LTB 108/24 – CWU RESTRUCTURING – NEC RULE CHANGES SUBMITTED TO THE RULES REVISION CONFERENCE 2024

No. 108/24

14th March 2024 

TO:   ALL CWU BRANCHES

Dear Colleagues

CWU RESTRUCTURING – NEC RULE CHANGES SUBMITTED TO THE RULES REVISION CONFERENCE 2024

Further to LTB 093/24 circulated on 8 March 2024 that contained the policy papers as agreed by the NEC, Branches and Regions will be aware that in order to enact these policies the appropriate rule changes now have to be submitted to the Rules Revision Conference.

Please find attached respective rule changes that the NEC have agreed to submit to the Rules Conference.  In addition, the NEC agreed a further rule change (also attached) relating to a previous NEC policy to oppose all forms of sexual harassment.

It will be our intention to arrange a National Zoom Briefing for Branch and Regional Secretaries next week to discuss the policy papers, proposed rule changes and clarify any questions arising from these.

During the briefing we will explain in more detail the proposed Branch Rebate change and the associated financial issues arising from this. The details for the briefing will be sent out before the end of the week.

Finally, we will bring forward, in due course, a presentation and paper on a new Recruitment and Organising strategy.

Any enquiries on the above LTB should be addressed to the General Secretary’s office jdunn@cwu.org/ Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Office sdgs@cwu.org .

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward
General Secretary                                                              

Tony Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary

APPENDIX A

After current rule 2.1.4 insert new rule 2.1.5 to be worded as follows: 

“To actively oppose all forms of sexual harassment” 

Delete current Rule 7.1.1 and replace with:

There shall be 8 Regional Committees established. Regional Committee areas, and the allocation of Branches to them, shall be determined by General Conference. Where the NEC and the Branches concerned agree, changes may be made without reference to General Conference. Where agreement cannot be reached a report shall be made to General Conference.   The CWU Regional Structure will be subject to review by the NEC.

Add at the end of current rule 7.1.6.1 the following:

In the North West/Northern Ireland Region there shall be an additional position of Regional Assistant Secretary Northern Ireland.

Delete current rule 7.1.8 and replace with:

  1. Election Procedures

The elections for the Regional Committee Officer positions and the Regional Executive Committee positions will be elected by Branches within the Regions on a one union basis.

The election for the Regional Secretary will be on an individual member ballot of all members in the Region. The election period will be for two years. The successful candidate shall be the person who receives the highest number of votes cast.

The election for the Regional Assistant Secretary Northern Ireland will be on an individual member ballot of all members in Northern Ireland. The successful candidate shall be the person who receives the highest number of votes cast.

Elections for the Regional Chair, Assistant Secretary, Financial Secretary and all Executive Committee positions will be conducted at the Regional AGM.   The Regional Secretary will be the returning officer for these elections.  All Branches shall be eligible to vote and will be allocated to vote in accordance with their membership size at the time of the elections.   The successful candidate(s) will be the individual(s) who receive the highest number of votes cast.

Delete Rule 8.1.3 and replace with:

3. The NEC shall comprise 24 members:

a. President and Vice President, but their inclusion shall not increase the numbers from their originating Constituencies.

b. 10 lay members elected biennially by and from the Postal Constituency and 1 of whom shall be the Chair of the Postal Constituency. All of whom shall automatically be members of the Postal Industrial Executive.  At least 2 lay members must be women.   At least 1 lay member must be BAME.

c. 7 lay members elected biennially by and from the Telecom and Financial Services Constituency and 1 of whom shall be the Chair of the TFS Constituency. All of whom shall automatically be members of the Telecoms and Financial Services Industrial Executive.  At least 2 lay members must be women.  At least 1 lay member must be BAME.

d. 2 lay Young Workers members elected biennially who must be 29 or under at the time of the election. 1 of whom will be elected by and from the Postal Constituency and 1 of whom shall be elected by and from the Telecoms and Financial Services Constituency.

e. 1 lay Retired Member elected biennially by all members of the retired sector.

The Retired Members NEC representative shall not be entitled to vote on issues that are Financial, Rule, Constitutional or issues that could be considered to have an industrial context except where they apply only to Retired Members.

f. 4 lay Equality members elected biennially by all members of union, except the Retired Members for each of the following equality strands

Women

LGBT+

BAME

Disability

To delete current rule 8.5 and replace with:

  1. Postal Executive (PE)

 

  1. The PE shall be responsible for occupational and conditions of service issues for all Postal and related employers where the Union is recognised and shall ensure appropriate business co-ordinating committees exist below national level in all Royal Mail and other postal businesses. Such organisation shall only be altered by decision of a Conference or ballot of the relevant membership.

 

  1. Members of the PE shall deputise for the Assistant Secretaries Postal in their absence/unavailability in dealing with the employer within their remit.

 

3.a)     The PE shall consist of 14 lay members elected biennially by and taken from the Postal Constituency and 1 of whom shall be the Postal Constituency Chair, 10 shall be the NEC Postal Constituency Representatives, 4 shall be elected by and from the Postal Constituency

 

b) The DGS(P) and the Assistant Secretaries who deal with postal issues, but without voting rights.

 

  1. The Chair of the PE shall be elected biennially by and taken from members of the Postal Constituency by a simple majority of those members entitled to vote.

 

  1. Any member of the Postal Constituency shall be eligible for nomination to the position of Chair.

 

  1. The position of Chair shall not increase the number of biennially elected members.

 

 To delete current rule 8.6 and replace with: 

6. Telecoms and Financial Services Executive (T&FSE)

1.          The T&FSE shall be responsible for:

a)    Occupational and conditions of service issues for all   telecommunications, information technology financial services and related employers where the Union is recognised.

2.          a)   The T&FSE shall consist of 15 lay members elected biennially by and
taken from members of the Telecoms and Financial Services

Constituency 7 of whom shall be the TFS NEC members

b)    The DGS (T&FS) and the Assistant Secretaries who deal with

Telecoms and Financial Services issues, but without voting rights.

3.     The Chair of the T&FSE shall be elected biennially by and taken from members of the T&FS Constituency by a simple majority of those members entitled to vote.

4.     Any member of the T&FS Constituency shall be eligible for nomination to the Chair.

5.     The position of Chair shall not increase the number of biennially elected TFSE members.

6.     The T&FSE shall be empowered to establish sub-committees, as it considers necessary for the efficient conduct of its business.

7.     The structure and the procedural rules of these other sub-committees shall be contained in regulations, which shall be published to Branches.

 

Delete current Rule 8.12.1 and replace with:

The CWU Young Workers Committee shall consist of 2 members of the NEC who shall be the nationally elected Young Workers members of the NEC and 2 lay members elected biennially from each of the CWU regions, with 1 being from the TFS Constituency and 1 from the Postal Constituency and two lay members elected by and from the UTAW Branch.

All candidates shall be aged 29 or under at the time of election.

Delete current Rule 9.6.3.a in its entirety and renumber the remainder of rule 9.6 accordingly.

Delete current Rule 9.6.3.b in its entirety and renumber the remainder of rule 9.6 accordingly.

Amend Rule 9.6.4 to be worded as follows:

There shall be the following Industrial Officers:

a)    4 Assistant Secretaries elected every five years by the Postal Constituency

b)   The Assistant Secretaries to the T&FS Industry

 

Delete current rule 10.1 and replace with: 

1.General

1. There shall be a biennial Conference of the Union held at a date determined by the NEC every two years to debate and determine matters of policy.

The normal length of the Biennial Conference shall be 5 days comprising of 2 days General / Rules Conference and an Equality day and 2 days allocated to the Postal and TFS Industrial Conferences.

2. The General Conference is the supreme authority of the Union on matters of

common policy whilst it is in session. The main role of the NEC is to carry out

the instructions of the General Conference. To this end the supreme authority is

vested in the NEC between General Conferences. Decisions taken and policies

determined by the NEC are ultimately subject to ratification by General

Conference.

3. The procedures for promoting policy in the TUC, and the wider labour movement,

and associated delegations will be the responsibility of the NEC.

4. There shall also be the following Conferences held each year:

a) Retired Members

b) Young Workers


Add new Rule 10.5 to be worded as follows:

Special Reports

The NEC shall be entitled to submit a Special Report before the Conference covering major strategic issues. The Report will be open to motions to amend from Branches and Regions and any other relevant bodies entitled to submit motions to amend.

Add new Rule 10.8.8 to be worded as follows:

The T&FSE will be entitled to submit a Special Report covering major strategic issues that will be open to motions to amend submitted from the relevant bodies entitled to submit motions to amend

Add new Rule to follow Rule 10.10 to be worded as follows:

Special Reports

The Postal Executive will be entitled to submit a Special Report covering major strategic issues. The Report will be open to motions to amend from Branches and Business Co-ordinating Committees.

To delete current rule 11.6.1 and replace with:

  1. From 1 September 2024 each Branch shall receive monthly 23% 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;

    a. All Conference expenses including subsistence, travel and loss of pay;
    b. Regional and Industrial based Committee expenses including travel and subsistence;
    c. Travel and subsistence for all education courses;
    d. Travel and subsistence for national briefings;
    e. Visits to HQ requested by the Branch

Delete current rule 11.6.2 and replace with:

From 1 September 2024 each Branch shall receive a rebate for its Retired Members Section of 23% of all income received by CWU HQ from the contribution of the Branch Retired Members. Such rebates shall only be paid to the Branch on formation of a Retired Members Section.

LTB 108/24 – CWU RESTRUCTURING NEC RULE CHANGES SUBMITTED TO THE RULES REVISION CONFERENCE 2024