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WEEKLY INFORMATION FROM THE COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION
SUMMARY
Attachments or LTB's can be emailed or downloaded from the National Site
Volume 10 Issue 38 Paragraphs 559-572 30 September 2005

SUMMARY
GENERAL
559 Liaison Meetings with CWU Group MPs
560 Headquarters Printing and Reprographic Services
561 CWU Union Learning Representatives National Workshop - Reminder
562 EDM 548
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
563 Harassment Complaints Database - Union Policy
HEALTH AND SAFETY
No items this week
TELECOMS
564 BT Wholesale - Review of Support Functions
565 Telewest - Pay 2005
566 BTRP Retirement Plan
567 One IT - Beating the Blues
568 One IT - Connect/One IT Joint Statement.
569 Telewest - Networks New Bargaining Unit - Membership Check Results
570 Planning Accreditation Team Banding
571 BT Wholesale Operations - Review of Support Roles
POSTAL
572 Uniform Tax Allowance
LETTERS TO BRANCHES
456 22/09/05 CWU and the Children's Food Bill - Activity in Scotland - Simon Sapper
457 22/09/05 Future of MPSS - Ray Ellis
458 22/09/05 Openreach - Ian Cuthbert
459 22/09/05 Door to Door - Special Drop - Bob Gibson
460 22/09/05 TUC CWU Hazards at Work - Safety Reps Handbook - Dave Joyce
461 23/09/05 Post Office Privatisation - GS
462 23/09/05 POL Cash Services Future Business Strategy - Andy Furey
463 23/09/05 Labour Party Annual Conference: Fringe Meeting - GS
464 23/09/05 Post Office Privatisation/Liberalisation - GS
465 26/09/05 NewStart Leaver Payment Terms - Bill McClory
466 28/09/05 Uniform Tax Allowance PFWW - T Pullinger
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559
Liaison Meetings with CWU Group MPs
Meetings with CWU supported MPs have now been arranged for the remainder of 2005 and, for your information, I list below the dates of the meetings and those nominated to attend:
18 October: Graham Colk, Maria Exall, Dave Warren, representative from South West Region
8 November: Beryl Shepherd, John Holmes, Phil Waker, representative from North West Region
13 December: Graham Colk, Andy Kerr, Dave Warren, representative from London Region.
Billy Hayes
General Secretary

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560
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

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561
CWU Union Learning Representatives National Workshop - Reminder
The 2nd CWU ULR National Workshop is being held on the 22nd and 23rd November 2005 at the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool. Please see Letter To Branches 420/05 for full details. Closing date for applications is the 7th October 2005 so please contact Laura Wright on 020 8971 7416 or Michelle Simpson on 020 8971 7340 or email your details to learn@cwu.org to register your place now as limited places available.
T Lavelle, Head of Education & Training

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562
EDM 548
I would like to thank all those Branches, too many to thank individually, who responded to the request to contact their local MPs to urge them to sign EDM 548. This has resulted in many more MPs signing the EDM, or indicating that they would sign when Parliament resumes in October.
Billy Hayes
General Secretary

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EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
563
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.

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TELECOMS
564
BT Wholesale - Review of Support Functions
Attached for the information of Branches is one of the first of several briefings; these are designed to let people in the functions in question know that the review is complete and that management is currently working through the recommendations which have been made. Branches may have also heard of this activity under the heading of Zero Based Budgeting or ZBB.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Attachment

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565
Telewest - Pay 2005
Following further discussions with Telewest Management and members of the negotiating team and between that of the Union's Executive team and the negotiating team, it has been resolved to recommend in a ballot the offer as previously reported. Whilst the size of the increase is disappointing, this is against the background of the company making substantial losses over the last two years and carrying substantial debt following the corporate delisting from the UK Stock Exchange, as well as the financial restructuring of debt.
Once the balloting details have been finalised, further information will be issued in due course.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary

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566
BTRP Retirement Plan
The BT Retirement Plan (BTRP) includes flexibility for members to choose their contribution levels and types of investment.
BT has informed the CWU that it is launching, through the BT intranet, a facility which will allow BTRP members better access to pension information. Using the self-service facility, BTRP members will be able to:

The self-service facility is accessed by clicking on the "People" link on the BT intranet homepage and then selecting "BT Retirement Plan" under the pensions section and is due to be launched on Monday 3rd October.
The URL is:
http://gf-gateway.nat.bt.com:61000/pls/www/gateway?stargate=HRP&stargate=PENSION
Separately more information on the BTRP can be found at www.btpensions.net
Yours sincerely,
Nigel Cotgrove, Assistant Secretary

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567
One IT - Beating the Blues
OneIT are in the process of piloting a self-help product for employees who have had to take time off for anxiety, depression or stress. The product is a computer based system which is designed to help employees understand their situation and to develop realistic treatment goals with a view of being able to lead a normal life once again and to return to work. The system will be run by Ultrasis who have developed the Beating the Blues product and who have expertise in this area.
The One IT Health and Safety manager will be supplied with a list of people, from the Peoplesoft database, who meet the criteria. A letter will then be sent out in Heather Corby's name (One IT HR Director), along with a basic information leaflet (produced by Ultrasis) to each individual inviting them to participate in the pilot. The Union has sought assurance and guarantees on issues around voluntary participation and confidentiality of information. The following is the process that will apply and how personal information will be used which at all times is for the employee to decide the course of action and release of information.
If the person feels that he or she would like to take part or that they require more information, then the individual will contact Ultrasis on a dedicated number. The only input from BT will be the initial contact by letter and no pressure will be applied to make them participate.
The only information produced, will be a report that the individual prints off after completing each of the modules. That person is then able to discuss the report findings with one of the Ultrasis team and at this stage no information will be shared with either the line manager or BT's OHS service. If and only if the Ultrasis team consider that the person would benefit from additional help from either their own GP or an OHS service, then it will be up to the individual to supply a copy of their report to the service concerned. No other data is held and no interpretation of data is made. All data on the report is treated as medical in confidence.
Attached for the information of Branches is a letter dated 26 September 2005 from the Health & Safety Manager of BT Exact/One IT, detailing the intent of the pilot.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Attachment

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568
One IT - Connect/One IT Joint Statement.
Branches with members in One IT may wish to be aware of the attached communication that has been agreed between Connect and One IT in respect of the management of change in this line of business. This statement is based upon existing corporate agreements in areas such as Agility and TOIL and Outsourcing, of which there are high volumes. In the main this is work considered by the company to be low value software code writing/processing or non core. The ramifications of this will be further impact on areas of work performed by our members and as a result the Union is in discussions with One IT management.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Attachment

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569
Telewest - Networks New Bargaining Unit - Membership Check Results
Branches may wish to be informed with regard to progress on conference policy, particularly with regard to extending recognition in Telewest, that the Union has successfully passed the 10% threshold in Network Operations.
This has been passed by a very handsome margin as the attachment shows. Discussions will continue on open access to Network Operations people with the view primarily of securing a 'Yes' vote in a ballot of acceptance by the workforce for union recognition and collective bargaining. The secondary objective will be to drive up the membership even further.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Attachment

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570
Planning Accreditation Team Banding
The final review of the activity carried out by Planning Accreditation Team has concluded following the roll-out transition phase. Management has concurred that with the reallocation of roles and responsibilities, there no longer exists a long term case for D1 banding. The letter announcing this is attached and is under further review by the union nationally.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Attachment

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571
BT Wholesale Operations - Review of Support Roles
Branches were first advised of management's intentions to review BT Wholesale Operations Support Roles in Branch Officials Bulletin No 21/2005, paragraph 341 and in which the rationale for the review was reported upon. It was the intent of the Director for Network Operations to brief the detail of the review to line management on 28 September 2005, however this would appear to have been leaked out in some places in advance. In one particular aspect it has been stated that all employees in the functions in question will have to reapply for their own job, this the union knows not to be the case, as the union is aware that some roles and functions remain unchanged from this review. The union is also aware that some roles will cease to exist, or that they have been centralised or combined to create new functions, in such circumstances it will be asking employees from managerial to Newgrid grades to consider applying for selection in these new roles/functions. At this point in time we are not aware precisely of the new roles as the union awaits further detail, nor do we know the precise numbers affected as this is now a matter of internal dispute within the business unit. The original numbers projected or signed off it would appear is no longer being projected, these savings and personnel were expected to be placed on new and growing levels of work volumes. The disappearance of this resource has now jeopardised the resourcing plans being put in place, particularly in the broadband area, and is being reviewed at Director level.
What is known is that a large number of people on functions ranging from project management, performance monitoring, process design and PA and clerical support will be affected. In the event that people are affected they will receive a letter notifying them, a copy of which is attached as is a letter notifying individuals whose job/functions remains unaffected. Those affected will go into what has been defined as an optimisation pool of resource, the object of which will be to align and select suitable jobs for people in the new organisation. A copy of the selection procedure document is also attached as is the Q&As that will also be issued.
The union awaits further information, in particular the outcome of the internal review, as to what are the expected savings which, as reported above, is now stated as below what was expected or signed off at Director level.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Attachment 1 Attachment 2 Attachment 3 Attachment 4

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POSTAL
572
Uniform Tax Allowance
Please find attached as PE 21 correspondence received from the business regarding the above subject.
Branches are requested to ensure that our members are made aware of the attached information.
Any enquiries regarding this matter should be addressed to Terry Pullinger, Assistant Secretary, quoting the reference number 005.
Yours sincerely
Terry Pullinger, Assistant Secretary
Attachment

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