Section 1A | Sunday 09.20 – 10.15
1 CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the NEC to work with the RMAC and other interested parties to seek to amend the criteria by which payment of the Carer’s Allowance is made. This to include registered Carer’s not being penalised due to them, or their partners, being in receipt of a State Pension.
North Wales and Marches
Accepted
2 CATEGORY A This conference agrees that the time is now right to create a National Carer’s Service. This service would enable those needing such care to be attended at the point of need at no cost to the individual, as is the philosophy of the National Health Service - which is or was the envy of the world.
In order to avoid the government’s lament ‘that it is unaffordable’ the funding should be created by direct taxation of those individuals earning £100,000 per annum or more. The tax shall be raised by a 2% increase on this category - not as the government suggests in their paper as “responsibility of the individual” by sharing costs with the government pound for pound.
Conference instructs the NEC to work with the RMAC to pursue this policy.
Retired Members Conference
Carried
3 CATEGORY A This Conference is disturbed by the facts that although the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations that a particular drug or treatment should be made available to patients in the UK, individual Hospital Trusts can ignore this recommendation due to cost. This Conference therefore instructs the NEC to campaign through both the TUC and other relevant bodies for an end to this postcode lottery in our National Health Service.
Bristol and District Amal
Accepted
4 CATEGORY A This Conference agrees that the current disparity in maternity leave between different businesses is discriminatory to our women members. For example, Post Office Limited allows for women to take up to 26 weeks fully paid maternity leave, BT allows up to one year but, other businesses, where the union has recognition, paid maternity leave entitlement is less. Therefore, this Conference instructs the NEC to use all avenues at its disposal to achieve parity in paid maternity leave in all businesses.
London Regional Committee
Carried
5 CATEGORY A This Conference is concerned about the serious lack of refuge spaces available for lesbian, gay, bisexual and particularly transvictims of domestic violence.
Few refuges have adequate provisions in place to deal with LGBT people, and this leads to service users experiencing homophobia, transphobia, or in the worse case, can allow their abuser to gain access to the refuge to further assault their partner.
Furthermore Conference believes that Lesbians often find that the services set in place for women have no understanding of their cultural needs.
This leads to lesbian needs often being looked over, not taken seriously or grouped in with other heterosexual women where they might experience homophobia. In the Trans community, the issues faced by victims of domestic violence and abuse can be yet more serious: Trans women often find that this situation is intensified, with some being turned away from refuges as they do not fit their criteria of a woman; or the refuge not having any concept of the multi-faceted issues that they are dealing with.
These problems stem from a continued lack of awareness of the prevalence of domestic abuse in LGBT relationships, outdated presumptions that only heterosexual women can be victims of domestic violence and ongoing institutionalised homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.
Conference instructs the NEC through the work of the LGBT Committee to highlight this issue by raising awareness about the existence of domestic violence and calling upon refuges to be fully inclusive of LGBT victims of domestic violence, and to ensure that they have adequate policies in place to protect victims while they reside in the refuges.
LGBT Conference
Carried
6 CATEGORY A In 2008, 16.5 million (65%) UK households had internet access. The Internet can be a wonderful resource for children. They can use it to research school reports, communicate with teachers and other children, and play interactive games. Children who are old enough to punch in a few letters on the keyboard can literally access the world.
No option is going to guarantee that they'll be kept away from 100% of the risks on the Internet. Our children are at risk from:
_ Cyber bullying
_ Hacking
_ Viruses
_ Websites of Harmful Content
_ Sexual Predators
This Conference recognises the importance of educating parents about computers, internet use, online protection and the dangers to be aware of.
It is also important to know where to find support for victims of internet crime and their families.
This motion therefore instructs the NEC to establish a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers and help promote safe use of the web for our members and their children.
The campaign objective should include producing a pamphlet providing facts and figures, guidance on how to protect their children and information on where to find external help and support. This list is not exhaustive.
Tyne and Wear Clerical
Accepted
7 CATEGORY A Conference is concerned that the current legislation does not give adequate protection for women who suffer the loss of a child during pregnancy. Presently the legislation will protect a female from having to return to work for only 14 days. This does not take into account the possible complications that can occur, and the physical and mental well being of the mother. This ruling is often misinterpreted and abused by employers, who use the absence in standard sickness disciplinary procedures, and therefore do not always take into consideration protection under Maternity Rights legislation.
The NEC is therefore instructed to lobby the Government and the TUC to effect a review and endorse changes in the current legislation that would give women in this devastating position, reasonable protection, respect and dignity.
South West and Thames Valley
Accepted
8 CATEGORY A This conference recognises the excellent work done by many refuge organisations in the UK to support victims of domestic violence, the majority of whom are women. However, children make up roughly two thirds of the refuge population and children's services are significantly underfunded.
Supporting children affected by domestic violence requires providing safety and support services to both the child and its non-abusing parent. The longterm funding of children's domestic violence services in every local area, community-based and refuge-based, will ensure that these children receive the support they require to recover from their trauma.
This conference therefore instructs the NEC to identify a suitable campaign that the CWU can consider support for, which will be designed to maximise funding for support services for children who are victims of domestic violence.
Liverpool Clerical
Accepted
Section 1B | Sunday 10.15 – 11.10
9 CATEGORY A Conference notes:
_ That Israel's blockade of Gaza has now continued for over eighteen months preventing vital supplies including food and medicine from reaching the people of Gaza.
_ That over 1,440 Palestinians were killed during the first seventeen days of Israel's military offensive in Gaza of whom more than 400 were children (UN OCHA Report 12/01/2009).
_ That the Israeli Government acted in contravention of the IV Geneva Convention imposing collective punishment on the people of Gaza.
_ The sale of more than £18.8 million worth of British arms to Israel in 2008, up from £7.5 million in 2007.
Conference therefore instructs the NEC:
to call for an end to Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories.
to demand that the British government unequivocally condemns the Israeli military aggression against Gaza.
to demand the British government ends British arms sales to Israel.
to call for the immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Agreement providing preferential trade facilities to Israel.
to investigate whether any of the CWU’s holdings are in companies engaged in building The Wall declared illegal by the International Court of Justice, and to divest from them.
with CWU member Trustees of pension funds, to investigate whether any of their holdings are in such companies and to campaign for their divestment.
to publicize principled trade union solidarity actions in support of the Palestinians by, e.g., the South African dockworkers in Durban, the Irish tramway drivers in Dublin, and the Norwegian rail workers for their two-minute strike in protest at the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.
to congratulate the organizers of the Viva Palestina Convoy of medical and humanitarian aid to Gaza.
to assist CWU members with information regarding local authority contracts with Veolia, the French company involved in building the light railway from Jerusalem to the illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, thus encouraging campaigns to terminate such contracts.
to condemn the statement by Histadrut (Israel’s TUC) backing the invasion of Gaza.
to contact the appropriate Palestinian communication workers’ section of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions to express the CWU’s support for their members in occupied Palestinian territories.
to encourage branches to affiliate to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
London North Western C&C
Carried
10 CATEGORY A This Conference is concerned that there is a rising tide of violence, often resulting in torture and death, towards minority groups in Iraq. Conference therefore instructs the NEC to raise this issue with all appropriate bodies such as the ITUC,
United Nations, European parliament and the British and US Governments to try to halt these atrocities and ensure human rights are protected by the new government of Iraq prior to total foreign troop withdrawal.
West London
Not Carried
11 CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming National Executive Council that the CWU along with other Trade Unions affiliated to the TUC, ICTU, STUC, WTUC and Regional TUC’s across England should be calling on the UK Government to accept that UK citizens who were subjected to ‘rendition’ or extraordinary rendition’ across the world by the US and it’s allies should be allowed to return to the UK on their release from the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.
Conference further agrees that in accordance with our carriage of the policy at CWU Annual Conference in 2006, we will continue with the campaign to help prove that the UK Government was complicit in ‘rendition’ and ‘extraordinary rendition’ by allowing the use of UK airports and facilities and by assisting the US with its use of this process in the carrying out of their policies in Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and in the Near, Middle and Far East.
Scotland Regional Committee
Carried
12 CATEGORY A This conference instructs the NEC to use its influence to stop the use and retail of Nestle products in restaurants, canteens, shops and vending machines used by CWU members located on the premises of their employers.
Northern Ireland Engineering
Accepted
13 CATEGORY A Conference recognises the work carried out by the CWU Humanitarian Aid with the help of the Communication Workers Union, Royal Mail and BT in helping needy children in the UK, Eastern Europe and Africa for the last 13 years.
Conference believes that by raising awareness with our young members this will assist with fund raising and get young members more involved with the charity to sustain its long term future.
_Conference instructs the NEC:
_ To start a campaign to raise awareness of the CWU Humanitarian Aid and its work with our young members.
_ To help organise a youth sponsored vehicle on one of the two annual CWU Humanitarian Aid convoys and where possible use drivers under 30 for their vehicle.
_ To encourage fundraising through regional and national youth events.
_ To encourage activists under 30 to take up positions on the Humanitarian Aid Board of Trustees.
This list is not exhaustive.
Tyne and Wear Clerical
Accepted
14 CATEGORY A Conference congratulates those workers taking unofficial strike action at the Lindsey Oil Refinery and other places and condemns the European Court of Justice decisions in respect of the Laval, Ruffert and Viking cases that effectively led to these strikes.
Conference further notes that these court decisions have set legal precedent to allow social dumping by employers who can now get away with paying wages in the country of origin of the employer, and impose these wage levels for contracts in the UK. The decision also stops trade unions from taking legal industrial action to stop this on the grounds that it interferes with free trade.
Conference therefore instructs the incoming National Executive Council to support the United Campaign to Repeal the Anti Trade Union Laws, in their efforts to overturn the European Court of Justice decision in respect of these cases and to campaign vigorously through the TUC and ETUC to get these decisions reversed.
Conference further instructs the NEC to report back to next years’ Conference on any progress that may have been possible.
Western Counties
Carried
15 CATEGORY A Conference endorses the terms of LTB981/08 which recorded the decisions taken by the CWU delegation at the Labour Party Conference in Manchester 2008.
National Executive Council
Not heard
16 CATEGORY A Conference endorses the terms of LTB958/08 which recorded the decisions taken by the CWU delegation at the TUC Congress in Brighton 2008.
National Executive Council
Not heard
Section 4B
| Sunday 11.10 – 12.3057
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming National Executive Council to bestow National Honorary Membership upon Jeannie Drake, former DGS (TFS), Bill McClory, former National Officer, Richard Bruce former member of the National Executive Council, Dave Percival and Alan Crisp, former Policy Advisors and Tony Benn.National Executive Council
Carried
58
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion This Conference views with concern the fact that Royal Mail seem to be challenging ballots with increasing regularity and are using the law to prevent strikes from taking place when it is not possible to reach an agreement.Conference also notes that whilst some challenges have been successful because of occurrences at branch level other challenges have resulted due to mistakes at CWU HQ. Conference agrees that to prevent repeats both branches and CWU HQ must have robust arrangements in place in the future to deal with ballots for industrial action. Conference therefore agrees that an urgent review of all the processes that are currently in place needs to be held so that the chances of Royal Mail and other employers successfully challenging ballots and strike action in the future is minimised. The NEC is instructed accordingly.
South West Regional Committee
Bristol and District Amal
Fell
59
CATEGORY A Conference is mindful of the existing problems for branch officers representing members in disciplines and grievances at non-recognised companies without an on-site representative, as the existing facility led structure means this must be done via annual/special leave in most cases and as recruitment in these areas increases so do the workloads.The NEC is therefore instructed to undertake a full review to look at new ways in assisting branches until on-site reps are found and trained. This may involve setting up Regional panels of individuals who could be called on for assistance where necessary. A report should be presented back to branches within 3 months of the closure of conference.
North East Regional Committee
Carried
60
CATEGORY A This Conference recognises the problems caused by the current practice of allocating members to Branches from non-recognised companies without prior consultation with the affected Branch. Therefore Conference instructs the NEC to investigate and report a solution by Annual Conference 2010 at the latest.Birmingham, Black Country and Worcester
Accepted
61
CATEGORY A This Conference notes that amendments to Rule 2 were passed at the Rules Revision Conference in 2004 reinforcing the need for positive action within the CWU to achieve equality.Specifically, Rules 2.5 and 2.6 introduced the need for proportionality and for positive action "until such time as the Union is satisfied that its structure reflects and supports the gender and racial balance of the members it represents.
Conference is therefore disappointed to note that, despite these rules having been introduced into the Union's Rule Book 5 years ago, replacing the previous Rule 2.1(d), there has been little progress in achieving these ends.
Conference therefore instructs the NEC to bring forward an action plan to the 2010 Annual Conference on the positive action that the Union needs to take to ensure both "proportionality and fair representation" and that our structure reflects and supports the gender and racial balance of the members we represent. Progress reports on this action plan to be presented to the CWU Women’s and Black Workers conferences in 2011.
West London
Accepted
62
CATEGORY A The NEC is instructed that the delegation strengths for UNI Congresses are as follows:UNI World Conference
NEC Members
1 NEC member from Postal/O&A
1 NEC member from Engineering/Clerical/PTS
One of the NEC members must be a woman
Lay Members
3 From Postal/O&A, one of whom must be a woman
2 From Engineering/Clerical/PTS, one of whom must be a woman
UNI Europa
As the World Congress
UNI World Post/Logistics
NEC Members
2 NEC members from the Postal and PTS, one of whom must be a woman
Lay Members
5 lay members from Postal and PTS, at least two of whom must be women
UNI Europa Post/Logistics
As the World Post/Logistics
UNI World Telecom
NEC Members
2 NEC members from Engineering/Clerical/O&A, one of whom must be a woman
Lay Members
3 Lay members from Engineering/Clerical/O&A, one of whom must be a woman
UNI Europa Telecoms
As UNI World Telecoms
UNI World Finance
NEC Members
1 NEC member representing Financial Services
Lay Members
2 Members from Financial Services one of whom must be a woman
UNI Europa Finance
As UNI World Finance Appropriate Officers will attend as necessary.
National Executive Council
Not Carried
63
CATEGORY A This conference instructs the incoming National Executive Council to ensure that National Briefings/Meetings called by the NEC, the Industrial Executives or National Officers should be rotated around the country by a structured pattern to ensure that they are not mainly held in London. This will mean that branches are not penalised in relation to time, travel and subsistence costs.North West Regional Committee
Carried
64
CATEGORY A This conference instructs the NEC to call one meeting a year with the Regional Equality Secretaries with a view to briefing, updating and improving regional links, motivating Regional Equality Committees, encourage their development and providing a structure and focus for equality agendas at regional level.Funding arrangements to be shared between HQ and the regions on a matched basis.
Wales and Marches Regional Committee
Accpeted
65
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the NEC to make the appropriate rule changes to ensure that the secretaries of the Regional Retired Members Committees are invited to attend Annual Conference in an ex officio capacity.South East No.5
Not Heard
66
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion This conference welcomes the moves within the Youth Advisory Committee to put the recruitment, engagement, development and organising of our youth potential at the heart of its agenda. Further conference recognises that the recruitment of young people into the CWU, and encouraging them to become representatives is vital to the future of the Union.Therefore conference instructs the NEC to:
Ensure that links between the YAC and the Organising Department remains in place and is further developed.
To work with the YAC to reword and update the Branch Youth Officer Job Description, and the Regional Youth Committee constitution to reflect this focus.
To ensure that newly elected Youth Officers receive some formal training in recruitment and organising in a timely fashion.
South West Regional Committee
Plymouth and East Cornwall Amal
Not Heard
67
CATEGORY A This conference is concerned at the lack of progress on Motion 74 carried at Annual Conference 2007:"This conference agrees that a review should take place with regards the roles and responsibilities of the Regional Secretaries. It should include the election and remuneration of the Secretary, which department/officer they report to and tasks they are expected to undertake. This list is not exhaustive and the report and any recommendations to be published by Jan 2008’
This conference instructs the NEC that the report and any recommendations will be published by January 2010.
Greater Manchester
Not Heard
68
CATEGORY A Conference notes the valuable work of the four Equality Advisory Committees established under Rule 8.14 in promoting the Equality Agenda.Conference believes that the Equality Advisory Committees work for the whole of the CWU and therefore should be accountable to, and elected by, the whole of the CWU, as are the Youth Advisory Committee and the Retired Members Advisory Committee.
Conference notes the current rule 8.14 requires these committees to be elected by Branch voting strengths while ensuring all constituencies are represented.
Conference therefore instructs the NEC to ensure that from 2010 the election regulations issued under the terms of rule 8.14 shall ensure that the existing constituency based lay seats are elected by the whole of General Conference using branch voting strengths.
Midland Regional Committee
Not Heard
69
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion This Conference instructs the incoming National Executive Council that with the need to maintain a membership base an advert shall be printed in each edition of the Voice laying out the terms of Retired Membership of this union.These adverts to commence as from the first edition of the Voice in June
2009 after Main Conference of this union.
Retired Members Conference
Eastern No.5, Eastern No.6
Eastern Regional Committee
Carried
70
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion Conference notes the continuing high demands for members to be represented/assisted with Employment Tribunal applications. It recognises the importance of this service, both to current members and as an attraction for recruitment to the union.Conference reaffirms the policy carried in 2007, which instructed the NEC to:
Increase the number of ET panellists as quickly as possible.
Provide training of ET Law to panellists.
Once the increase number of panellists have been recruited and trained, then the CWU will change the criteria which the Union represents members at Tribunals, in order to maximise the amount of members we represent.
Conference believes we still need to do more to maximise the number of members we represent and calls for:
Full Implementation of the above policy within 12 months.
A review of training for Branch Officers to ensure we can effectively advise members at the earliest stages, before ET applications are submitted.
A review of Head Office/Branch working to ensure a partnership which provides the best possible service within the resources available.
Central London
Portsmouth and District Postal
London Regional Committee
Not Heard
Section 7A
| Sunday 14.00 – 15.00HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT83
CATEGORY A Conference notes with concern the risk of cervical cancer in young women.At present the minimum age women can have cervical smear tests in England is 25 years.
Sexual health charity Marie Stopes argue that lowering the screening age to bring it in line with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can only be beneficial.
Conference therefore instructs the incoming National Executive Council to raise awareness of cervical cancer amongst its own membership and to campaign to government and other relevant bodies to lower the age at which young women can have cervical cancer smears.
South East Regional Safety Forum
Carried
84
CATEGORY A Conference instructs the NEC to campaign for a change in the law concerning arthritis & osteoarthritis, and it being considered as an "industrial disease".Currently the law only applies to agricultural workers (amended 2005) with 10 years of exposure.
That this should be expanded upon to apply to our peripatetic colleagues in our industries.
The NEC is instructed to achieve similar terms for all CWU members.
Midland Regional Health and Safety Forum
Carried
85
CATEGORY A Conference instructs the NEC to achieve an eyecare package from employers for our colleagues.To provide free eye tests, eye-ware and eye welfare for all of our members.
This is to be in line with recent achievements for our members in RMPF/Parcelforce world wide.
Midland Regional Health and Safety Forum
Accepted
Emergency Motion 8 was carried. awaiting details of this motion.
Section 7A
| Sunday 14.00 – 15.0086
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming National Executive Council to negotiate an agreement with all employers represented by this union for free flu jabs where requested by individual members.Eastern No.5
Carried
87
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion This Conference recognises that noise regulations in the United Kingdom are woefully inadequate in respect of workers who use personal audio equipment such as call centre headsets.Further, as the leading Trades Union in the call centre industry, conference believes that the CWU should look to aspire to set the standards for aural health and safety within the call centre industry.
Therefore the incoming NEC is instructed to negotiate with the various employers where the CWU has recognition to ensure that as a minimum CWU members working in call centres enjoy:
Regular hearing tests provided by the employer.
A real choice of single or dual aural headsets.
South West Regional Health and Safety Forum Plymouth and East Cornwall Amal
Accepted
88
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming National Executive Council that a thorough and comprehensive assessment shall be done of the occupational health services and their dealings with our members to ascertain if they are indeed occupational health providers or nothing more than management tools employed to the detriment of our members who are supposed to benefit from said services.A report will be submitted to branches as soon as possible with a view to forcing a change in policy and provision of a more even handed and proactive occupational health service for our members.
Scottish Regional Health and Safety Forum
Withdrawn
89
CATEGORY A This conference believes that information on health issues needs to be included/improved as part of the training available to representatives, to improve their skills and awareness when dealing with members needs.The NEC is therefore instructed to undertake a review of current health and safety training courses available to CWU Health and Safety Representatives.
Health issues that should be considered as part of this training would include:
Gender specific illnesses/diseases
Mental health issues
Workplace stress
Musculoskeletal disorders
RSI’s
This list is not exhaustive.
This review should then be used to enhance current representative training programmes, to improve information/support available to the membership.
Additional new courses for representatives should be considered if necessary as part of this review.
Eastern Regional Health and Safety Forum
Carried
90
CATEGORY A It is in the direct interest of our membership that the most accurate portrayal of work related accident and ill health data is available to enable the CWU – at all levels – to best represent the health, safety and welfare interests of those members. To this end the NEC is instructed to carry out a survey of the membership or a representative sample from each constituency where we have employer data to enable a ‘weighted’ picture of work related accident and ill health in a similar way to that which the Labour Force Survey is used to weight the Health and Safety Executive accident and ill health statistics.North East Regional Health and Safety Forum
Accepted
Section 7B
| Sunday 15.15 – 16.1591
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion Conference notes with great concern, that the 1991 Dangerous Dog Act has proved ineffective and does not provide sufficient protection for our members as well as public service and utilities workers in general. The law is not enforced effectively or given priority by the Police and the Courts generally treat cases too leniently.Conference congratulates the Health, Safety and Environment Department for launching the "CWU Bite-back campaign" in a determined way which has proved an excellent initiative in lifting the profile of the issue and placing it in the public eye but the union still has a way to go to achieve its objectives.
Conference therefore instructs the NEC to step-up the union's high profile campaign to improve and change the Dangerous Dogs Act and the way it is enforced and offenders punished so that greater protection is provided to all vulnerable workers who are potential victims.
The union's campaign should involve the following activities;
Engage with the employers to put in place preventative measures.
Pressing all UK Parliaments to change the law and improve enforcement.
Seeking cross-party support from MP’s of all parties to improve the law.
Seek the support of the TUC and Labour Party.
Seek the support of Police Federation.
Seek the support of The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).
Seek the support of Animal Welfare Charities, HSE and others.
Raise awareness through the Union's Voice magazine, Website, Union
Campaign material and Media in General.
This list of actions should not be seen as exhaustive.
South East Regional Safety Forum
North East Regional Health and Safety Forum
South West Regional Health and Safety Forum
Carried
92
CATEGORY A Conference agrees the current Accident Reporting Procedures are not fit for purpose. And the NEC are instructed to negotiate a joint review with all businesses represented by the CWU to agree a Reporting Procedure that includes regular information to Safety Reps and a Near Miss Incident Recording.North West Regional Health and Safety Forum
Carried
93
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming National Executive Council to negotiate with the employer a number of suitable strategies/measures, to reduce Occupational Road Risk for our members who drive as a result their employment including those employees who are authorised to use their own private vehicles for work activities.These strategies/measures should consider:
The provision of advanced/defensive driver training.
Driver Risk Assessments for all employees who drive during the course of their employment.
Route management and planning which considers rest breaks, as well as time and traffic constraints.
Solutions to eliminate or reduce the effects of driver fatigue and other ill health associated with ORR.
Information and training on how to deal with severe weather and other adverse situations associated with ORR.
Achieving higher driver standards and capabilities consistent with standards similar to HGV drivers.
Financial responsibility for eye examinations and periodical medical examinations/ surveys.
This list is not exhaustive.
In addition, the views of organisations such as RoSPA and other road transport safety organisations should be taken into account when developing a CWU policy towards Occupational Road Risk.
A report to be published to branches no later than 31st December 2009.
Eastern Regional Health and Safety Forum
Carried
94
CATEGORY A With the introduction of improved technology and equipment, coupled with climate variations, the NEC are instructed to negotiate an agreed acceptable upper working temperature level with all CWU represented businesses of around 24 degrees Celsius and campaign for legislation to be introduced that includes maximum working temperatures and thermal comfort.North West Regional Health and Safety Forum
Accepted
95
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion This Conference instructs the incoming National Executive Council to achieve an agreement with the all employers that ensures CWU Health and Safety Representatives are notified in ‘good time’, of any accident occurring in their area.All CWU Health and Safety Representatives, including Local Workplace Representatives, must be given the opportunity to jointly investigate all accidents.
In addition, the findings from joint accident investigations must be taken into account when considering control measures, as part of this agreement.
Eastern Regional Health and Safety Forum
Northern Home Counties Postal
Carried
96
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming National Executive Council that Health and Safety Representatives should have more input at the earliest possible point in our members introduction to working with the business units that the CWU represent.To this end an agreement should be reached with all the relevant business units to ensure that the H&S reps are involved in both the setting up of the H&S part of induction training and jointly delivering the relevant training to inductees.
Scottish Regional Health and Safety Forum
Carried
97
CATEGORY A Conference notes with concern the number of CWU members/employees involved in accidents within their respective workplaces.Conference therefore instructs the NEC to reach agreement that promotes a proactive approach to safety with all business/organizations that have recognition with the CWU by means of training that is both suitable & sufficient to the workplace.
This health & safety training should be provided jointly with the relevant/appropriate Area/Workplace Safety Rep fully involved in both the setting up & delivery of joint training within the recognized induction
process for all new employees within their business.
This training agreement should be devised with the full involvement of CWU health, safety & environment dept, and shall call on the necessary work groups & area safety reps where required to ensure training is tailored to the workplace.
This training should include as a minimum the following:
Safe Systems or Work training
Safe use of Work Equipment training
Near Miss & Accident reporting
Training on site/industry specific hazards
Risk Assessment & reporting of hazards
This list in not exhaustive.
North East Regional Health and Safety Forum
Accepted
98
CATEGORY A This Conference notes the good work that is carried out on behalf of members by those involved with Health & Safety at Head Office in negotiating that all Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) and Safety Wear is fit for purpose.
However, due to changes in the world and UK climate many items of PPE/Safety Wear that member’s have to wear today whilst of a safe standard don’t take into consideration that unfortunately their use can make the wearer in these varied weather conditions uncomfortable and/or hot and therefore Conference instructs the National Executive to review all PPE worn by CWU Members to take this into consideration.
London Regional Health and Safety Forum
Accepted
Section 1C
| Sunday 16.15 – 17.1517
CATEGORY A Conference recognises that the recession the country is going through is better managed by a Labour government. Conference also recognises the key issues that caused this global recession were led by bank lending practices that over inflated the housing market to a point where inevitable collapse occurred. The excessive bonus structure for bank managers that fuelled this lending crisis have to be eliminated from any new regulations and practices that are introduced.Conference instructs the NEC to call on government to bring in laws in co-operation with the international community of countries that protect against this catastrophe happening again.
Capital
Carried
18
CATEGORY A This conference notes that increasingly numbers of people are falling into debt and being referred to debt collection agencies and bailiffs. No White Paper has followed the Green Paper Review of Bailiff Law in 2001 and whilst the National Standards for Enforcement Agents has been created, this still leaves an industry lacking in regulation in which vulnerable people are being subjected to bullying, extortion and the loss of property. Conference therefore instructs the NEC to engage with theYAC and other Union bodies and to mount a campaign aimed at securing much tighter legal regulation.
Manchester Clerical
Carried
19
CATEGORY A Conference agrees that the economic crisis caused by the global financial downturn gives us in the CWU the opportunity to argue the case for rational planning, greater democratic control and public ownership of the UK Communications Sector. Greater public investment in economic infrastructure is needed as a stimulus for theeconomy at a time of downturn and the case for a national comprehensive fibre optic network is becoming more popular by the day. There is growing recognition that there is a bottleneck in bandwidth and we need to "go the extra mile" into peoples homes, businesses and community organisations.
Therefore we will renew the Union’s case for public ownership of the UK Telecoms sector and campaign for:
A true "network for the future" in public ownership and under democratic control serving the people of the UK.
Better quality of service standards through greater investment in capital and in labour, through an improvement in working standards throughout the telecoms industry including building on the new rights for agency workers.
An alternative to the current neo liberal ‘competitive’ regulatory arrangements that discourage necessary planned investment.
The public investment and democratic control of our industry that is necessary to bridge the "digital divide" in our society.
Central London
Carried
20
CATEGORY A Conference continues to recognise the full range of benefits brought about by the presence of migrant workers, including refugees and asylum seekers in our society and welcomes the diversity which they bring to this country.This conference commends the work of the CWU in recent years in supporting and campaigning policies to improving lives of migrant workers, refugees and asylum seekers, however, conference notes the terrible conditions that many refugees and asylum seekers have to live in the UK.
Asylum seekers face the ultimate indignity of not being able to work and fend for themselves – a right taken away from them by the UK Government.
This conference agrees that the issue faced by these more vulnerable of people are issues which the trade union movement need to actively lobby and campaign on their behalf.
This conference instructs the NEC and the Race Advisory Committee to lobby and campaign the UK government to change their policy and let asylum seekers work and to sign up to the "LET THEM WORK" campaign.
CWU Black Worker’s Conference
Accepted
21
CATEGORY A This conference believes that the government has a responsibility for ensuring that basic utilities (gas water electricity etc) are delivered to all at a reasonable and fair price. The NEC is therefore instructed to work with other campaigning organisations to seek the imposition of a regulatory framework that would both cap utility company profits and the prices they charge to customers.Manchester Clerical
Accepted
22
CATEGORY A Conference deplores the second rate treatment that agency workers in the UK receive, and notes at how this disproportionately effects young workers.Conference welcomes the successful passage of the Agency Workers Directive, but is concerned that the Government and Employers associations may use the current economic downturn as an excuse to delay implementation within the UK.
Therefore the incoming NEC is instructed to campaign within the CWU and externally to ensure that the directive is implemented into UK law as quickly as possible.
Youth Conference
Carried
23
CATEGORY A This Conference condemns the recent policy announcement by David Cameron to cut £5bn from public expenditure by holding the budget of most government departments to a 1 per cent real terms increase in 2009/10.This would mean reopening the three year financial settlement for local government and reducing funding by £240million.
This means cuts in services or an extra increase in council tax of 1 per cent, at a time when people need real help to weather the economic difficulties.
Conference instructs the NEC to do all it can to ensure that public expenditure is protected, in the interests of the public.
Liverpool Clerical
Carried
24
CATEGORY A This conference instructs the NEC to launch a campaign for the re-nationalisation of BT plc in recognition of the following:The company’s difficulties in meeting its pension obligations.
The dilution of the ‘crown guarantee’ of pensions post privatisation.
The mismanagement of the business since privatisation with billions lost to the company through bad commercial decisions on mergers/takeovers and the sell off of parts of the business.
The loss to the UK treasury of revenues to the UK economy through the off shore of work generated in the UK.
The obscenity of excessive bonuses paid to directors for abject failure.
The campaign to be promoted throughout the union, the Labour party, TUC’s, ICTU and wider labour and trade union movement together with all other UK public representatives and the general public at large.
Northern Ireland Clerical
Carried
Section 1D
| Sunday 17.15 – 18.00Y25
CATEGORY A Conference acknowledges the importance of climate change as an environmental issue and the response of the trade union movement to it.The CWU should therefore support a Green New Deal that encompasses the use of postal and telecommunications services to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The CWU should also use its influence to encourage the use of renewable energy wherever possible.
The NEC are therefore instructed to purse this policy.
Central London
Carried
26
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion This Conference instructs the NEC to work with the Women’s Advisory Committee to negotiate with the employer to ensure paid release from duty by the business or as a minimum special leave paid by the retrospective branch is granted for Women’s Officers’ to enable female members’ to have female representation in cases of attendance, conduct, grievances, bullying and harassment where appropriate and if they so wish. Whilst conference recognises the excellent work and support carried out by our male colleagues, female members’ should be afforded the choice.Eastern Regional Committee
CWU Women’s Conference
Carried
27
CATEGORY A Conference notes the huge number of job cuts taking place with more than three million expected to be unemployed by the end of 2009. Conference believes that large scale government action is needed to alleviate unemployment and the threat of job losses. Conference recognises the huge impact this will have on young workers and students whilst there is an urgent need for more social/youth workers nurses, carers and teachers. Just a fraction of the money used to bail out the banks could be used to take hundreds of thousands off the dole queues. Conference therefore instructs the NEC to support the "Youth Fight For Jobs Campaign" which is campaigning for amongst other demands a decent job for all. For a minimum wage of £8 per hour. No to cheap Labour Apprenticeships.Coventry
Carried
28
CATEGORY A This Conference recognises the increase of employer’s pension reviews in recent years and the impact this has had on our members. Conference also notes that the majority of members attending meetings, making enquiries and looking for advice from the CWU have been over the age of 30.It is the perception of Conference that the youth of our membership have a much less understanding of pensions and often fail to recognise the importance of changes and the impact this will have on their future.
Conference therefore instructs the NEC to take responsibility for a national campaign to provide direction to and assistance on pensions for the youth of the union.
Tyne and Wear Clerical
Not Heard
29
CATEGORY A Conference instructs the NEC to lobby the Government for the introduction of free off peak bus travel for people under the age of 17, people in receipt of job seekers allowance, income support or employment and support allowance.South West and Thames Valley
Accepted
30
CATEGORY A This conference notes with alarm the Governments dogmatic approach to construct a third runway at Heathrow Airport against massive opposition from the Greater London Authority, Local Councils and local residents.This conference therefore instructs the National Executive to use all the methods within the CWU’s campaigning arsenal to actively support the fight opposing the third runway.
London North Western C&C
Not Heard
31
CATEGORY A Conference believes that man made climate change will have devastating consequences unless urgent action is taken, and that trade unions have a vital role in responding to this.This conference notes that initiatives such as the South West TUC Green Workplaces project is making much progress, including taking steps towards "green representatives" in workplaces, and encouraging the trade union movement to make green issues a priority.
This conference resolves to support and promote the Green Workplace
initiatives. Further it resolves that Regional Youth Committees should promote such initiatives in CWU regional meetings and branch meetings, for example through inviting speakers about greening workplaces and adopting motions to put "green workplaces" on the agenda of Branch and Regional meetings.This conference instructs the NEC in conjunction with the YAC to use its links with the TUC National young members’ forum, to promote these ideas as a priority for the CWU and the wider trade union movement.
Youth Conference
Not Heard
HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT
02534 Published by the Communication Workers Union 2009