25th April 2015
COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS UNION
ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015
GENERAL CONFERENCE
General Conference SOC Report
Supplementary No.3
1.
E4
MOTIONS NOT ADMITTED TO THE AGENDA
Conference agrees that the publication of the national elections results on the 16th April 2015
demonstrate that the change in the balloting instruction in the Postal Executive Council (PEC)
election caused a massive problem.
Conference notes that this un-necessary and unannounced change has resulted in an
unprecedented increase in the number of spoilt ballot in this election. A staggering 1,634 spoilt
ballot papers were received in this election. This compares to 136 spoilt papers in the Postal
National Executive Council election where the turnout was exactly the same, and 38 spoilt papers
in the General Secretary election where the turnout was higher.
Conference is appalled that a decision taken by CWU Headquarters to drastically reduce the
maximum number of candidates that members could vote for in the election for the Postal
Executive Council (PEC) from 13 candidates to 5, and this decision has created such an outcome.
Conference condemns the fact CWU HQ failed to advise Postal Branches of this change in
balloting instruction in advance of the ballot papers being received by members. This created
confusion and chaos in Postal Branches and has resulted in this increase in the number of spoilt
ballot papers being received in the PEC election.
Given the complete silence by CWU HQ on this vitally important issue, Conference agrees the
following measures must be taken:

A full investigation will be held into why this major change in balloting arrangements for
the PEC was taken, who took the decision to make the change, when this change in
arrangements was decided, whether the Postal department was consulted on this
change, and if not, why not, why no advance publicity on this major change was provided
to Postal Branches, and why no information or guidance was provided to postal Branches
once the ballot papers were dispatched. The investigation must also address what steps
need to be taken to ensure there can be no repetition of this shambles.

The investigation must be conducted independently of the Senior DGS’s department and
the investigation body must include a senior representative from the Postal Constituency
who will be decided by the PEC. The investigation body will produce a full report covering
all of the issues listed in this motion, and any others deemed pertinent within 4 weeks of
the close of Annual Conference. The full report will be published to Branches without
delay.
The NEC is instructed accordingly
Nottingham & District Amal
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E5
Conference notes the changes to voting arrangements to the 2015 PEC elections, which became
apparent on receipt of ballot papers on 26th March 2015
Conference further notes with concern that such changes were not communicated to Branches
prior to the despatch of ballot papers
This Conference also further notes that when the result of the General Secretary Ballot was
announced on Thursday 16th April 2015 this then gave the Union a vacancy for Deputy General
Secretary Postal which we believe will be put up for nomination in the very near future therefore
this problem is now a very important and urgent issue.
Conference therefore instructs the NEC to ensure that in all future elections that the number of
candidates to be voted upon is clearly communicated to all Branches at the time of notification
of elections
Newcastle Amal
E6
"This conference recognises that changes to the Employment Tribunal process, including the
introduction of higher fees, has led to a decrease in the number of workers challenging
employers through the process.
We recognise that in many cases this means workers will not achieve the justice they may
deserve.
Trade unions must therefore be a supportive safeguard for workers who are subject to
malpractice and enter the Employment Tribunal process, given the stressful experience this can
prove to be for members.
This conference calls on the NEC to immediately introduce the following into the unions practice
of handling members' Employment Tribunal claims:
• A designated branch officer to assist the member through the Employment Tribunal process,
from the completion of the ET1 Form through to completion of the Employment Tribunal
process.
This designated officer should act as a direct liaison between the member, CWU HQ and the
CWU Legal Department.
• Once a decision on whether or not to support the member has been reached by the CWU Legal
Department, the member has the right to have this decision scrutinised by an independent legal
advisor, with costs met by the CWU.
• Where the CWU Legal Department has decided not to support the member, individual
branches, where financially possible, should also be encouraged to fund independent legal
representation for the member, adhering to democratic process of the branch."
Eastern No5
2.
WITHDRAWALS
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Motion 30 page 27
Motion 76 page 48
Motion 82 page 51
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3.
WITHDRAWAL FROM COMPOSITE
(i)
Motion 34 page 29, South West Regional H&S Forum
Motion 34 page 29, now stands in the name of York and District Amal
Should you wish to contact the General Conference Standing Orders Committee they are contactable as
follows:
Email: conferences@cwu.org
Phone: 0208 971 7256 then from Sunday 26th April 07966 463125
Post: The Norfolk Royale Hotel, Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, BH2 6EN
For the attention of Angela Niven, Communication Workers Union
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