WEEKLY INFORMATION FROM THE COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION
SUMMARY
Attachments or LTB's can be
emailed or downloaded from the National Site
Volume 10 Issue 33 Paragraphs 506-518 26 August 2005
SUMMARY
GENERAL
506 Headquarters Printing and Reprographic Services
507 Union Skills III Course
508 Equality & Diversity Mandatory Training For
Branch Officials
509 Preventing Trident Replacement: Stratigic
Planning Replacement
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
510 Harassment Complaints Database - Union Policy
HEALTH AND SAFETY
511 Radio's and Hi -Fi Systems in Mailcentre and
Delivery Offices Purchased with (First Line Fix Funding)
512 TUC Safety Rep Award 2005 (TUC Congress Awards)
TELECOMS
513 BT Wholesale - 21CN Resourcing
514 Telewest - Lead Times
515 Network Engineering Journey (NEJ) - Pilot Update Briefing
516 BT Wholesale - New Operating Model: e-response
517 Network Operations - Horizon Team Vehicle Review
POSTAL
518 Parcelforce Worldwide Final August 2005 Bank
Holiday Operational Arrangements
LETTERS TO BRANCHES
401
17/08/05 August Bank Holiday Pay Arrangements - Dave Ward
402
17/08/05 Christmas Pay Arrangements 2005 - Dave Ward
403
17/08/05 O2 pay 2005 - Consultative Ballot - Jeannie Drake
404
18/08/05 RM Finance Operation Pay Agreement 2005 - Andy Kerr
405
18/08/05 Parcelforce Worldwide August Bank Holiday 2005 Final
Operating Arrangements - Terry Pullinger
406
19/08/05 Moving National Issues Forward - Dave Ward
407
19/08/05 National Union's Campaign Against Post Office Privatisation
- General Secretary
408
19/08/05 TUC Safety Rep Award 2005 - Dave Joyce
409
19/08/05 BT Global Services - Occasional Use Services, Transportable
Earth Station and Satnet Businesses - W McClory
410
22/08/05 Service Agility - Glenys Weinstein
411
23/08/05 6 month Budget Reports - Tony Kearns
412
23/98/05 Christmas 2005 D to D Arrangements - Bob Gibson
Back to the top
GENERAL
506
Headquarters Printing and Reprographic Services
Branches and Representatives will wish to know that CWU Headquarters
have recently acquired new reprographics equipment. The purpose of
broadcasting this information is to inform you that we are now able
to offer a print service to branches that we believe will be within a
price range that you will find competitive. Amongst the services we
can provide are colour or black & white posters, leaflets,
booklets etc. It is not possible to produce a price list as prices
will vary dependent on each individual job based on quantity,
timescale, delivery requirements etc. If you would like more
information about this service or wish to receive a quote for a
particular piece of work then please ring or email Jacquie Winter,
Acting Head of Post & Reprographics. 020 8971 7218
jwinter@cwu.org
Back to the top
507
Union Skills III Course
The Communication Workers Union has organised a Union Skills III
Course, to be held at the Union's Education & Training Centre at
Alvescot Lodge. All courses held at Alvescot Lodge are accredited
with the National Open College Network. This is a fully integrated
course.
The course will be held from 28 November - 2 December 2005
The closing date for nominations is 13 October
Only members who have attended a Union Skills I/Induction and a Union
Skills II course are eligible for nomination. We particularly
encourage branches to nominate women, ethnic minorities, people with
disabilities and young members who are often under-represented on the
CWU Education and Training Programme.
All courses at Alvescot are residential. The cost of tuition, food
and accommodation will be met from the General Fund. Branches
requiring financial assistance from the General Fund to enable them
to send students to the course, must submit the request with the
nomination, to enable the Trustees to consider the request in time.
The Education Centre can offer child-minding facilities for a maximum
of three under school age children at any one time. If any applicant
from your branch would like child-minding facilities, can you please
advise the age and sex of the child on the application form. Further
information on the child-minding arrangements will then be sent to
successful applicants.
Those nominees who are Committee Members, Branch Representatives or
Branch Officers are entitled to leave with pay.
Nominations should be made on the form for Education Courses, and
returned to Alvescot Lodge by the closing date shown. If you nominate
more than one member (a maximum of two please), indicate the order of
preference if necessary and please apply for only one course at a
time. If a member is refused a place, due to oversubscription, then
indicate this on a subsequent application for another date.
Application forms should be addressed to: Trish Lavelle, Head of
Education & Training, CWU Education & Training Centre,
Alvescot Lodge, Alvescot, Bampton, Oxon OX18 2PY. Telephone: 01993
843373; Fax: 01993 840960; email: mtodd@cwu.org
Back to the top
508
Equality & Diversity Mandatory Training For Branch Officials
In line with Conference policy, we now require branches to submit
applications for the following mandatory Equality & Diversity courses.
These courses are being held in the North West Region:
Wednesday 21st September - Manchester
Wednesday 28th September - Stockport
Tuesday 4th October - Preston
Wednesday 12th October - Liverpool
Further dates and venues for other regions will be published in due course.
Nominations should be made on an application form for Union courses
and returned as soon as possible to Trish Lavelle, Head of Education
& Training, CWU Education & Training Centre, Alvescot Lodge,
Alvescot, Bampton, Oxon OX18 2PY. Telephone: 01993 843373; Fax: 01993
840960; email: mtodd@cwu.org
Back to the top
509
Preventing Trident Replacement: Stratigic Planning Replacement
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament have called a one-day strategic
planning conference "Preventing Trident Replacement" to be
held on Saturday 3rd September from 10.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. at the
Resource Centre, 356 Holloway Road, London N7 6PA.
This conference is to help shape the strategy of the ongoing campaign
to prevent the replacement of the UK's Trident's nuclear weapons
system. Experts and activists will situate the possible replacement
in a wider context of both recent global political and military
developments and changing policies towards nuclear weapons within
nuclear weapons states.
The conference will also consider the progress in research and
developments towards new nuclear weapons which increase the threat of
their use once again - 60 years after the destruction of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki.
Individual strategy sessions will bring together campaigners from
Parliament, trade unions, faith communities, youth and student
movements, legal and diplomatic fields, and activities targeting
bases and those engaging in local community activity, to discuss and
plan the way forward for the campaign in their own areas.
Participants include: Tony Benn, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Dr Valerie
Flessati, John Holmes CWU, Professor Robert Hinde. Dr Kate Hudson, Dr
Dominick Jenkins, Dr Rebecca Johnson, Dr Sian Jones, Bruce Kent, Dr
Caroline Lucas MEP, Phil Shiner.
Branches are asked to bring this conference to the attention of our
members and anyone wishing to attend should contact Ben Folley, CND
National Campaigns Worker, on 020 7700 2393 or on campaigns@cnduk.org
Any enquiries on this paragraph should be addressed to the General
Secretary's Department quoting the reference GS 15.7.
Back to the top
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
510
Harassment Complaints Database - Union Policy
Branches are again reminded of the need to fill in the Harassment
Complaints Database (HCD) Forms, as illustrated in LTB 450/04.
Please ensure that all reps have a copy of LTB 450/04 as it contains
useful guidance as well as the form itself. Branches may also find
LTB 289/04 useful which contains information on the Harassment
Helpline and the Harassment Advice Network as well as the HCD.
The completion of the HCD forms is part of our agreement with the
Equal Opportunities Commission and is, therefore, CWU policy. (The
full agreement can be found in LTB 292/04)
The Equal Opportunities Commission has raised concerns with us
regarding the completion rate, which we need to address, otherwise we
will fall foul of the agreement. Therefore, please ensure that any
complaint raised with branch reps by members that involves possible
Harassment should be notified to HQ via these forms.
We appreciate that this will add to an already busy work schedule for
those reps that have the responsibility for completing them, but
there is no scope for non-compliance. We must accept that this will
become an accepted culture in terms of harassment reporting.
The data that will come through to HQ will be vital in enabling us to
analyse and identify any obvious patterns where problems exist.
We extend our appreciation to all those branches already complying
with the policy and look forward to the co-operation of all Branches
in this matter.
Any enquiries regarding this paragraph please contact Michèle
Emerson at CWU HQ.
Back to the top
HEALTH AND SAFETY
511
Radio's and Hi -Fi Systems in Mailcentre and Delivery Offices
Purchased with (First Line Fix Funding)
A number of Branches, Area Reps, and individual members have written
in to Headquarters to various departments on the above subject. Would
those Branches and individuals please accept this as an interim
response to those complaints raised.
I reproduce below a copy of the letter which has been sent to Sandy
Batho Head of Employee Relations Royal Mail Letters.
"Sandy Batho
Head of Employee Relations
Royal Mail UK
People & Reorganisation Development
4th Floor
35 Rathbone Place
London W1T 1HQ
Dear Sandy,
Radio's and Hi -Fi Systems in Mailcentre and Delivery Offices
Purchased with (First Line Fix Funding)
I wish to bring to your attention the fact that several departments
within CWU Headquarters have been deluged with letters and complaints
regarding the above. It would appear that first line fix funding is
being used to purchase and install radios and multi speaker hi-fi
systems without consulting our Area Safety Reps, or taking careful
account of how these systems are being installed and the impact and
stress caused to our members by the constant playing of loud music.
Whilst some members obviously enjoy the provision of music that is
not an opinion universally supported by our members and of course the
location of speakers can mean that some workstations are located
nearer to the speaker systems than others, meaning that there is an
imbalance in the level of noise output by the systems causing an
unnecessary and unwelcome exposure to noise.
As Royal Mail management have caused this problem which is clearly
growing, I would like to know how you propose to resolve it and I
would therefore appreciate your early comments and those of the
people who manage the first line fix budget in order so we can
resolve this problem and that Royal Mail can resolve health and
safety issues created which could cause a breach of duty of care, the
noise at work regulations, HSE stress standards and Royal Mails own
stress policy.
I am enclosing a sample batch of recent letters received on this
subject which are forwarded to you in confidence
I look forward to hearing form you at your earliest convenience.
Yours Sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer"
All enquiries relating to the above should be addressed direct to
Dave Joyce National Health, Safety & Environment Officer quoting
ref: E2.
Back to the top
512
TUC Safety Rep Award 2005 (TUC Congress Awards)
I am pleased to be able to inform Branches that Barry Gapes of CWU
London City West branch has won the 2005 TUC Safety Representatives
award, to be presented at the TUC Congress which takes place in
Brighton from 12-15 September.
Andy McArthur of Eastern No 6 branch, the CWU's other nomination,
also made it through to the judges final shortlist and I am informed
it was a close run thing but in line with the practice for all TUC
awards there will be one overall winner of the award.
The Award which is now in its third year and was introduced by the
TUC General Council to demonstrate and acknowledge the range of work
currently undertaken by safety representatives on behalf of their
members and the community.
The TUC make the award to a trade unionist who represents the best
aspects of being a Safety Representative. The CWU Health, Safety &
Environment Committee has given the award scheme its full backing
inviting one nomination from each of the Union's 10 Regional Health
& Safety Forums.
I am delighted that a CWU Safety Representative has won the award and
wish to acknowledge the work undertaken by Barry and Andy because
they represent the best aspects undertaking a CWU Safety Rep's role
in BT and Royal Mail.
The CWU will never rest on the issue of health and safety. Through
Safety Reps like these we will work to ensure that our members are
able to leave work every day as healthy as when they arrived. There
can be no higher cause for trade unions than saving lives and
preventing injury and ill health at work - no higher calling than
doing so by becoming a safety Rep.
TUC Senior Health & Safety Officer Hugh Robertson has confirmed
that there was a very high standard of entry this year with Barry and
Andy both outstanding. Barry's entry finally impressed the judges as
one demonstrating the greatest achievement as a Safety Rep.
General Secretary Billy Hayes added the following statement: "I
share the delight in the news that a CWU Safety Rep has won the award
and my personal congratulations go to Barry because by its nature CWU
members work can often be a hazardous occupation and dedicated Safety
Reps like Barry and Andy undergo a great deal of training and play a
vital role in helping to safeguard CWU members against the risks they
encounter every day in their work environment. This accolade is just
reward for their efforts".
All enquiries concerning the above should be addressed to Dave Joyce,
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer, quoting reference EX10.
Back to the top
TELECOMS
513
BT Wholesale - 21CN Resourcing
Further discussions have taken place over the shape of what is
required to implement the introduction of the 21CN platform. Firstly,
the priority was reported as being to define and source the optimum
required resources (skills, numbers of skills to be located, etc) to
build and operate, against the requirements of the 21CN Programme.
The purpose is to build the demand and supply dynamics and to
identify very early on possible gaps in terms of skills and
availability.
Branches will see from the attached slides the work that has been
undertaken to date. It should be stressed however, that this is a
working draft and the situation will change as the company gets a
better understanding of the totality of the physical activity required.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Attachment
Back to the top
514
Telewest - Lead Times
Following on from the initial report in Branch Officials Bulletin
No.32/2005, paragraph 497, management have responded to areas where
the Union has requested further clarification and resolution.
The length of the working day that was of concern for some is
confirmed as 7.5 hours to qualify for the additional £50 bonus;
this could apply on working 22.5 hours overtime.
Telewest have accepted the points made on the Working Time Directive
and will monitor them using the Field Administrator Team and escalate
any potential issues to national management.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Back to the top
515
Network Engineering Journey (NEJ) - Pilot Update Briefing
Following the identification of problems with regard to data quality,
the trial in Birmingham and Newcastle has been put on hold. Attached
for the information of Branches is a copy of an internal BT briefing.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Attachment
Back to the top
516
BT Wholesale - New Operating Model: e-response
It was indicated in last week's report to Branches in Branch
Officials Bulletin No 32/05, paragraph 500, that Network Operations
would be leading on gathering information on the NOM. One method
would be by e-response and the associated documentation is attached
which leads on asking questions on how members feel with regards to
working in Network Operations.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Attachment
1 Attachment
2 Attachment
3
Back to the top
517
Network Operations - Horizon Team Vehicle Review
As part of the review for the replacement schedule for existing
vehicles, management also took the opportunity to review the
contractual terms and conditions of some (ex-BT Cellnet transferees).
With recent changes in Tax Law, BT state they are not in a position
to allow the continuance of personal use of commercial vehicles.
The discussions at the moment are positioned with the company on an
exceptional basis and any ring-fenced condition to agree to
"Business Need" vehicles for those working to the O2
Cellnet contract. This is subject to those meeting the pre-existing
requirements of annual mileage and daily use. The BT Corporate terms
and conditions for "Business Needs" scheme are posted on http://transport.intra.bt.com/fleet/ccu/ordering_businessneeds.htm.
In the discussions it became clear that for some sites and locations
there is a requirement for a 4x4wd vehicle. The company has agreed to
provide a list of the sites which the company has determined will
require a 4x4wd vehicle. It is the intent of the Executive to send
out the list in an attempt to identify any omissions which Branches
wish to be considered.
In the event of individuals not opting for the "Business
Needs" vehicle, they will be provided with a standard commercial
vehicle with no personal use under the existing "Parking at
Home" arrangements.
The Executive believes the potential 4x4wd vehicles under
consideration may have a cost/tax implication. This is being explored
further and will be reported upon when the situation is clearer on
the implications.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Back to the top
POSTAL
518
Parcelforce Worldwide Final August 2005 Bank Holiday Operational Arrangements
Attached for the information of Branches are the details for the
above mentioned subject.
Any enquiries regarding this matter should be addressed to Terry
Pullinger, Assistant Secretary, quoting the reference 106.
Att:
PE20