2012 Conference daily news
View photos from conference online by visiting the CWU image library.
|
Thursday 26th April
|
The last morning of conference opened with motions on problems associated with unfair attendance procedure warnings and disputed deductions from pay, after which delegates moved on to workplace safety and accident reporting.
For the full report click >here<.
|
Wednesday 25th April
|
Tangible anger on performance management
The largest single-issue survey ever conducted of members' experiences and perceptions across BT has produced a damning indictment of the company's efforts to improve its performance management and sick absence management processes.
For the full story, click >here<
Postal conference afternoon round-up
Delegates held a second discussion on the controversial issue of World Class Mails (WCM) this afternoon and resolved to include it as a key subject in the forthcoming national policy forum
For the full report, click >here<
Postal conference morning round-up
This morning's session opened with a series of resolutions aimed at improving training for members at work and strengthening the union's representation structure. Key guest speaker today was Royal Mail chief executive Moya Greene, who gave delegates an update on the progress made in the industry over the past 21 months since her appointment.
For the full report, click >here<
Unreasonable targets in
Retail
Concerns are growing that unreasonable targets,
coupled with pressure brought to bear by various performance
management processes, are driving individuals to miss lunch breaks
and work unpaid hours in different divisions of BT Retail.
For the full report, click >here<
Management
don't have clue!
Mandatory training for managers in discipline and
grievance procedures is needed.
For the full report, click >here<
|
Tuesday 24th April |
Postal conference afternoon round-up
Conference debated pay, six-day delivery and work experience during Tuesday's afternoon session, as delegates continued to respond robustly to general secretary Billy Hayes's call for "diversity in debate and unity in action."
For the full report, click >here<
Postal conference morning round-up
A report on this morning's postal conference speeches, debates and motions.
For the full story, click >here<
Andy Kerr officially opened the Telecoms and Financial Services (T&FS) sector conference this morning. In his speech, Andy outlined a broad agenda covering a range of issues.
Read Andy's speech to find out what he had to say and what is ahead for the T&FS conference.
Stop
the annual leave booking farce
Mounting exasperation over the huge and growing
difficulties being faced by BT and Manpower employees attempting to
book the annual leave to which they are entitled has triggered
forthright CWU demands for company action to end the impasse.
For the full report, click >here<
BT's refusal to particulate in the Government's 'Cycle to Work' scheme is to be challenged by the CWU amid widespread dismay that employees are being needlessly chance to benefit significant savings when purchasing bicycles.
For the full report, click >here<
Aspiring for
a 36-hour week across O2
The aim of achieving a 36-hour working week across O2 has been
adopted as formal CWU policy following demands from O2 delegates at
CWU Annual Conference.
For the full report, click >here<
More offline
work needed
Talks are to be opened with BT with a view to
ensure that every one of the company's UK call centres can
offer advisers 'off line' work when illness or other health
problems mean they cannot conduct customer facing work.
For the full report, click >here<
Tension at Capita
Frustration amongst members at Capita Service
Birmingham over a litany of payroll problems, and the unagreed
introduction of new ways of working that are piling pressure on
staff, spilled over at CWU Annual Conference.
For the full report, click >here<
Extend call-monitoring safeguards
Talks are to be sought with BT Group in a bid to get a remote monitoring code of practice similar to the one already operated by BT Retail extended across BT's call centre operations.
For the full report, click >here<
|
Monday 23rd April
|
Rousing
speech from Greek union leader
"We are right, we have the power and the day will be ours," vowed Greek postal workers' union leader Georgios Vasilopoulos in a rousing speech to conference this morning.
For the full story, click >here<
Health Safety & Environment fringe meeting
Over one hundred and fifty Communication Workers Union health and safety reps and branch officials packed the CWU health safety and environment fringe meeting at the CWU's annual conference in Bournemouth on Monday 23rd April 2012.
For the full report, click >here<
Challenging Russian
homophobes!
CWU General Conference has committed the union to
campaign against a rising tide of homophobia in Russia, which has
already seen St Petersburg criminalise any public discussion of
homosexuality in that city.
For the full report, click >here<
Ongoing Coalition Government attacks on health and safety legislation drew a furious and emotional response from CWU Annual Conference.
For the full report, click >here<
Action
needed on the menopause
The CWU is to redouble its efforts to ensure that
employers with which the union has recognition agreements both
recognise the needs of menopausal women and introduce "robust
procedures" to ensure their welfare.
For the full report, click >here<
Gerrymandering
afoot?
Reform of the current political boundaries being
proposed by the Government would massively benefit the Tories at
the expense of Labour and amounts to little more than
'gerrymandering', CWU Annual Conference unanimously agreed.
For the full report, click >here<
A suicidal time
bomb that must be tackled...
The CWU is to revitalise links with the Samaritans
and the mental health charity, Sane, amid horrifying evidence that
the deteriorating economic situation is dramatically pushing up
suicide rates.
For the full report, click >here<
Get
involved and make a difference
The CWU has resoundingly restated its commitment to
the Labour Party with the union's Annual Conference in
Bournemouth overwhelmingly rejecting calls by some branches to be
allowed to affiliate to other parties and organisations that are
campaigning on platforms consistent with CWU aims and policies.
For the full report, click >here<
|
Sunday 22nd April
|
A summary of the day's motions and proceedings.
For the full story, click >here<
Royal Mail privatisation: The fight goes on
Delegates kicked off Conference 2012 this afternoon by unanimously backing plans to relaunch the CWU's Keep the Post Public campaign.
For the full story, click >here<
Fight for justice for the Miami Five
Conference delegates today heard an impassioned appeal for solidarity in support of five Cubans thrown into jail in the US after they exposed terrorist plans to attack Cuba.
For the full story, click >here<
Venezuela
- an example to us all
"Venezuela proves to the world that there is an alternative," CWU NEC member Carl Maden told a packed conference fringe meeting today.
For the full story, click >here<
Defending the right to protest, defending the right to strike
A lunchtime fringe meeting on the 'Right to Protest' revealed startling first-hand accounts of recent protests crushed by the colluding and disproportionate force of government, police and the media.
For the full story, click >here
<
Salmond's "false choice" on Scottish independence
Scottish Labour Party leader Johann Lamont mounted an impassioned defence of the UK union at CWU annual conference today .
For the full story, click >here<
Disabled members need more protection
Action is urgently needed to ensure that the rights of disabled workers are protected from poor employment practices, CWU Annual Conference unanimously agreed.
For the full story, click >here<
Youth
fight-back begins now!
A decisive show of "white hot" anger is needed to provide
hope for a 'lost generation' of young people amid
spiralling youth unemployment and a Coalition Government intent on
making young people pay for the reckless mistakes of bankers, CWU
Annual Conference agreed.
For the full story, click >here<
Attacks on
disabled "an indictment on society"
Hundreds of thousands of disabled people are regularly experiencing
harassment and abuse - but a culture of disbelief is preventing
public authorities from tacking it effectively.
For the full story, click >here<
Flexible working remains
elusive
Hopes that the Flexible Working Regulations
introduced by the last Labour Government in 2003 would provide a
significant step forward for working parents have largely proved
futile, CWU Annual Conference agreed.
For the full story, click >here<
Stop the great energy 'rip-off'
Hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable in society are falling victim to effective 'extortion' by the energy companies by way of incomprehensible pricing structures and penalties for pre-payment which push up gas and electricity prices for those who can least afford them.
For the full story, click >here<
All conference photographs courtesy of Phil Graham
@Filmar.
