to Senior Deputy General Secretary Department on telephone number 0208 971 7237 or email address sdgs@cwu.org.

 

 

Yours sincerely,

 Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

 Election of National Representative Positions – 2015

 

 

• Retired Members Advisory Committee

• CWU Youth Committee

​

 

Further to LTB 333/15 dated 14th May, at the close of Nominations the following were received:

 

RETIRED MEMBERS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

 

2 Retired members living in Wales

 

Joan Moxon​North Wales & The Marches

Dennis Rose​North Wales & The Marches​* ELECTED

 

 

2 Retired members living in Northern Ireland

 

John Martin​Northern Ireland West

Michael McAlinden​Northern Ireland West​*ELECTED

 

 

2 Retired members living in Scotland

 

Cathy Leech​Scotland No 1

James Stewart​Glasgow & District Amal​*ELECTED

 

 

6 Retired members living in England

 

Dorothy Burnett​Newcastle Amal​*BALLOT REQUIRED

Ernie Coggins​Midland No 1

Rodney Downing​South East No 5

Brian Lee​East London Postal, London West End Amal, London

​NW C&C, West London

Allan Trotter​Merseyside Amal

Ken Ward​Plymouth & East Cornwall

Graham Wilson​Manchester Clerical

​​

 

 

 

 

 

CWU YOUTH COMMITTEE

 

Eastern Region

 

Jordan Craig​​Eastern No 3​​*ELECTED

 

Midland Region

 

No Nominations Received

 

North East Region

 

Ben Abrams​Leeds No 1 Amal, Plymouth & East Cornwall, *ELECTED

 

North West Region

 

Alan Bebbington​Cheshire No 1​​*ELECTED

 

Northern Ireland Region

 

Colm McAuley​Northern Ireland Combined, Plymouth

& East Cornwall​​ ​*ELECTED

Scotland Region

 

No Nominations Received

 

South East Region

 

Rebecca Hufton​Kent Invicta, Plymouth & East Cornwall​*ELECTED

 

South West Region

 

Gary Daw​Plymouth & East Cornwall, South West Middlesex Amal,

​Eastern No 6

Nebo Mutemwakwenda ​Bristol District Amal​

*BALLOT REQUIRED

 

Wales Region

 

No Nominations Received

 

London Region

 

Jay Bhundia​​South West Middlesex Amal, Plymouth & East Cornwall

Charlotte Regan​Greater London Combined​

*BALLOT REQUIRED

 

The ballot timetable is as follows:

 

Despatch ballot papers ​ 5 June 2015

Ballot closes 19 June 2015 (14.00)

 

Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary Department on telephone number 020 8971 7237 or email address sdgs@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

 Tony Kearns​

Senior Deputy General Secretary