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Environment in BT Buildings
Articles: Lighting, noise, temperature and humidity are factors that contribute to a safe and healthy working environment. Your comfort can be reduced if one or more of these are not right and this can lead to ill health and a lower standard of safety. BT must provide a reasonable temperature in all buildings. What is reasonable will vary between individuals an...
More...POWER FAULT REPORTING - Lighting
Articles: At the present time, there is a shortage of people carrying out the task and replacement of fluorescent tubes and bulbs in the operational areas of the BT estate. If you find that the lighting provided has gone faulty, you need to contact either:Telereal Helpdesk on 0800223388 for office and communal areas orNetwork Power for operational areas. They wil...
More...Hot Working indoors
Articles: It is not uncommon at the height of summer for offices and other workplaces to record temperatures of 37ºc (95ºf) or more. This not only makes work tiring for employees - it is also a potential cause of accidents. We all know what happens when the temperature begins to rise at work. People perspire without moving; stress levels rise; concentration ...
More...O2 Pension Review - Transfer Principles
Articles: As you are aware discussions have been ongoing with O2 in an attempt to make a collective agreement on Transfer of Principles which will provide protection for those individuals that are subject to forthcoming TUPE’s, in particular off protection for future pension provision. Whilst those discussions have been ongoing there are members that have contac...
More...Risk Assessment
Articles: A risk assessment is simply a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. How to assess the risks in your workplace Identify the hazards Decide who might be harmed and how Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions Record ...
More...Temperatures at work
Articles: Don't be frozen out or roasted slowly by your Employer! There is a need for employers to ensure that during working hours the temperature within all workplaces inside buildings is reasonable and is governed by Regulation 7 of the “Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992” and the associated Approved Code of Practice (ACOP). This ...
More...Individual Risk Assessment
Articles: It is accepted by BT that working in certain areas may present additional hazards to the engineering workforce. For example, known sites may require 2-person working for personal safety reasons and are categorised into four groups as detailed below. HOD - 1 person during the day, 2 people at night. NGO - 2 people 24 hours a day. NN1 - 1 person during the...
More...Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)
Articles: BT Property undertake to support the aims and objectives of the Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical equipment and will do all that is reasonably practicable to ensure the electrical integrity of Non-Fixed Equipment. The service will be delivered through a series of rolling programmes designed to ensure that all sites and ...
More...Union Courses
Articles: The CWU run a number of courses at its training centres in Oxford and Bournemouth. Alvescot is a lovely country retreat in the heart of Oxfordshire, whilst the Elstead Hotel in Bournemouth caters for our course needs throughout the year. Courses are aimed at branch officers and representatives to provide the adequate training to support them in carrying out ...
More...WHO Report on Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields
Articles: The number of mobile phone subscriptions is now estimated globally at 5 billion and since the introduction of mobile phones over twenty years ago there have been a number of reports regarding the fear of ill-health caused by radiation and radio-waves emitted by mobile phones. A recent press release by the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) International...
More...Free Learning Centre courses
Articles: The branch are pleased to be able to advise you that Lewisham College have once again agreed to be our Learning Provider and consequently we are able to offer members access to Free IT courses at Level 1 & Level 2 these include MS Word, Access, Excel, Power Point and Digital Photography courses at our learning centre at Baynard House. If you&...
More...BT Pension Scheme - Crown Guarantee
Articles: On Friday, 16 December 2011 the High Court gave judgment in a pensions case brought by the Trustee of the BT Pension Scheme (BTPS) against the UK Government. The claim relates to the scope and extent of a guarantee (known as the Crown Guarantee) given by the UK Government on the privatisation of British Telecommunications ("BT") in 1984 and would only come i...
More...Retired Members
Articles: Becoming a Retired Member is easy and beneficial, and all for a fraction of the cost. If you are a current member of the CWU and you are entering retirement, then you can continue in membership and receive most of the benefits you received whilst in full membership. For more details contact the branch office via the website or e-mail, or indeed...
More...BT Passport System
Articles: A BT Passport is a simple word document which can be completed by any BT employee who feels their circumstances could have an impact on their ability to work either currently or at some point in the future. Completing a BT passport is voluntary on the part of the individual and there is no record of who has or has not completed a passport. The passport can b...
More...Accident or Incident Investigation
Articles: The following briefing was agreed between the BT management & Union Safety Representatives at the last SSA Joint Health & Safety Consultative Committee meeting in December 2003, but equally should apply as best practice anywhere within BT. BT and the employee representative organisations (Unions) intend to work as partners in promoting the hi...
More...SNOW AND ICE
Articles: We are entering the time of year when snow and ice are predictable. Please ensure that arrangements are in place to make external operational areas safe by having salt available for use in yards, traffic and pedestrian routes. Check to make sure that the local supplies of salt are adequate and request more if these stocks become depleted by contacting BT Pro...
More...WINTER IS COMING - DRIVE SAFELY
Articles: The end of British Summer Time heralds the beginning of the most dangerous time of year on our roads. There is no doubt that bad weather and longer nights pose a danger – with about fifty percent of all reported road traffic accidents at night occurring in wet conditions; even though in the UK it is wet on average only 10% of the nights. Between 3-6pm ...
More...What's happening with our agreement on London Weighting
Articles: You may recall that an agreement was reached in 2006, after protracted negotiations lasting two years, for a lasting solution and an annual uplift of London Weighting linked to the equivalent of 75% of the pay award for each particular year. Whilst this was proposed by the company as a lasting solution to London Weighting, this fell short of the policy...
More...WORKING IN THE HOURS OF DARKNESS (WITHOD)
Articles: It is acknowledged that working in the hours of darkness or other low ambient light conditions presents potential risks beyond those encountered in normal daylight hours. The safety of all the people involved, including anybody else who might be affected by the work, must be the primary priority when completing the mandatory on-site risk assessment of the ta...
More...KEEP YOUR CABLE TRAILER SAFE
Articles: Following a recent incident, where a cable drum became detached from the trailer whilst in transit, Openreach and the CWU felt the need to remind all drivers of their responsibilities. It is the Driver’s and their Manager’s responsibility to ensure that their vehicle and trailer combination is Safe, Legal and Roadworthy and the load ...
More...Overhead Cabling in Exchanges
Articles: A new BT ISIS SFY/GRA/E013 was published in June 2009 following concerns about overhead cabling activities in Telephone Exchanges. In recent times, most of this work has been done by contractors and in some cases without due regard to their own or others safety. In particular there have been several instances of disregard of the Work at Height Regulatio...
More...Swine Flu
Articles: In the past few weeks, there has been (and probably will continue to be for the remainder of this year at least) much media coverage regarding the H1N1 “Swine” strain of influenza. All types of influenza claim lives each year around the world, though not necessarily through the illness itself, more the impact on those particularly with pre-existi...
More...Casual & Special Leave for Medical Appointments in BT
Articles: Over the past few weeks BT’s casual leave and special leave processes has come back under the spotlight, with some members not being granted special leave for hospital appointments in favour of casual leave. The process has just been reiterated in LTB 546/11 and is outlined as follows on BT’s intranet:Can someone have time off f...
More...Cleaning and Maintenance in BT Buildings
Articles: Monteray, who currently provide the cleaning & building maintenance services for BT have had their contract drastically reduced - by around 22%. This will impact significantly on a wide variety of tasks that Monteray undertake across the BT estate. One area of particular concern is the revised arrangements for cleaning which have been cut drasticall...
More...Noise at Work
Articles: European Health & Safety Week 24-30 October 2005 is focusing on Noise At Work. Noise is one of the most underestimated workplace risks. The HSE estimates that 170,000 people in the UK suffer hearing damage, as a result of exposure to excessive noise at work. While noise induced hearing loss is irreversible - it is also 100% preventable. How is ...
More...Drilling on Ladders
Articles: BT now says that the Hammer Light 24-Volt cordless drill (item code No 141780) or Hammer Light Cordless 1 12-Volt (item code 008520), are the only drills to be used to install an eyebolt 2A. This is due to the fact drills without a SDS clutch facility could bite into the masonry and the torque or twisting of the drill could throw the person off the ladd...
More...CETAM Tagging
Articles: CETAM lines are used in the tagging of convicted criminal so that they can be sent home under curfew orders. Whilst the majority of these people may be of little or no risk to anyone and deserve the chance to rehabilitate and return to society, others may still pose a threat – the problem is how do you know? Some of our members have been given CETA...
More...Care at Christmas
Articles: When putting up your Christmas decorations give a thought to what you are standing on and pressing the pins into! Use steps or ladders rather than standing on tables or chairs, particularly those with castors. When erecting your decorations make sure you are not sticking the pins into any materials, which might cause harm, not only to yourself, b...
More...Accident Reporting
Articles: All accidents or incidents, including verbal or physical abuse and dangerous occurrences at work should be reported to your employer. This is a requirement of the Reporting of Incidents Diseases & Dangerous Occurrence Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995. They also cover health problems caused or made worse by work. It also gives a record of the accident or inc...
More...Asbestos Risk Management in Non-Domestic Premises
Articles: The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 (CAWR), which came fully into force on May 21st 2004 following an 18 month lead-in period, is legislation that tackles the biggest occupational health killer in the UK - asbestos-related disease. Of the 3,500 people currently dying each year from such diseases, 25% have once worked in the building and maint...
More...Bullying at Work
Articles: BT's definition of harassment is: Conduct and behaviour which the receiver perceives to be offensive, hostile, unwanted and unreasonable, which is unacceptable by normal standards of business behaviour and is causing disadvantage to the receiver. There is not a single definition because harassment and bullying take many forms, occur on a variety of grou...
More...Cancer and You
Articles: The new Work Fit campaign, Cancer and You was launched on the16 October 2007. The new campaign - a joint venture between BT, the CWU and Connect, aims to promote awareness of the different aspects of the most common cancers and has been developed with the support of cancer information charity Cancerbackup. Each year 250 BT people are newly diagnosed wi...
More...Driver Fatique
Articles: Driver fatigue is a serious problem resulting in many thousands of road accidents each year. Sleepiness reduces reaction time, alertness, concentration and decision making, all crucial driving skills. Research by fatigue management consultancy, AWAKE, has revealed that drowsiness is the single greatest cause of accidents on our roads. Young male drivers, ...
More...Diabetes
Articles: There are two forms of Diabetes: Diabetes Insipidus, which is the much less common version, and Diabetes Millitus, which is the more common form. Diabetes Millitus is a condition in which the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly. Glucose comes from the digestion of starchy foods such as bread, rice, pot...
More...Laptops
Articles: BT management, are now making sure that your laptop is safe in your vehicle. They are providing a steel box in the rear of vans in which you are instructed to keep your laptop when not in use. In fact they have made it a disciplinary offence to leave it anywhere else but the steel box unattended in your van, and go to great lengths to r...
More...DSE Rest Breaks
Articles: Display Screen Equipment (DSE) formerly known as Visual Display Units or Terminals (VDUs/VDTs), have become an increasing part of work & home life over the past few decades. Legislation was introduced in the UK which covers the use of this equipment whilst at work, called the "Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992". Guidance ...
More...Lifter No 4
Articles: The Manual Handling Regulations 1992 state that where possible the need to use manual handling techniques to maneuvre heavy plant and equipment must be avoided. Where it is not possible to avoid the practice, suitable mechanical aids must be used. In addition a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the work must be undertaken. T...
More...Live Laser Work
Articles: The CWU has agreed with BT that live fibre laser work within the BTUK network could commence from 25 April 2000 after lengthy and detailed assessments and discussions between BT and the union stretching back over the past five years. This followed changes in the International and British Standards in 1993. Under these standards, Class 3A powe...
More...Gas Kit 2000 - Leaking regulators
Articles: There have been at least 6 reported incidents of lightweight regulators leaking through the On-Off valve in recent weeks, one of which resulted in minor burns to an engineer. The Gas Equipment Testing Station (GETS) at Croydon has investigated the faulty items of equipment & identified the problem & precautions to be taken to ensure the lightweig...
More...High Risk Work Areas
Articles: It is accepted by BT that working in certain areas may present additional hazards to the engineering workforce. Sites may require 2-person working for personal safety reasons and are categorised into four groups as detailed below. HOD- 1 person during the day, 2 people at night. NGO- 2 people 24 hours a day. NN1- 1 person during the day, exclusion a...
More...Course Program
Articles: These courses are run at Alvescot Lodge in Oxfordshire for activists, Reps and Branch Officers. This si the programme for the remainder of this year. Any activist or rep interested should contact the officer that deals with education, Tim O'Reilly, via the branch office or e-mail him on toreilly@cwucapital.org JUNE ...
More...Fuses 28 containing white asbestos in Telephone Exchange's
Articles: Although many people think that all fuses 28 containing white asbestos (chrysotile) were removed from the BT estate many years ago this is clearly not the case. If it is noticed that fuses 28 are present on the MDF blocks it should be reported to management and the union safety representative and if the removal of fuses is necessary then the following pr...
More...Health & Safety Week 2009
Articles: European Health and Safety Week takes place in October each year and is designed to raise awareness of health and safety. This year, as last year the main theme will be risk assessment and will take place between 19 - 25 October 2009. The European Agency for Safety and Health describes the week as: “Aimed at people in organisations, companies and ...
More...Gas Detection
Articles: Gas Detection Units (GDUs) are provided to protect you from the effects of explosive or asphyxiating gas when working in or near the underground external network. These gases can seep into the network at any time and often have no distinct smell. Tests for gas must be made whenever entrance/access covers are opened in any underground plant for whatever p...
More...Doherty, Steve
Branch Reps: Steve is highly concentrated on ensuring our membership is kept up to date and picking up new members wherever possible. He also does a high number of our member cases....
More...Gilkes, Tony
Branch Reps: Tony has a lead role in London being the Lead for BT Global Services. For the branch he leads on much of the BT Operate matters, along with much of the literature production sent out to our members and looks after the website....
More...O'Reilly, Tim
Branch Reps: Tim is also the Disability Officer for the branch. He also leads on member case work....
More...Mackenzie,Anne
Branch Reps: Anne spends a great deal of her time doing personal cases as part of that team in the branch. She also focuses on the service management area of BT Openreach....
More...Mick Wright
Branch Reps: Mick was a former officer of the branch and in his retirement has remained active by becoming the Secretary of a active Retired section....
More...Sims, Alan
Branch Reps: Although retired, Alan has continued to support the branch by carrying out the legal services role and acts as a liaison for us with the members....
More...Becket, Sylvia
Branch Reps: Sylvia is one of many part time Officers, but takes on two extremely important functions for the branch....
More...Ryan, Gerry
Branch Reps: Gerry was a former Secretary of the branch, but is now a part of the Unions executive team just over a year ago. He has maintained a role in the branch as Political Officer. Gerry is also a councillor in Croydon and stood as the Labour Party Candidate for Croydon Central at the last election....
More...Gapes, Barry
Branch Reps: Whilst Barry remains as a portable member of the union, he still remains active within the branch....
More...McCracken, Rob
Branch Reps: As well as being the Fin. Sec, Rob is our Youth Officer and the LGBT Officer for the branch. He is also a USR....
More...Lambeth,Roger
Branch Reps: Roger was elected as Vice Chair of the branch at the AGM. He is the lead for BT Wholesale for London. He represents the branch in much of the BT Openreach matters, along with being on the personal case team. ...
More...Hankey, Kate
Branch Reps: Kate was elected to the BT Retail National Team as a lay delegate. She also does some personal cases and BT Operate work for the branch....
More...Duffus, John
Branch Reps: John is the branch co-ordinator for Health & Safety leading the team of USR's. He spend a great deal of his time out of the office making sure that the buildings are safe for our members....
More...Darbyshire, Nick
Branch Reps: Nick is a former Branch Secretary, but is now a part of the Union's executive team. He still however holds an officers post within the branch....
More...Woodman, Garry
Branch Reps: Garry was also elected to the BT Openreach National Team and a lay delegate as well as holding a position on the BT European Co-ordinating Committee....
More...Eldred, Allan
Branch Reps: Allan is a former branch Secretary, but is now a part of the the Unions National Executive. He is currently vice-chair of the Telecom & Financial services constituency nationally, but maintains a role within the branch....
More...Meeting: 22/05/2012 at The Hoop and Grapes
Meetings: 1. Minutes of the Previous meeting.2. Matters arising.3. Fin. Sec’s report.4. Other Officer reports.5. Special items.6. Correspondence.7. Motions/Props.8. Any Other Business. (received prior to the start of the meeting) ...
More...Performance Management & Sick Absence
News: Ongoing talks are taking place with BT to try and overcome a number of issues by which the Performance Management and Sick Absence Policies are being applied. There is a target date of 30th September 11 to complete that talks where the CWU are hopeful that all Lines of Business (LOB's) will buy into an agreement that should vastly improve the processes and e...
More...BT PENSION SCHEME VALUATION
News: BT has today published details of an agreement with the Trustee on the approach to the 2011 triennial funding valuation. The key points are as follows: The valuation has provisionally valued the assets at £36.7bn and the liabilities at £40.8bn. The funding deficit as at 30 June 2011 has been provisionally agreed at £...
More...BT London Weighting - deal reached
News: Over the past few months, the national team have been in discussions with BT over a review of London Weighting. This has led to the Company making a final offer of a 3% increase to both the Inner and Outer London Weighting allowances from 1st April 2011 and a further 3% increase from 1st April 2012. The national BT Team have agreed to accept that offer...
More...NEC ELECTIONS 2011 - A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OUR MEMBERS!
News: The Executive Election ballot doesn't close until first post on Monday 15th August 11, so if you haven't voted yet you still have time. YOUR BALLOT PAPER WILL BE IN THE PACK WITH THE JULY EDITION OF "THE VOICE" MAGAZINE. The pack will be clearly marked that the ballot papers are included. We believe that the recommendations the branch a...
More...BT PAY 2012
News: Following tough and protracted negotiations, the CWU has agreed a £250 non consolidated lump sum payment for Team Members as an additional and final element of the 2012 pay award. This concludes the union’s discussions with BT that were prompted by the clause in the 2010 pay agreement to ‘seek to ensure that the impact of a volatile ...
More...Annual Conference 2011
News: The first day of annual conference this year was the most significant within the Telecoms industry for 25 years. At a special rules revision session changes were made to move ourselves to a single Telecoms constituency to stand alongside the Postal constituency. This meant moving away from soerate Clerical, Engineering and Operator & Ancill...
More...Homeworking Policy
News: LTB 147/11 outlines negotiations that have taken place over changes to the homeworking policy and can be viewed on the HQ website. The headlines from that LTB are as follows: From management’s starting position the CWU were able to sustain the London Weighting allowance for existing home-workers. However for anyone...
More...MAKE OUR CONTACT WITH YOU BETTER
News: During recents campaigns, such as pay, it has become obvious to the branch that being able to make contact with you by text or e-mail has made it easier for us to draw your attention to important information. Now we have the new branch website up and running we would like to be able to do that even more. On numerous occasions now, it's vital that we are able...
More...Unionlearn's fifth annual conference
News: unionlearn’s fifth annual conference. The event will be held at Congress House in London on Monday 27th June and is entitled “Making Learning Click”. As usual we will have a range of high profile speakers including Martha Lane Fox, the UK’s digital champion. We will also be hearing more from our new maths champion, Nathan Cl...
More...BT PENSIONS
News: Change to the Pension scheme in 2009: In 2008 the CWU entered into negotiations with BT around a move away from a final salary pension scheme. The Company had argued for many years that the numbers feeding off the pension scheme was outweighing the funds going in, mainly due to the decreasing workforce. This was making the pension scheme unviable unless chan...
More...What do you think of the new Branch website
Surveys: What do you think of the new Branch website...
More...Education and Learning
Content: Education and learning is an extremely important part of the CWU make up atboth Branch and national level. Through our national course programme and our local Union Learning programme, we try to make a varied array of courses available to the members. Articles Union Course Course Programme There is a magazine produced by the Education de...
More...Contacts
Content: Branch Office: Room 1011Baynard Hse135 Queen Victoria StLondonEC4V 4AA Tel: 020 7236 5159 ...
More...Our Branch Reps
Content: Meet the people who make a difference on your behalf day in day out. ...
More...News
Content: Keep up to date with all the latests goings on with the all that is relevent to you....
More...Becoming a member
Content: If you would like to become a member of CWU: Capital Branch then please submit the form below and we'll be in touch....
More...Home
Content: Welcome to CWU: Capital Branch CWU: Capital Branch the union division of CWU responsible for looking after communication workers in the London area. Primarily our members of BT but we also look after many more employees working in the communication industry...
More...Equalities
Content: The following publications are available via the head Office website in relation to our national Equalities Committees. Please select the the magazine you would like to read: CWU DRUM MAGAZINE CWU DISABILITY IN FOCUS MAGAZINE CWU OUTtalk MAGAZINE CWU WOMEN'S TALK MAGAZINE CWU YOUTH MAGAZINE CWU RETIRED MEMBERS MAGAZINE ...
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