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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 45 Paragraphs 670-681 18 November 2005

SUMMARY
GENERAL
670 Liaison Meetings with CWU Group MPs
671 Headquarters Printing and Reprographic Services
672 Associated Activity
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
673 Harassment Complaints Database - Union Policy
674 Thank You
HEALTH AND SAFETY
675 Ratcliffe Double-Folding (Double Tuck) Cantilever Steel Tail Lifts (RV1003) Model - Summary Of Safety Problems
676 Royal Mail Engineering - Domino Printer Fluorescent "Orange" Coding Ink Trials Extension (Phase 2):
TELECOMS
677 One IT - OI Testing Centre
678 21CN - Exchange Lockdown
679 BT Wholesale - Transfers to AO&P
680 BT Wholesale: e-pulse and ZBB
681 OneIT - Care
POSTAL
No items this week
LETTERS TO BRANCHES
536 09/11/05 BT Global Services - Integration of C&SI - Bill McClory
537 10/11/05 NEC Meetings - Attendance at Regional Committee Meetings - Steve Baguley
538 10/11/05 POL UK Passport Service Tender CWU Political Campaign - Andy Furey
539 10/11/05 National Lobby of Parliament: Wednesday 16th November 2.00pm Committee Room 14, Houses of Parliament - GS
540 11/11/05 TUC/Labour Party Elections - Steve Baguley
541 14/11/05 EDM 548 - GS
542 14/11/05 "Your Mail Not For Sale" Campaign - GS
543 14/11/05 Transfer of Hays Employees to Manpower UK Ltd - Deduction of CWU Subscriptions at Source - Sally Bridge
544 14/11/05 European Trade Union Solidarity Conference with Cuba and Latin America - John Baldwin
545 14/11/05 Nominations TUC Black Workers' Conference - Steve Baguley
546 14/11/05 CWU Women's Conference - Michèle Emerson
547 15/11/05 CWU Learning in the Community Project - Trish Lavelle
548 15/11/05 Mobile Testing Review - Ian Cuthbert
549 15/11/05 Program Tess - Ray Ellis
550 15/11/05 Transfer of Hays Employees to Manpower UK Ltd - Deduction of CWU Subscriptions at Source - Sally Bridge
551 15/11/05 Romec Pay Review 2005 - Ray Ellis
552 15/11/05 Manpower UK Ltd - Pay Arrangements BT Contract, CWU Branch Briefing - Sally Bridge
553 15/11/05 Pay and Major Change for LAs Working on Door to Door - Andy Furey
554 16/11/05 Internet Abuse - Simon Sapper
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GENERAL
670
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:
13 December: Graham Colk, Andy Kerr, Dave Warren, representative from London Region.
Billy Hayes
General Secretary

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671
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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672
Associated Activity
Further to LTB 456/05 (dated 22 September 2005) branches will wish to note the reply that has been received from the Scottish Executive with regards to the campaign for better nutrition for school children in Scotland.
Any queries should be addressed to my office here at CWU headquarters (ssapper@cwu.org).
Simon Sapper, Assistant Secretary

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EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
673
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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674
Thank You
This is a quick note to thank those Branches and Regions (listed below) who have very kindly made a donation towards to the socials that will be preceding the RAC and WAC Conferences early next year. We are conscious that many Regions and Branches committees will still not have met so the appeal still stands if you wish to make a donation.
Central London Engineering Branch
Coventry Branch
Eastern Region
Mid Wales the Marches & North Staffs Branch
SE Anglia Branch
Wales & Marches Region
Thank you again.
Equal Opportunities Department

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HEALTH AND SAFETY
675
Children's Food Bill and Ratcliffe Double-Folding (Double Tuck) Cantilever Steel Tail Lifts (RV1003) Model - Summary Of Safety Problems
A number of Branches raised safety concerns regarding the re-introduction of the above Tail Lift on Royal Mail Vehicles earlier this year. This was immediately raised with Royal Mail and Vehicle Services back in April as well as being raised on the agenda of the Royal Mail Materials Handling National Joint Steering Group at the August meeting due to the serious safety concerns and risks to which our members are being exposed. I am particularly grateful; for the detailed reports and efforts of the Bradford & Dist, Birmingham & Dist and South Yorkshire Branches in particular for the detailed reports received and efforts made locally. The following letter has been sent to Royal Mail Vehicle Services and is reproduced for your information:
14 November 2005
Kevin Atkins
Royal Mail Vehicle Services
Dear Kevin
Ratcliffe Double-Folding (Double Tuck) Cantilever Steel Tail Lifts (RV1003) Model - Summary Of Safety Problems
I have left you several messages regarding this issue over the last few months without any response, first raising the issue in April and again in July. Further to that, I then raised the CWU concerns at the Royal Mail Materials Handling National Joint Steering Group at the August meeting due to the serious safety concerns and risks to which our members are being exposed.
The main issues in summary are:-

At the August meeting of the Royal Mail Materials Handling National Joint Steering Group I was informed that you were aware of the problem and that these Tail Lifts had been ordered by mistake and that Gary Bramley would be talking to you in respect of anY
update. I recently spoke to Gary who had no further information and said that you and Chris Fisher had the matter in hand. I seek an urgent update from you in respect of these vehicles?; What you have done since the problem came to light earlier this year? How many of these vehicles with this Tail Lift fitted are there in service? Where are they now? How did they find there way back into service after we had agreed to phase them out? What are you proposals to replace them? and how are you going to ensure that this situation doesn't happen again with equipment phased out on safety grounds being reordered and reintroduced?
I look forward to your urgent reply.
Copy of a report from our Birmingham Deputy Area Safety Rep is attached for your information which I presented as an example to the Royal Mail Materials Handling National Joint Steering Group along with vehicle numbers etc.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer"
All enquiries to Dave Joyce National Health, Safety & Environment Officer quoting reference No. V5
Att: G12

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676
Royal Mail Engineering - Domino Printer Fluorescent "Orange" Coding Ink Trials Extension (Phase 2)
Further to BOB No 39/05, Paragraph 582, dated 7 October 2005, this is a further progress report to update branches and to inform you that the health and safety issues have now been resolved sufficiently to enable an agreed extension of the trial under strictly controlled conditions as set out below.
The following joint statement has been agreed:
Joint Statement
Initial trials of the new "Orange" ink has now been successfully completed at Dorset, Northampton and Swindon Mail Centres and Royal Mail Engineering and the CWU Health and Safety and IR Representatives have held discussions and agreed that the trials of the Royal Mail Fluorescent Ink will be extended to eight additional Mail Centres. The nominated Mail Centres will receive a briefing pack to ensure that the Mail Centre has updated its Safety Management System and has made the necessary arrangements to enable the conversion of it's printers.
The Mail Centres are:
Birmingham
Central London (Mount Pleasant)
Edinburgh
Gloucester
HWDC
Leeds
Sheffield
Tyneside
Conversion to the new Fluorescent ink will only be undertaken when a detailed list of activities has been completed and concurrence has been given by the Mail Centre Manager, Area Maintenance Manager, RME Ink Project Lead and a CWU Safety Representative Lead. The trial will be jointly reviewed in line with the RME change process by the end of January 2006.
Nigel Cooke RME Head of Maintenance East Territory
Dave Joyce
CWU National Health & Safety & Environment Officer
Some general Key Points:
The "Pre-Start" checklist must be completed before any of the identified Mail Centre can request concurrence to deploy the new trial ink and that the authority for any site to deploy the ink will be on the basis that concurrence has been granted by MCM, AMM, Project Lead and CWU Health & Safety Lead. It is intended that Edinburgh, Tyneside & Mount Pleasant Mail Centres will lead the next phase of the trial ink extension as we have the CWU Health & Safety "Leads" on-site (Brian Mordue, Kenny Wright and Steve Howlett) to support (subject to completion of full "check list/tick sheet" as required by this agreement). CWU Engineering Area Safety Reps Kenny Wright, Steve Howlett and Brian Mordue will share the "CWU Health & Safety Lead" role (for the 8 trial sites) between them. The documentation will be sent to the 8 trial Mail Centre sites on Monday 14th November 2005 and has been circulated to CWU Engineering Territorial Reps for them to contact local Engineering Mail Centre CWU Reps (SDRs) in the relevant Mail Centres.
During the extended trial consideration will be given to requirements necessary to enable full National roll-out and deployment of the new ink which gives improved "read rates". This will include areas such as, updates required to the ACS schedules, recommended bags to use for the safe containment and disposal of materials used to clean minor spillages, and the method to clean dried ink to reduce or prevent a possible powder residue.
A review group inline with the "Change Process" will be established and convene at the end of January to discuss all points made during the trial. (This should include Tim Hall CWU TSS IR Lead, Nigel Cooke RME Lead, Paul Brown Project Lead, CWU Health & Safety Lead). This group will review all issues relating to how the trial was deployed with feedback sought from engineering and operational areas at all the trial sites. The output of the group should agree terms by which this ink could be rolled out to the remaining Mail Centres in the UK.
Some Health & Safety Key Points:
The following Health and Safety information is detailed in Appendix 6 of the documentation for all inks and fluids used in the trial.

The Mail Centre will be responsible for reviewing the information and incorporating the control measures into the local safety management framework and Safe Systems of Work will be followed at all times and staff should ensure that Personal Protective Equipment is worn as specified.
All enquiries should be addressed to Dave Joyce CWU National Health, Safety & Environment Officer quoting reference No. C33.

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TELECOMS
677
One IT - OI Testing Centre
The Union has been advised that OI management wishes to conduct a lift and shift exercise to bring all Testers in One IT together under a Head of Testing (Programmes)/Centre of Excellence; currently these people sit mainly within programmes. The objective is to centralise resources and to ensure standardised consistency of testing practice across all programmes. It is planned that the move will be completed by the end of December 2005 or early January 2006.
The Testers and Test Managers will continue to work day-to-day on the programme and the Lead Test Manager will become their line manager. This is currently being discussed with each of the One IT Programme Directors and the final outcome and finer detail will be discussed with the Unions when known.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary

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678
21CN - Exchange Lockdown
As part of the co-ordination of activity and particularly security of sites which will see a substantial increase in activity in the run up to preparing Exchanges for 21CN transfer, BT is preparing a lock down approach. This is designed to provide more secure egress and ingress, the announcement and the details of which are contained in the attached letter.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Attachment

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679
BT Wholesale - Transfers to AO&P
The additional requirement to transfer resource from BTW to AO&P was reported to Branches in Branch Officials Bulletin No. 44, paragraph 667/2005. Since then a line managers' briefing was produced which had not been seen by the Union. It stated that for those chosen to be transferred - all of which appear to be C3s - that Pay and Pension Protection will apply. This was picked up and challenged by the BTW Executive team and the line managers briefing has been withdrawn and replaced with the attached. Members will go across with their existing grade and terms and conditions of employment.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Attachment

680
BT Wholesale: e-pulse and ZBB
BT Wholesale Operations use an employee engagement tool called e-pulse to take feedback on business related issues, as well as the general mood of the organisation. In the light of the feedback that management has received about ZBB, both from the Union and directly from its workforce, management have decided that to gain the most from the tool, they will be using e-Pulse to help them focus on some key activities and programmes, ie ZBB, 21CN.
The first of these focused exercises will be launched to those in the ZBB optimisation pool. All people in the pool will receive a copy of the questionnaire and be asked to submit their views. Management have decided to use it with this population as they are currently going through a key major change programme and want to understand how this is being managed and how it could improve that process for those individuals and others across BT Wholesale.
Management will be making a commitment to this community that the results of the survey will be fed back to them and action taken. Additionally, they will also be communicating to the survey group that the data generated by the survey will be confidential to e-Pulse and be anonymous to BT (this forms part of our existing contract with e-Pulse).
The survey will take on average 20 minutes to complete and individuals are to be given time in their working day to do this.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary

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681
OneIT - Care
Management have been conducting employee attitude surveys within OneIT as it is recognized that the OneIT transformation programme has fundamentally changed the business model and way of working. It is accepted that programmes of major change bring about concerns and fears for the future and it is a process long understood by occupational psychologists.
Attached for the information of Branches are copies of slides used in a recent presentation that summaries some of the responses and the intended actions to these results. The overall actions, if not exclusively, concentrate on communications and ownership. The individual initiatives are self-explanatory with the exception of Project X; this is a workshop designed to address the cultural and behavioral attitudes within the new OneIT organisation.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Attachment

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