Election of POL Area Reps, POL Dep Area Reps & Regional H&S

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Election of POL Area Representatives, POL Deputy Area Representatives & Regional Health & Safety Representatives

23 February 2010
LTB 164/10 - Election of POL Area Representatives, POL Deputy Area Representatives & Regional Health & Safety Representatives

No. 164/10
Ref: TK/PM/lp
Date: 23 February 2010


To: All Branches with Postal Members


Dear Colleague


Election of:-


POL Area Representatives
POL Deputy Area Representatives
Regional Health & Safety Representatives
Nominations are invited for the positions of; POL Area Representatives, POL Deputy Area Representatives and Regional Health & Safety Representatives in the Crown Area Manager (CAM) Areas previously advised to Branches in LTB 93/10 dated 2nd February 2010.
The term of office for these positions is two years for Area Reps and Deputies and three years for the Regional Health & Safety Representatives the successful candidates will take up office from 5th April 2010.

Nomination Forms are attached to this LTB, or are available on request from the Senior Deputy General Secretary Department. All Candidates must have the nomination of their own branch and completed nomination forms, which must be signed by the Branch Secretary and Branch Chair (or accredited deputies) and the nominee, should be returned to: Tony Kearns, Senior Deputy General Secretary by 9th March 2010 (11.00am).
If ballots are necessary the timetable will be:-
Ballot Open Monday 15th March 2010
Ballot Close Tuesday 30th March 2010
Any Ballots will be run in accordance with the CWU guidelines for POL Area Representatives, which are attached for your information.
Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 0208 971 7237 or email address sdgs@cwu.org.
Yours sincerely

Tony Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary

[PatchesNY]

I'd like to bring something to the attention of as many CWU members as possible. This week I received communication from my branch of the CWU, I live in Bristol, am employed in Bristol and am part of Bristol CWU.

The sheet that was mailed to my home address shocked me!

It was sent out by Bristol Branch @ Lawrence Hill as is meant as an advertising flyer for an election candiate.

Firstly as I am not counter staff I shouldn't have been sent it. But more importantly I am astounded at the content! It states the Bristol rep is Welsh and displays the Welsh flag, then it goes on to inform me that "a vote against ****** is a vote for an inferior candidate". The other person standing in the election is English. How is Bristol allowed to condone this? How is a racist slur against the English permitted by a UNION? WHAT IS GOING ON? Surely a Union cannot be seen to promote a Welsh candidate as they believe the English one is "inferior"? Incidently, is Bristol in Wales (does that mean the value of my house has changed??). Have the Union gone mad? Has Bristol CWU not heard of Fairness & Equality? What about RACISM?

I am disgruntled that money paid by CWU members is being utilsed to bombard members home addresses with racist rubbish.

To anyone linked with Bristol CWU or is interested in the abolition of the type of racism Bristol are promoting - WHY HAS THIS BEEN ALLOWED TO HAPPEN??

[billyhayes]

Scan it and post it here.
Lets all take a look.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

or email it to me trueblueterrierrmc@googlemail.com if you prefer - I am an Admin on this board.

[PatchesNY]

Incidentally, my sister is a counter clerk in west Wales and recieved the same poster. The next day she had a letter from her Gwent branch of the Union stating the poster and letter was inaccurate as the branch were not supporting the candidate and permission had not been given for the use of member's home addresses!!!

What's going on?

[PatchesNY]

Scan it and post it here.
Lets all take a look.

I don't have a scanner, I've tried to take a pic on my mobile but it is too blurred.

As Gwent have sent a letter to members with regard to the posters content I would like to suggest you asked their branch secretary for a copy. Also you should possibly look into why members were sent something that is nothing more than an outrage to their home address.

Thanks

[saunders265]

I'd like to bring something to the attention of as many CWU members as possible. This week I received communication from my branch of the CWU, I live in Bristol, am employed in Bristol and am part of Bristol CWU.

The sheet that was mailed to my home address shocked me!

It was sent out by Bristol Branch @ Lawrence Hill as is meant as an advertising flyer for an election candiate.

Firstly as I am not counter staff I shouldn't have been sent it. But more importantly I am astounded at the content! It states the Bristol rep is Welsh and displays the Welsh flag, then it goes on to inform me that "a vote against ****** is a vote for an inferior candidate". The other person standing in the election is English. How is Bristol allowed to condone this? How is a racist slur against the English permitted by a UNION? WHAT IS GOING ON? Surely a Union cannot be seen to promote a Welsh candidate as they believe the English one is "inferior"? Incidently, is Bristol in Wales (does that mean the value of my house has changed??). Have the Union gone mad? Has Bristol CWU not heard of Fairness & Equality? What about RACISM?

I am disgruntled that money paid by CWU members is being utilsed to bombard members home addresses with racist rubbish.

To anyone linked with Bristol CWU or is interested in the abolition of the type of racism Bristol are promoting - WHY HAS THIS BEEN ALLOWED TO HAPPEN??

For pity’s sake calm down. I know the person mentioned very well - she is excellent, and has represented Crown Offices in the Bristol/South West Area for over fifteen years. It looks like we shall lose her under the new arrangements, and that is very bad news for those of us she represents, almost all of whom, including me, are English. Whatever that has to do with it.

[PatchesNY]

If the person you know is so good then why has she needed to use race as a way of generating support? If she's good and Bristol counter staff know her then she should be using her 15 years experience to win them over not her birthplace.

Surely members should be voting for the best person for the job, not commenting on where someone was born or lives?

The fact that a Welsh branch sent out a letter to all it's members stating they had not condoned the poster nor did they recommend the person it advertises and they had not given permission for members home addresses to be used speaks volumes to me. She might be good in you opinion (I don't know her) but evidently she's used an untrustworthy and underhand approach.

Race, nationality, birthplace or flags shouldn't be part of an election campaign for a Union rep whichever way you look at it.

[saunders265]

Unlike you I have not seen the poster, despite being a CWU member in the Bristol Area. I think this in itself indicates the problem here. This whole business has been very poorly handled – nobody in my office has a clue what is going on. We have simply been told that our current representative will be replaced by a representative covering all Crown Area Manager Offices. It appears to me the lady concerned will be left without a position despite many years hard work, and I believe my colleagues in the Bristol Counters Section would agree that this is a poor way to be treated.

I know her and you don’t – there is no way on earth that she is racist, so I suggest you would be better off going and watching something on the telly, rather than trying to create trouble where none exists.

[PatchesNY]

Unlike you I have not seen the poster, despite being a CWU member in the Bristol Area. I think this in itself indicates the problem here. This whole business has been very poorly handled – nobody in my office has a clue what is going on. We have simply been told that our current representative will be replaced by a representative covering all Crown Area Manager Offices. It appears to me the lady concerned will be left without a position despite many years hard work, and I believe my colleagues in the Bristol Counters Section would agree that this is a poor way to be treated.

I know her and you don’t – there is no way on earth that she is racist, so I suggest you would be better off going and watching something on the telly, rather than trying to create trouble where none exists.

"Apparently an official complaint has already been made. It seems the person writing the flyer did so without permission, implied she was being recommended by a branch that wasn't recommending her and got members home addresses without permission. So somebody somewhere kicked off last week before I even got my copy of the poster.

I don't know this person as she's a Po counters rep but evidently she is an embarrassment to the CWU and her unprofessionalism has shocked many. In my opinion she an embarrassment to her Welsh heritage also."

Who's fault is it that you claim this is "poorly handled"? "Poorly handled" in what way? Surely anyone who had a ballot form would have had communication as to what it's all about? Surely both the Welsh and English candidates were permitted to provide equal information? I don't know either of the candidates and I'm a postie so I shouldn't have had anything sent to me. If you are telling me that you a counter clerk with a vote in this election and you have been sent nothing when I have then that is shocking!

I'm upset as I get enough effect from racism being married to a Fijian husband. I am not trying to "cause trouble" as you've stated. I'm trying to nip it in the bud, as should any decent person INCLUDING THE UNION AND IT'S REPS. The woman should absolutely not try to generate votes by using her birthplace. It's not fair.

[MinisterofCucumber]

To be a candidate, she would have to have been nominated by her branch.

Show us what she said, otherwise its just rumour.

[PatchesNY]

To be a candidate, she would have to have been nominated by her branch.

Show us what she said, otherwise its just rumour.

I can't as I haven't got a scanner and it can't be seen on the pic I took on my mobile. The BillyHayes on here asked me the same question but apparently Welsh members have forwarded on an official complaint already with a copy so it'll end up it the right hands.

Like I said, I don't know this girl or the English candidate (male/female?) but my point is that no-one should bring race, colour, origin, birthplace or nationality into a Union ballot as it's just screaming of unprofessionalism.

I hope all the people who vote/voted did so for the person they believed to be the best person for the job and did not base their vote on where a candidate was born.

I appreciate the opinion of those who think I should calm down but it's as simple as this - my children bear the brunt of racism and I will always stand up and be heard on the subject. Always.

[saunders265]

Dear PatchesNY

If you, or your children, are subject to racism then I have every sympathy with you, and appreciate your anger. As an English man, I apologise to you on behalf of my countrymen, some of whom are nothing but yobs. However, I am afraid that in this case you are directing your anger at an innocent party. I ask you to take my word on that. How would you feel if you had been accused of what you have said on this forum?

I have not had a ballot paper, or any communication whatsoever from any candidate. My Line Manager told me that our CWU representative would be changing. That, in my book, is ‘poorly handled’. One thing we can agree on is that whilst you have received a communication, I as a CWU Counters member have not, and that is, as you say, ‘shocking’.

My sincere and very best wishes to you and your family.

[PatchesNY]

Dear PatchesNY

If you, or your children, are subject to racism then I have every sympathy with you, and appreciate your anger. As an English man, I apologise to you on behalf of my countrymen, some of whom are nothing but yobs. However, I am afraid that in this case you are directing your anger at an innocent party. I ask you to take my word on that. How would you feel if you had been accused of what you have said on this forum?

I have not had a ballot paper, or any communication whatsoever from any candidate. My Line Manager told me that our CWU representative would be changing. That, in my book, is ‘poorly handled’. One thing we can agree on is that whilst you have received a communication, I as a CWU Counters member have not, and that is, as you say, ‘shocking’.

My sincere and very best wishes to you and your family.

Thank you. Racism has a role in my life as my children have a Fijian father, they have all been picked on in school and have even had people telling them to "go home" when they were born here.

I hope the CWU read what has been sent by this woman and also the letter of complaint and then have enough respect for paying members to do something about it and forbid it from ever happening again. If that means making an example of this woman then so be it.

The Union should have zero tolerance to this kind of behaviour and should have a policy where no election candidate ever includes their race/skin colour/birthplace/nationality on an advertsing campaign poster.

Thanks again, you comments are appreciated.

[saunders265]

I am pleased that we somehow seem to have reached a truce!

If indeed a formal complaint has been made, then hopefully the powers that be will properly investigate and take the appropriate action.

In the meantime I stand by someone I have known for a long time - innocent until proven guilty.