Monday. General Conference Motions:
Section 3 | Monday 09.15 – 10.00
39 CATEGORY A Conference notes that some branches are in more luxurious financial positions than others and that some branches actually depend on their monthly rebate to meet their outgoings. With these financial commitments in mind the NEC is instructed to ensure that:
Any monies owed to branches from departments at CWU HQ will be refunded to branches within three months.
That the monthly branch rebate will be paid into branch bank accounts on the 1st of every month, or the first working day of the month.
Northamptonshire Amal
Withdrawn
40 CATEGORY A Conference recognises the value for money that our members get for their CWU membership. Conference also understands that the CWU like any other organisation will be struggling financially in these "credit crunch" days; however, conference urges restraint on behalf of the NEC when considering CWU subscription rates during this time of financial uncertainty.
Conference therefore instructs the NEC to consider the financial situation that members are living through and to give serious consideration to either freezing or reducing membership subscription rates until the UK economy has recovered from recession.
Liverpool Clerical
41 CATEGORY A
This conference recognises the difficulty that Branch officials have in allocating time to support members working for employers where no facility time is available.Conferences agrees to establish within each Region, a body of experienced CWU members who may be on the ET Panel or who are retired members with the relevant experience that Regional Secretaries can call on to co-ordinate the support for members when Branches call for this.
Conference instructs the NEC that appropriate rates and levels of subsistence for this work shall be drawn up and put into effect as soon as practicable.
Capital
Not Carried
42 CATEGORY This conference notes the important role that Regional/Branch run training courses plays in ensuring that our local, area and branch representatives receive the best training possible.
Thus enabling them to carry out their role in representing our members in the workplace to the best of their ability.
Conference also agrees that without Regional/Branch Training many of our activists would not be able to access the type of training needed for them to develop the skills required to represent our members and interface with management locally.
Conference then notes with concern the decision to reduce the budget allocated by the NEC to Regional/Branch Training to approx £3,000 per region. This is a backward step and may jeopardise the level of representation we give to our members. Conference therefore instructs the NEC to increase the budget allocated to Regional/Branch training to at least £6,000 per region for 2009 and for future years until instructed otherwise.
North West Regional Committee
Not Carried
43 CATEGORY A Conference instructs the NEC to include in the Annual Report a full list of affiliations and a brief summary of the support given to them during the year.
Birmingham, Black Country and Worcester
Carried
44 CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming National Executive Council to recognise the work that has been done within the CWU to promote and support the Chain-Makers Festival. This important historical event, which celebrates the anniversary of the National Federation of Women Workers led by Mary MacArthur in their momentous 10 week strike, which was successfully established the right to a minimum wage, is a hugely important part of out Trade Union History.
We ask that the CWU shall until such time that a review is necessary on financial grounds, continue to be one of the main sponsors of this excellent festival which has huge significance to the Trade Union Movement.
Wales and the Marches Regional Women’s Committee
Carried
45 CATEGORY A This Conference recognises that the Union nationally is facing a serious financial challenge. Therefore the NEC is instructed that 50% of the cost of any future Death Benefit Payment will be met by the branch of the deceased.
Manchester Clerical
Not Carried
Section 8 | Monday 10.00 – 10.50
99 CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming National Executive Council that any Labour MP who does not support the Early Day Motion on the part privatisation of the Post Office will not receive either financial or physical help from the CWU and or CWU Branches in the forthcoming general election.
South Central No.1
Not Carried
100
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion Conference calls for a full review of the Political Levy by September 2009.Therefore conference instructs the NEC with a view to introducing a new classification of political levy payment to enable members to continue to pay the levy without contributing to affiliation of whichever political party is prescribed by virtue of relevant national rule and/or conference decision.
Conference further instruct the NEC to do this by, either introducing a second, lower, rate of levy which would not include a contribution to any affiliation fee, or by the "partitioning" of the political fund as is the case in some of our sister Unions.
Eastern No.3
Eastern Regional Committee
Not Heard
101
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion Conference instructs the incoming NEC that all Political funding held by Head Office as a result of either a Branch not affiliating to a Constituency Labour Party or who are having further funding withheld due to inactivity in spending of their allocation of this funding agree that it shall be sent to their respective Regional Political financial accounts.This will allow Branches who are having funds withheld an opportunity to determine how it may be spent on political campaigning within their respective Regions at their own Regional Political meetings.
Capital
London Regional Committee
Not Heard
102
CATEGORY A This conference notes that the 2007 Labour Party Conference decided to suspend its own right to vote for or against 'contemporary' motions on policy issues. Additionally, it is noted that they also agreed that this suspension would not continue for more than two years without being subject to review.This conference believes that the democratic right of constituency parties and affiliated organisations to submit and vote on motions at the Labour Party Conference should now be restored.
This conference agrees that it is a fundamental right for the Labour Party's sovereign policy-making body to be able to take democratic decisions on pressing issues of major concern to CLPs, Trade Unions and affiliated organisations.
This conference therefore instructs the National Executive to, as a matter of urgency, campaign through all available avenues, including the wider Trade Union Movement, in order that Trade Unions, constituency parties and affiliated organisations be given back their right to submit motions to the Labour Party Conference for full debate and voting.
This conference further calls for the criteria for accepting such motions as being in order should be broadened, so that they are not restricted to topics involving specific 'contemporary' incidents occurring in the few weeks immediately prior to conference.
London North Western C&C
Not Heard
103
CATEGORY A Conference recognises that the CWU cannot continue to support a Political Party whose Government continues to ignore the interest of our members and whose policies conflict with those of the CWU. Conference believes that Unions money spent on affiliation to the Labour Party cannot any longer be justified.Conference instructs the NEC to begin talks with other Trade Unions and Socialists in an endeavour to work towards the creation of a new political framework in order to provide genuine political representation for working people at the next election and provide an electoral alternative to the racist BNP.
Coventry
Not Heard
104
CATEGORY B This Conference instructs the incoming National Executive Council that the CWU disaffiliate from and end all funding to the Labour Party at the earliest opportunity.If Carried 105 and 106 Fall
Northern Home Counties PostalNot Heard
105 CATEGORY B Conference notes:
That the Labour government has pressed ahead with the privatisation of Royal Mail.
That the government’s promises about a wholly publicly-owned Royal Mail have proved empty.
That the millions of pounds that the CWU gave to Labour helped a party that then attacked us.
Conference believes:
That we did not get value from the money we give to the Labour Party.
That some Labour MPs have supported us, and deserve continuing support.
That MPs, councillors and activists from other parties also supported us and should be considered for support.
That the test should be to support only those representatives who broadly support the policies of the CWU.
Conference resolves:
To instruct the national executive to cease affiliation to the Labour Party. The CWU should use its political fund for campaigns and to support Labour MPs who support our policies, and also to MPs and councillors on the left in other organisations who support our policies.
That money should go only to those MPs, MSPs, AMs, councillors (and candidates for these posts) who, as a minimum, oppose the privatisation of the post office (whether full or partial), and voted against this wherever possible, and who also support the trade union freedom bill.
That no monies in any circumstances should go to members of the BNP or other fascist organisations.
That the CWU should work with unions who are members of the Trade Union Co-ordinating Group (PCS, POA, RMT, FBU, NUJ and others). These unions are working together to have effective representation.
If Carried 106 Falls
Bradford and District AmalNot Heard
106
CATEGORY B This Conference agrees that it is unacceptable to the CWU that the Labour Government are reneging on their manifesto commitment to the British Public to keep Royal Mail as a ‘Wholly Publicly Owned’ service. We recognise that this commitment was a contributory factor in the Governments re-election.We further condemn the action of the Royal Mail, aided by the then, Tory Government when they took a pension holiday for over a decade. This was a major contributing factor to the current pension’s deficit.
This conference therefore instructs the incoming NEC that unless the pension’s issues are resolved to the satisfaction of the CWU and members without any element of privatisation the CWU will withdraw its Labour Party affiliation.
Merseyside Amal
Not Heard
Section 2 | Monday 10.50 – 11.40
32 CATEGORY A: Composite Motion Conference agrees:
That Branches and Regions should be allowed to build relationships with local colleges to advance regional / branch training in their areas. This will include current CWU Courses agreed by our Education Department.
All applications for courses will be authorised by the CWU Education and Training Department to ensure that CWU policies are adhered to in regard to education and training of CWU activists. The Education and Training Officer will ensure that CWU tutors are used in the local Colleges through discussions and agreement with the TUC Co-ordinators at the college concerned.
Conference instructs the NEC accordingly.
Darlington Amal
South East Wales Amal
Oldham and Rochdale Amal
Not Carried
33 CATEGORY A This conference notes the recent decision to bring forward the start times of residential courses at Alvescot from 2.00pm to 12.00 noon and is concerned at the affect this decision has on the work/life balance of our delegates and the financial impact on Branches, particularly those in rural and remote locations with poor public transport links. Conference therefore instructs the NEC to revert to the start time of 2.00pm for all residential courses from 1st July 2009.
South West and Thames Valley
Withdrawn
Emergency Motion 1 was carried. Details of this motion will be made available at a later date.
34 CATEGORY A This Conference recognises the importance of tackling disability issues in our workplaces and the impact that any failure to identify and address problems can have on our colleagues.
In accordance with the CWU Equality Proofing Handbook, which states all negotiators in all businesses we represent should be trained to implement an equality proofing process. Therefore conference instructs the NEC to ensure that in order for this to happen all Workplace Representatives should receive basic training in line with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, to protect and promote our disabled members terms of employment.
Disability and Special Needs Conference
Carried
35 CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming National Executive Council that recruitment training shall be mandatory for all CWU Reps.
Newcastle Amal
Carried
36 CATEGORY A This conference recognises the ever increasing role of New Technology in the 21st Century and the opportunities this can have for Members and activists and the CWU by increasing our capacity and capability to educate, agitate and organise across multi media.
Conference agrees that a comprehensive distance learning strategy will be developed and implemented that delivers E(lectronic) and M(obile) Training to "bolt on" and add value to present courses, as well as Innovative new courses and materials.
Conference instructs the NEC to investigate and implement externally funded projects via European, UK, Regional and other bodies to support these aims.
Eastern No.5
Accepted
37
CATEGORY A Following the successful refurbishment of the principle CWU residential education centre at Alvescot Lodge, Conference instructs the National Executive Council to formalise and enact the following policy:That tutors delivering residential education courses shall be qualified CWU tutors who are also current active reps, involved in representing CWU members on a regular basis.
The aforementioned tutors should also be, employed by one or more of the companies in which the CWU represents member’s interests.
Where CWU tutors cannot deliver courses due to time commitments, or there exists a need for a qualified specialist in a given field, the education department can utilise the services of a suitable education provider.
Oldham and Rochdale Amal
Withdrawn
38 CATEGORY A This Conference recognises that the NEC have successfully implemented the comprehensive education and training policy set out in composite motion 51 carried at Annual Conference 2002.
However, it is also acknowledged that there is now a pressing need to update this policy in line with the changing needs of our members and activists and the rapidly changing economic and industrial climate.
Further to this, Conference acknowledges that the provision of public funding for accredited CWU activist training has enabled the union to provide more education than ever before to more representatives at a very low cost to the union for the past 6 years. However, this Conference also notes that the future funding of further education in the UK is far from secure and that a change of government could result in very damaging cuts to our education programme and to the education programmes of the TUC and other affiliated unions.
With this in mind we now need to consider what other options may be available or become necessary in a different funding climate. We also need to assess what our future training needs and priorities will be in a changing industrial and political landscape.
Therefore this Conference instructs the NEC to undertake a thorough review of current education policy and practice which will:
Carry out research on current provision of activist education and training across all parts of the CWU.
Predict future needs and trends.
Set out fully costed and realistic options for CWU activist training and education in the future.
Consider mechanisms to ensure that our programme of courses is relevant, responsive and based on trade union principles.
This review will produce a comprehensive report to be published to branches by February 2010 at the latest. The NEC should appoint a suitably qualified external consultant to carry out this review which would be overseen by the NEC and would involve National, Industrial, Regional and branch input.
Merseyside and South West Lancs
Not heard
71
CATEGORY A Conference instructs the NEC to negotiate with all employers with CWU members, a review of their insurance policy, to ensure suitable legal protection for our members that are attacked bydogs/animals whilst carrying out their duties. If victims of dog/animal attacks cannot claim compensation from the owners due to lack of insurance, the employer needs to have a suitable clause in their own insurance, which would allow for a compensation payment to be made. The current Personal Accident Benefit Scheme only protects employees that suffer ‘long term or permanent disablement’ as a result of an accident at work. This leaves all other victims with very little protection.
This review would also support the CWU/Employers campaign to suitably tackle the issue of dog/animal attacks.
A report should be submitted no later the December 31st 2009.
South Central No.1
Not heard
72
CATEGORY A Conference notes that the redesigned CWU web site is more visually attractive to lay members and casual surfers; encouraging wider use of the medium for access to information amongst these groups. However it also notes that it still falls far short of being easy to navigate "one stop shop" for activists. Past and present national agreements are not gathered under a single banner resulting in the need to search several sections to locate the particular agreement/information required.Conference therefore instructs the NEC to introduce an activists section to the CWU web site. This section shall include all current national agreements for all sections of the Union, listed by constituency/employer for easy navigation. This section should also include copies of the latest briefs relating to the conduct of the contemporary campaigns, a historical reference section detailing previous agreements and national/industrial policy decisions and general reference material relating to employment issues.
Eastern No.3
Not heard
73
CATEGORY A This conference accepts that a full utilisation of modern communication tools is vital to the CWU engaging with our members and getting them involved with the union.To that end, the NEC is instructed to ensure that Region’s & Branches prior to next year’s conference implement a SMS text messaging service, this
facility will then act as a two-way communications tool between the CWU Representational Structure and our members & activists. Furthermore, upon acceptance of this motion the SMS text facility will then form part of the existing T&FSE Branch Best Practice guidelines and any future Postal Branch Best Practice document.Northamptonshire Amal
Withdrawn
74
CATEGORY A General Conference 2008, agreed that a leaflet describing the symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder, would be produced and distributed. This conference instructs the National Executive in conjunction with the DSNAC that the leaflet is to be produced and distributed to all CWU members by no later than December 2009.Kent Invicta
Not heard
75
CATEGORY A This Conference expresses its concern about the disjointed manner in which CWU national documents relating to the Bullying and Harassment procedure in Royal Mail are circulated. In particular the fact that the content of leaflets from the support services departments at CWUHQ such as the Equality department are not endorsed by the industrial departments prior to circulation is a cause for alarm.Conference instructs the NEC that in future all leaflets from the supporting services departments at CWUHQ will be checked by the relevant industrial departments prior to onward distribution.
Bristol and District Amal
Not heard
76
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming National Executive Council to make available to every member a user friendly email address in the format of anyname@cwu.org. Members should be encouraged to opt into using their personalised CWU email address through the provision of an Outlook Web Access facility similar to that used by BT employees at mail.bt.comNorthern Ireland Engineering
Not heard
Section 9 | Monday 14.00 – 14.10
107 CATEGORY A Conference notes that the National Executive Council has agreed to carry out a review of the workings and structures of the National Discipline Committee.
Conference welcomes this timely review, particularly in the view of a recent appeal decision against a National Discipline Committee that was heard by the Independent Review Body, in which the IRB, in upholding the appeal, found that the NDC itself had in fact broken the Union’s Rules in that particular case.
Conference instructs the NEC that for this review to be meaningful and effective it is crucial that input into the review is sought from individuals who have experience of the NDC workings, such as those who have appeared before the NDC and those who have represented individuals at NDC hearings.
The precise method in which this input is to be sought will be a matter for the NEC to agree in the terms of reference for this review.
Birmingham District Amal
Carried
Section 4A
| Monday 14.10 – 15.25GANISING AND STRATEGY46
CATEGORY This Conference instructs the NEC that any merger or transfer of engagements involving the CWU and Connect must be based on the following;The creation of two constituencies Postal and Telecoms.
That any constitutional guarantees will only apply to those rules relating to industrial representation.
Any increase in the numbers sitting on industrial executives must be temporary with a clearly defined process for as minimum reducing to the existing numbers on an agreed timescale.
That the existing voting numbers on the NEC must not increase and that the current proportionality between Postal and Telecoms remains.
That the policy that all negotiating Officers are elected is maintained.
That the term of office of any National Officer must not be extended.
This list is not exhaustive.
South East No.5
Carried
47
CATEGORY A Conference instructs the incoming NEC that any proposed Merger with Connect shall only proceed following a positive result in an individual membership ballot of all CWU members.If carried 56 Falls
Mid Wales the Marches and North StaffsCarried
48
CATEGORY A This conference is extremely dissatisfied with the lack of national organisation/co-ordination of the wider campaign against privatisation of Royal Mail.Despite an excellent campaign within the parliamentary community there has been little co-ordination of branch/regional efforts, nor an effective engagement program for the public leading to varying degrees of activity across the country. The wider campaign has concentrated solely on courting the national press with minimum thought to harnessing the power of local electorates and interested organisations directly through our branches.
There has been a lack of central focus in this area of the campaign with branches being left to do as much or as little as they like with no-one overseeing or driving their efforts at a national level.
Conference therefore instructs the NEC that an elected national campaigns officer is now required. The campaigns officer would provide a central focus for all future campaigns and be responsible for ensuring that the Union’s message can be consistently and successfully carried to the public. They would oversee all the Union’s communications relating to all campaigns and be responsible for ensuring all relevant branches contributed to the conduct of any such campaign in a consistent and co-ordinated way.
Eastern No.3
Not Carried (Eastern 5 Branch supported this motion)
49
CATEGORY A Conference instructs the NEC to explore options of funding and the potential financial savings to the CWU of holding one combined Equality Conference.This would retain the current Equality Conferences (Women’s, LGBT, DSNAC and Black Workers) to be held over two days to include a combined Conference to bring all equality issues together.
Portsmouth and District Postal
Not Heard
50
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming National Executive Council to issue an immediate report into the activities conducted following the carriage of Motion 57 to General Conference 2008.This Motion stood in the name of the National Executive Committee and indicted that a sub-committee would be established with the object of discussing and effecting appropriate changes to the current constituency structure.
Such a sub-committee has not been established or reports would have been forthcoming. Conference therefore has no confidence in the ability of the NEC to carry out its own policy decisions and therefore censures the NEC for the lack of activity.
Birmingham
Not heard
51
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion Conference recognises that both the Government and Royal Mail have adopted a separatist agenda with regards to Royal Mail group. This agenda is targeted to weaken the collective strength of the CWU by separating POL and Royal Mail and marginalising other minority grades.Conference therefore recognises there is a real need for the CWU collectively to fight this separatist agenda.
Conference accepts that to do so we all now need to fully understand Royal Mail’s strategy across all parts of Royal Mail.
To this end Conference instructs the NEC to set up a working group in order to work out a formula in which all the different minority grades could be comfortable and reassured in moving to one Postal Constituency Conference.
The aim of the Working Group would be to bring about a rule change to Annual Conference 2010 calling for one Postal Constituency Conference which would have the support of all the minority grades within the postal constituency.
Northern/North West London
London South West Postal
Not heard
52
CATEGORY A This conference instructs the National Executive Council to produce a report published no later than December 2009 with regards the future vision of the union in the next ten years.The report to contain the various options:
To remain a stand alone union within the communications sector Merge with another union/unions to rival Unite i.e. merge with GMB/USDAW or other appropriate unions Join with Unite
These options are not exhaustive and any other views or ideas to be incorporated into the report.
The report must also contain the views of branches and regions and will therefore, be an agenda item at the Regional Committees before October 2009 and the regions’ views forwarded to HQ.
Greater Manchester
Not heard
53
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the NEC to investigate the current Conference arrangements and examine if branches can be made more accountable to its membership, this would include:The keeping of a register at Conference to identify which branches attend, and their delegation numbers during the week A branch by branch summary of their activity at conference i.e motions moved, seconded and contributions from the rostrum A Conference document that will be published listing the above A feasibility of withholding a % of a branch rebate due to inactivity at Conference over a rolling two years. This would look at no motions being submitted or no contributions from the rostrum.
This list is not exhaustive
Portsmouth and District Postal
Not heard
54
CATEGORY A Conference is concerned that despite a motion passed at the 2004 Black Worker's Conference asking the NEC to use some common sense when electing delegations to TUC Equality Conferences, there has been no change in their policy, the result of which is that there are vacancies on certain TUC Equality Conferences, including the TUC Black Workers Conference, because there has not been enough women coming forward to stand for these positions.The NEC should use all means at it’s disposal to encourage women candidates to be nominated, but, In the absence of a woman candidate, the NEC is instructed to select the highest runner up male candidate as a delegate to maximise the CWU participation in the TUC equality conferences.
West London
Not heard
55
CATEGORY A Conference is concerned that the current union structures still reflect old business/grading models. Conference believes that a review of current structures and committees needs to take place in order to accommodate change and to ensure that national executives and committee structures are fit for purpose and reflect the current need to recruit and represent members throughout the Communications and Financial Services sector.Conference therefore instructs the NEC to review the current structures and to take measures to ensure that the CWU is able to recruit and represent members in the most efficient and economical manner. Conference believes that there must be more focus on providing representation for new recruits in the non-recognised areas/businesses whilst the training and development for new reps takes place. Any rule changes necessary to be submitted to either a special Rules Revision Conference or to Conference 2010.
Coventry
Not heard
56
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion Conference expresses its concern that at the Connect merger briefing it was suggested that CWU members would be denied an individual member ballot on the Connect merger.Conference recognises that this is in conflict with the CWU Rule Book on Branch mergers within the CWU which are subject to an individual member vote of the merging branches.
Conference therefore instructs the NEC that the Connect merger and any other union mergers/amalgamations must be subject to an individual member ballot of the CWU membership.
Northern/North West London
London South West Postal
Not heard
Section 6
| Monday 15.45 – 16.2577 CATEGORY A This Conference welcomes the recent ruling at the European Courts of Justice concerning the case of Coleman v Attridge Law, where the ECJ agreed with Mrs Coleman’s view that DDA protection should be extended to cover people with responsibility for disabled persons - effectively allowing protection by association.
This Conference instructs the NEC to ensure that the CWU is at the forefront of lobbying and there is a strong level of awareness on this new legislative development and that any capacity building should, in the first instance, be done in conjunction with the TUC. A leaflet shall be commissioned no later than 6 months after the final approval of the new legislation being made applicable.
Disability and Special Needs Conference
Carried
78 CATEGORY A This Conference is appalled at the decision made by an Employment Tribunal in July 2008 that ruled that an Islington registrar had been discriminated against by her employer, Islington Council, because of her refusal to carry out civil partnerships for LGBT couples on the grounds of her orthodox Christian beliefs.
This outcome runs counter to the intention of other recent legislation and will give encouragement to others to discriminate against LGBT people and get away with it by claiming it is on religious grounds.
Whilst this conference agrees that everyone should have the freedom to express their feelings and convictions, employees also have a duty to abide by all equality legislation and not be able to pick and choose which ones they agree with.
This conference therefore instructs the NEC to raise this issue with the TUC, the Equality & Human Rights Commission and the government to ensure any such legal loop holes are closed at the earliest opportunity and ensure that people providing a public service must comply with all aspects of equality legislation and not just those that suit them.
LGBT Conference
Carried
79 CATEGORY A This conference recognises the excellent historic work carried out by the RAC concerning the publication of the Black Representation booklet which posed the question ‘is the CWU representative of its ethnic minorities’. Since the book’s creation, road shows have gone to every region in the UK, to highlight the work of the booklet and the aims of the RAC.S
Whilst some progress has been achieved the RAC is very concerned at the continued failure to see black representation within the CWU to be proportionate with levels of BEM members within union membership.
Specifically the lack of positive role models for black members in the CWU is a problem that needs to be addressed.
The issue of black representation clearly also extends to employers and the booklet revealed the disproportionate levels of BEM workers in lower graded work. This conference instructs the NEC to work alongside the RAC to put forward an action plan that will seek to address the problems with black representation within the CWU structure. This report should also look to initiate a monitoring mechanism which will be able to identify how many promotions have taken place and what the breakdown of successful candidates is on an ethnicity level.
CWU Black Worker’s Conference
Carried
80 CATEGORY A: Composite Motion Conference recognises that there are many women suffering with symptoms of the menopause which cause them health issues, such as hot flushes, disturbed sleep, memory loss and emotional distress, that affect them at work and at home.
Conference also recognises that many CWU members, who suffer these symptoms in silence, are often embarrassed or do not feel able to raise this with male managers when stages of the attendance procedure have been triggered due to absences related to the menopause.
Conference further recognises that there are facilities within agreements the CWU has negotiated with employers for attendance procedure interviews to be held with managers of the same sex, but believes that a campaign highlighting the effects of the menopause and the suffering that it can cause, must feature in future CWU publications such as "The Voice" and "Women’s Talk" and that all reps are made aware of the issues so they are better equipped to represent their members in these cases.
Conference therefore instructs the NEC to run a campaign to raise awareness of this important issue at all levels within the CWU and through representations to all companies where the CWU has members.
South West Regional Committee
CWU Women’s Conference
Not heard
81 CATEGORY A Conference believes that the lack of recognised paid facility time for our Equality, Women’s & Youth Officers is unacceptable and hinders such officers from fulfilling their roles to the maximum.
Conference therefore instructs the incoming NEC to commence immediate negotiations with the relevant employers to secure paid release for all Equality, Women’s & Youth Officers.
An update on how these negotiations are progressing must be forthcoming to branches by the end of 2009.
If Carried 82 Falls
Northamptonshire Amal82
CATEGORY A Conference welcomes the various Government initiatives on Equality, including the Union Modernisation Fund and the National Equality Panel.However, in order to be able to deal with workplace equality issues, Conference believes that it is now time to establish Facility Time for Equality Reps. Therefore Conference instructs the NEC to work with the Advisory Committees to investigate ways in which the Equality Reps work within the CWU and how Facility Time for that work can be achieved.
Birmingham, Black Country and Worcester
Not heard
Section 10
| Monday 16.25 – 17.40108
CATEGORY A To delete Rule No.10.22 and add New Rule 10.22The NEC shall determine the date, venue, duration and delegations to the Retired Members’ Conference.
Each Branch shall be represented in proportion to the number of retired members, subject to a minimum representation of one delegate.
Each Branch shall be entitled to submit one Motion to the Retired Members’ Conference.
Each Retired Members’ Regional Council shall be entitled to submit one Motion to the Retired Members’ Conference.
The General Conference SOC shall determine the procedures to operate at the Retired Members’ Conference.
The Retired Members’ Advisory Committee shall be consulted and be involved in the organisation of the Retired Members’ Conference The Retired Members’ Advisory Committee shall be responsible for pursuing the policies adopted at the Retired Members’ Conference via the NEC and its appropriate sub-committees.
The Retired Members’ Conference shall elect two delegates to attend CWU Annual Conference who will be entitled to speak on items that impact upon the union's retired members.
The Retired Members’ Conference may submit two motions to CWU Annual Conference.
Retired Members’ Regional Council Secretaries shall attend the Retired Members’ Conference in an ex-officio capacity with the right to speak and move Motions on behalf of their Retired Members’ Regional Council but not to vote. Funding for Retired Members’ Regional Council Secretaries to attend Retired Members’ Conference shall be from the General Fund.
The Retired Members’ Advisory Committee shall be entitled to submit up to three motions to the Retired Members’ Conference.
Birmingham
Carried
109
CATEGORY A Amend Rule 10 to include:10.1.4.h Health and Safety
10.4.7 The Health and Safety Conference shall be entitled to submit up to two motions to the Health and Safety section.
10.24 Health and Safety Conference The NEC shall determine the date, venue, duration and delegations to the Health and Safety Conference.
Each Branch shall be entitled to submit one motion to the Health and Safety Conference.
The General Conference SOC shall determine the procedures to operate at the Health and Safety Conference.
The Health, Safety & Environment Department shall be consulted and be involved in the organisation of the Health and Safety Conference.
The Health, Safety & Environment Department shall be responsible for pursuing the policies adopted by the Health and Safety Conference via the National Health, Safety & Environment Sub Committee of the NEC and the industrial Sub Committees.
The Health and Safety Conference shall be entitled to select two motions to submit to the General Conference. The selection shall be done on the basis of a Branch preference ballot held during the Health and Safety Conference.
The motions submitted to the General Conference shall be in the name of the Health and Safety Conference.
London Postal Engineering
Not Carried
110
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion: Amend Rule 10.4to include
"Each Regional Learning Committee shall be entitled to submit up to three motions to the Education section".
Midland Regional Committee
Northamptonshire Amal
Not Carried
111
CATEGORY A: Insert new Rule 10.17.4 The PostalConference SOC shall meet as necessary with the DGS[P], Chair of the Postal Executive and the appropriate Chair where a Sectional Conference is concerned to examine jointly all matters due for consideration at an Annual or Special Conference.
South East No.5
Withdrawn
112
CATEGORY A: To amend Rule 7.1.9.1 to includeAfter Political Officer "Womens Regional Chair, Regional Retired Members Secretary and Regional Youth Officer"
Kent Invicta
Withdrawn
113
CATEGORY A: To amend Rule 7.1.9.1 to includeAfter Political Officer "Regional Retired Members Secretary and Regional Youth Officer"
Portsmouth and District Postal
Carried
114
CATEGORY A: Amend Rule 11.5.1 Insert after "Fund" in line 2 - plus 1p per member for the National Pensioners Convention.Central London
Withdrawn
115
CATEGORY A: Amend 11.6.1 Delete – "Each Branch shall receive monthly 29% of its Branch membership income received by CWU HQs General Fund excluding Retired Members. Each Branch shall be responsible for its own funds for meeting the following expenses";Insert - "Each Branch shall receive monthly 29% of its Branch membership income received by CWU HQs General Fund for members paying the standard rate and 50% of its branch membership income received by CWU HQs General Fund for members paying the portable & non recognised membership rates, excluding Retired Members. Each Branch shall be responsible for its own funds for meeting the following expenses";
South West and Thames Valley
Not Carried
116
CATEGORY A: Amend Rule No.11.6.3 Delete all after ‘exceptional expenditure’ and insert:-10% of the money in this account shall be used to grow membership, in addition to any interest accrued being used to grow membership
Newcastle Amal
Not Carried
117
CATEGORY A: Amend Rule 8.5.3a Delete "Annually" and insert "two yearly".Greater Manchester
Not Carried
118
CATEGORY A: Amend Rule 8.15.1 Paragraph 1, line 1 after consist of, delete "four" and insert "three". Line 2 after and, delete "twelve" and insert "thirteen". Line 5 after Scotland delete, and "six from England", insert and "one from each Region in England".South West Regional Committee
Withdrawn
119
CATEGORY A: Amendment to Rule 2.1 Insert new paragraph 7 and renumber accordingly.The CWU will also actively identify any cause or barrier to enable it to eradicate institutional discrimination within it’s own organisation.
West London
Not Carried