Dear Colleagues,

At a meeting of the NEC it was agreed the dates for next year’s General and Industrial Conferences is as follows:

• General Conference – 26th – 27th April 2015

• Postal Group Conference – 28th – 30th April 2015

• Telecom and Financial Services Conference – 28th – 30th April 2015

All conferences will be held at the Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth

Crown Post Office workers have until Wednesday 11th June to vote on a “first-class” pay settlement. If accepted, the deal will see the pay of staff employed in Crown Post Offices increase by up to 7.5 per cent with lump sum payments totalling £3,300 for full-time employees and pro-rata payouts for part-timers, paid in instalments over the course of the next year.

Reached after months of industrial action and negotiations between CWU and Post Office Ltd, the union is recommending members vote yes to the pay deal.

Commenting, national officer Andy Furey said: “These negotiations have been one of the CWU’s longest running industrial disputes and we’re delighted that we can now recommend this first-class deal to Post Office workers. “This excellent agreement is the result of our members’ effort and patience after difficult negotiations and I’d like to once again thank them for their support. 

“We have no hesitation in recommending a ‘Yes’ vote in this ballot,” concluded Andy.

If you have any questions about what the proposed pay settlement means to you have a look through these Questions and Answers agreed with the Post Office.

Voting will close in just under two weeks (Wednesday June 11th).

Dear Colleagues

Further to LTB 320/2014 dated 14th May 2014 and LTB 348/2014 dated 28th May 2014.

Please note the freephone number listed in the LTB’s above is incorrect. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

TO REGISTER A CLAIM :

Call Unionline on freephone 0300 333 0303
Visit http://www.unionline.co.uk/ (complete claim form on line)
Contact your local Branch Official to obtain an LS3 form in the usual way

NB:

The freephone number for Unionline on 0300 333 0303 can also be used to obtain legal advice on other non work related issues. Additionally, members will also be able to get advice on employment law procedures. This is a new service. However, this will not include assessing the merits of any claim.

When using these new services, members will be required to provide their membership number.

These changes do not affect those Branches in the Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and IOM. Their existing arrangements will continue.

If you have any queries regarding the above, please contact Tony Rupa, Head of Legal Services, Communication Workers Union, 150 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1RX. Telephone 0208 971 7444 or via email trupa@cwu.org

The CWU has welcomed a major contract win within BT Wholesale to carry out transmission services work for Mobile Broadband Network Ltd. (MBNL).

The deal gives rise to a TUPE transfer of around 51 people from Ericsson (who currently manage this work for MBNL) into BT Wholesale and will bring with it secure work and also a recruitment opportunity for the union.

Acting assistant secretary Ken Woolley said: “As a direct result of winning this contract there will be an additional 30 permanent roles for BT people currently based in the Manchester office. Those that have been identified to move onto this new work had previously been employed on MEAS L2C but declining volumes on that product has enabled the move. The individuals are fully aware of the changes in the Manchester office.”

Additionally, 26 contractors who currently carry out the transmission services work, in order to maintain service during the transition of work will come on board too.

They will all be in the BTMSL organisation and be managed within the Complex Customer Services organisation.

Both the Ericsson permanent staff that will TUPE transfer and the contractors will be working from the following BT offices: Glasgow Dial House, Manchester Dial House, Dorking TE, Leavesden, Reading and Coventry (Coventry is a temporary location while the office at Leamington Spa is developed for the individuals joining).

Commenting on Royal Mail Group’s announcement today (Wednesday 21st May) of pilot Sunday deliveries within the M25, to implement nationwide Parcelforce Sunday delivery service and open the 100 busiest enquiry offices on Sundays, CWU deputy general secretary Dave Ward said: “Royal Mail’s announcement today about expanding delivery and collection services to seven-days-a-week is an exciting innovation which we welcome. We have worked closely with Royal Mail to develop how best we can go forward to grow the company together and improve the services for customers.

“We appreciate that in order to stay competitive in a broadly unregulated sector Royal Mail has to expand its services to its customers. We believe that offering Sunday delivery and collection services is the right response from the company. With ever-increasing numbers of people opting to shop online, Sunday services are necessary to deal with the growing demand in parcel delivery.

“Earlier this year we delivered a ground-breaking deal for Royal Mail workers and we are committed to continuing to set the benchmark for terms and conditions across the postal industry. The union is negotiating with Royal Mail nationally to ensure that postal workers who are affected by these changes receive good terms and conditions and where appropriate, that work is performed on a voluntary basis.”

See Dave’s letter to members working in Royal Mail here: Introduction by Royal Mail of Sunday Services

The CWU and GMB announced today (Thursday) a “first of its kind” trade union legal firm. UNIONLINE will provide a comprehensive legal service to almost one million trade union members as the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) granted its licence today.

New law firm, UNIONLINE, was formed as the two unions saw a significant opportunity where a deregulated legal profession allowed for new organisations to operate in the legal marketplace.

UNIONLINE, based in Sheffield, has been set up by the CWU and GMB as an Alternative Business Structure (ABS) offering comprehensive legal services to the whole membership of the two unions. Unions have a long and proud history of providing top-class access to justice for their members. The new rules allow GMB and CWU to bring that tradition right up to date.

A partnership of UNIONLINE approved solicitors firms will act for the many thousands of CWU and GMB members legal cases each year under the authority of the UNIONLINE monitoring board, ensuring that CWU and GMB members retain access to legal redress.

CWU general secretary Billy Hayes said: “UNIONLINE is a unique opportunity for both the CWU and the GMB to compete in a previously highly-regulated industry. We want to make sure our members get the very best legal advice and by creating and operating our own legal services we can ensure that.

“This is the first legal service of its kind. With legal assistance being such an integral part of the benefits offered to trade union members this is a truly exciting innovation of which we are immensely proud of and will be overseen by CWU head of legal services, Tony Rupa.”

GMB general secretary Paul Kenny said: “GMB is delighted that the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) has granted a licence to this highly innovative new law firm jointly owned by GMB and the Communication Workers Union to serve the needs of almost one million trade union members.

“We look forward to providing a one stop shop for members which will provide a comprehensive legal service, and unlike the High Street, there will not be deductions from their personal injury awards. We have significant plans for the future and look forward to giving trade union members a unique advantage in their choice of legal services.”

Contact UNIONLINE for free comprehensive legal advice on FREEPHONE 0300 333 0303. The UNIONLINE website will be launched in early June.

The Labour Party conference today (Wednesday) unanimously agreed a motion continuing the opposition to a sale of Royal Mail and went further by unanimously agreeing the re-nationalisation of the postal service under a Labour government.

CWU general secretary Billy Hayes said he was delighted with the decision. “I strongly welcome the decision of Labour conference to both continue opposition to the sale and to re-nationalise Royal Mail if it has been sold by the current government.

“A postal worker will deliver to every address in the UK today, six days a week, every week of the year. Royal Mail is part of the fabric of a One Nation society.”

The decision by the Labour Party conference comes after the government announced their intention to float the public service as it approaches its 500th birthday.

“Labour’s conference decision should raise a warning flag for potential investors” said Billy, adding: “Poll after poll has shown public opposition to the sale, and with the company making substantial profits, there is no economic argument for the sale.

“There is still time for this government to listen to the public, consumers and the businesses and user groups who have campaigned under the Save Our Royal Mail banner and drop this politically dogma driven sale” concluded Billy.

For Billy’s full speech in moving contemporary motion 8 visit his blog.

Labour shadow minister Ian Murray announced this week that the Labour Party will force another vote in the Commons on the privatisation of Royal Mail in the coming weeks.

The Communication Workers Union has today (Friday) served formal legal notice to Royal Mail of the intention to ballot members for strike action. Ballot papers will go out on Friday 27 September, and the ballot will close and the result announced on Wednesday 16 October. If there is a yes vote, the earliest that strike action could take place would be 23 October.

This is the first national strike ballot in Royal Mail since 2009 and will affect 115,000 postal workers in Royal Mail and Parcelforce (but not the Post Office, which is a separate company). The dispute is over pay, pensions and the impact of privatisation on job security, terms and conditions.

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary said: “The government’s privatisation agenda has destabilised everything. Postal workers are rightly concerned about their future so we want a legally-binding agreement on protections for jobs, terms and conditions – regardless of who owns the company. We don’t want a race to the bottom in the postal industry where companies compete on poverty pay, few employment rights and poor services simply to maximise payouts to wealthy shareholders. Without an agreement strikes are inevitable.”

“Royal Mail and Parcelforce workers deserve a fair pay rise and one that is not attached to unacceptable strings that include changes to pensions and a no-strike deal. The company made £403 million profit last year so it’s not about affordability – especially when the government says the company would pay out £133 million to shareholders next year if privatised.

“We want the company to recognise its main asset – its workers – who literally deliver the success of the business. This union still wants an agreement and we are hoping this strike ballot will focus the minds of Royal Mail and bring us to a legally binding deal that will protect the interests of postal workers for the long-term foreseeable future.”

Legal Protections

Regardless of who owns the company, postal workers need protections for their terms and conditions. The union is determined to achieve a ground-breaking agreement that provides legally binding protections for terms and conditions for the foreseeable future and ensures any changes are negotiated with CWU.

Dave Ward said: “Attacks on terms and conditions and the threat of new employment models in a potential race to the bottom with competitors are a real risk for postal workers and we intend to achieve legally binding protections that mean the future of postal workers jobs are secure and Royal Mail continues to set the benchmark for pay and conditions in the postal industry.”

Pay and conditions

CWU has already rejected a below-inflation pay offer for 2013 which was linked to accepting major pension changes and a no strike deal. CWU is demanding a straightforward, above inflation, no-strings pay deal which 99% of workers voted for in a ballot in June.

Dave Ward said: “Royal Mail continues to prepare for privatisation with relentless rounds of budget cuts and there is no understanding that the pace of change can really only be led by how hard people can work. Postal workers are being driven to absorb absences, carry increasing amounts of mail and work harder than is possible in many cases. We have to change that culture and establish a new consensus on what constitutes a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay.”

Pensions

Royal Mail has created more concern for its staff by announcing new problems with its pension scheme. Despite the government taking control of the assets in 2012 to pave the way for privatisation, the company wants to use remaining assets to reduce its own contributions. The company completed a formal consultation in August and the union is calling for an agreed process to protect members’ benefits.

“There is a great hypocrisy in the way the scheme is being managed by Royal Mail” said Dave Ward. “The company wants to keep its contribution rate to 17% whilst maintaining managers’ benefits at 40%. They can afford higher contributions to protect postal workers’ benefits.”

For more information and access to a range of resources visit Royal Mail strike ballot.

Follow @CWUnews on Twitter for live updates and tag your comments with #voteYES.

Dear Colleague

National Industrial Action Ballot (Royal Mail Group including Parcelforce)

At last weeks National Briefing we indicated that there may be some slippage on the Industrial Action timetable.  We can now advise that a new timetable has been agreed as follows:

–         Notice served on the 20th September 2013

–         Ballot opens on the 27th September 2013

–         Ballot closes Wednesday 16th October 2013

It is essential that every single CWU Representative now plays a full part in maximising the yes vote in the coming weeks.

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

CWU representatives from workplaces across the UK have filled a hall at Birmingham’s ICC conference centre this morning (Thursday) as they prepare for the forthcoming national strike ballot.

The meeting opened with a short presentation from Royal Mail CEO Moya Greene (pictured).

Following this, representatives will hear from the union’s general secretary, Billy Hayes and deputy general secretary, Dave Ward on securing a Yes vote in the forthcoming strike ballot.

“Reps are geared up to take on Royal Mail to achieve a fair, no-strings attached pay rise; oppose proposed changes to their pensions; and seek legal assurances on terms and conditions to deal with the impact of any privatisation,” explained Dave Ward from the briefing.

“We’ve got a lot of hard work ahead of us but judging from the level of enthusiasm and support in this packed hall, we’re confident our members will return a yes vote in this crucial ballot.”