Cwu reps

[Wasntme]

What is the training like for CWU reps ? Our rep is rubbish even though he has been doing it for many years. Im from the north west of Lancashire and dont feel represented by the local rep or the branch. I would run for rep position but it never gets advertised

[mw7485]

What is the training like for CWU reps ? Our rep is rubbish even though he has been doing it for many years. Im from the north west of Lancashire and dont feel represented by the local rep or the branch. I would run for rep position but it never gets advertised

There should be an election, generally every three years. Contact your branch secretary and ask when the last election was and when the next one is expected to take place. The position isn't advertised as such, it is supposed to be an elected role....

Training will be dependent on unit level release time and how organised your area/branch is in arranging/coordinating/pushing training. Most of the real learning happens in the role, not in the classroom.

[jessicarabbit]

2 year term is the current policy for Reps before job is up.

[wrongturn]

!

[scoobymunster]

Since our new COM appeared what little influence our Rep had disappeared, management seem to ignore any union input.

[Ragest]

Our union rep wasn't even elected, when the other rep left they just took the role, how long can they have this role before a new election of a rep takes place as there are people that want the job and I'm sure would do a better job

[Woody Guthrie]

Our union rep wasn't even elected, when the other rep left they just took the role,

There would only be an election if someone stood against them.
Otherwise it just needs two nominations.

[meako]

Hi. All reps have to be nominated and seconded by people in the workplace ie the shop floor. Main Rep and Assistant rep ( Industrial relations ) and Health and safety rep..Nominations are usually submitted in the month of November ready for election the following February. all reps have to be nominated and seconded even if no one is standing against them.. So if your rep is say for example Joe Bloggs ( unopposed ) this means no one has bothered to stand against them.. If it says Joe Bloggs ( elected ) it means someone has stood against them.. The length of time in office is two years from when elected or unopposed so anyone that was put into office this February 2022 will be in office until February 2024 with the next nominations and secondings being November 2023. Hope this helps clarify a few things..if in doubt contact your branch secretary.

[General Mannerheim]

What is the training like for CWU reps ? Our rep is rubbish even though he has been doing it for many years. Im from the north west of Lancashire and dont feel represented by the local rep or the branch. I would run for rep position but it never gets advertised

If your in North West No1. You've no chance of replacing your crappy rep as there all bent as f**k.

[2chorizon]

Did you know a union rep cannont be made redundant until the workplace is down to less that 10 people?

Some people try to get a shop stewards job when they get a sniff of redundancies coming up, as a way of saving their own skin.

Need to be aware of this tactic.

[Woody Guthrie]

Did you know a union rep cannont be made redundant until the workplace is down to less that 10 people?

Oh I can't wait to see the source of this nugget.

Some people try to get a shop stewards job when they get a sniff of redundancies coming up, as a way of saving their own skin.

Need to be aware of this tactic.

In a business that offers voluntary redundancies where you can get killed in the stampede?

Yeah okay I'm aware.

[Dorset Plodder]

I often think Unit Reps get a bad press. Admitedly there may be some uselesss ones out there, but it's a case of Put your Money where your Mouth is. If you think your Reps useless then put in for the job.

You'll often find the same guy does it for years because noone wants the hassle. The Rep will normally get all communications from the Area Office concerning when an election is due (if you were a suspicious person you might think he'd keep it quiet if he didn't want any opposition)


As mentioned best bet is contact the Area Office and ask/tell them. In my area nearly 50% of the Delivery Offices don't even have a Rep.
Apathy Rules .... If that's alright with you.

[crimson king]

I often think Unit Reps get a bad press. Admitedly there may be some uselesss ones out there, but it's a case of Put your Money where your Mouth is. If you think your Reps useless then put in for the job.

You'll often find the same guy does it for years because noone wants the hassle. The Rep will normally get all communications from the Area Office concerning when an election is due (if you were a suspicious person you might think he'd keep it quiet if he didn't want any opposition)


As mentioned best bet is contact the Area Office and ask/tell them. In my area nearly 50% of the Delivery Offices don't even have a Rep.
Apathy Rules .... If that's alright with you.

Can definitely get a bad press. Some posties are obsessed with thinking their rep has a cushy number and use their facility time just wandering round chatting to mates or sitting in a room doing naff all. They don't realise the rep is usually fact-finding or catching up on the surprising amount of paperwork the role entails.

Neither do they see the time preparing for meetings and attendance reviews etc. It's the same posties making the sly digs about the Union that never have the time to come out for a ten minute gate meeting and then expect highlights to be given at their frame as they tie up.

To answer the OP...to be honest, the training could be much better. A lot of the role is learned on the hoof as you go and by working it out yourself. For example just now over breakfast I was reading a policy for 20 minutes, to find an angle that might benefit one of my colleagues. But the moaners don't see that aspect of the role. In an hour or so's time they'll see me discussing what I found to that colleague and they'll assume I'm chatting about football or what I'll be doing on Saturday night.

It is a thankless task. Management, if you're doing your role properly, despise you, a percentage of your colleagues think you're a feckless waster on the take and the mental pressure is unbelievable at times.

So why do it? Every now and then you help someone, make a real difference to their quality of life or mental wellbeing and, whether fully appreciated or not, it makes it all worthwhile.

[clarhick]

The divisional rep that did my appeal was shocking, he started with a defeatist attitude, only apologising after I emailed him to complain about his attitude. His representation was based on documentation that my friend who is a hr specialist produced for me after reading everything we investigated ourselves. His presentation was disjointed and verged on unprofessional. He had no involvement in responding to and correcting omissions from the minutes from the appeal. It’s the first appeal he’s ever won despite doing dozens each month. We won the appeal, he didn’t.