Update – 30th Nov 2023
Martin Walsh has been elected as the Deputy General Secretary (Postal), results below.
ELECTION OF DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY (POSTAL) 2023
CLOSE OF VOTING: FIRST POST ON 30 NOVEMBER 2023
CONTEST: Deputy General Secretary (Postal)
RESULT –
Martin WALSH – 10,603 votes – ELECTED
Carl MADEN – 3,623 votes
Number of eligible voters 107,545
Votes cast by post: 14,327
Total number of votes cast: 14,327
Turnout: 13.3%
Number of votes found to be invalid
(abstentions): 83
Number of votes found to be invalid (spoilts): 18
Total number of valid votes to be counted: 14,226
Update – 26th Oct 2023
Karen Rose will become the deputy general secretary of the CWU’s Telecoms & Financial Services Constituency after Andy Kerr retires from the role next April.
Karen, from Pontypridd in South Wales, has been a member of the union’s T&FS Executive since 2002. She currently chairs the T&FSE and has also served as the union’s president and vice-president.
Speaking to CWU News this afternoon after a busy day chairing the CWU Retired Members Conference, Karen said: “It’s a great honour to be elected as the union’s DGS for nearly 60,000 hard-working telecoms and financial services members.
“We all know things have become more difficult for our members and I certainly don’t underestimate the challenges ahead. But working together, collectively, we can get through anything.”
Current DGS/T&FS Andy Kerr announced recently that he will be retiring from the role after our 2024 Annual Conference next April, after having served in this position since 2008 and he congratulated Karen on today’s news, saying: “Well done Karen and I’m sure she’ll do a great job representing our members. We’ll be working together over the next few months to ensure a good handover.”
Karen praised his record, saying: “Andy has been a superb DGS. He’s been a mentor to me and I’ve learned a great deal from him.”
Background to DGS Elections.
Following a long period of sick absence, Deputy General Secretary (Postal) Terry Pullinger has taken the decision to leave the union. Therefore, there is now a vacancy for one of the most senior and important CWU Industrial National Officer Positions and accordingly an election will now be required for this vacant position.
In respect of the Deputy General Secretary (T&FS) position, regretfully Andy Kerr has now advised that he will not be seeking re-election in 2024 and would, subject to a suitable hand over period, be looking to vacate the DGS (T&FS) position immediately following CWU Annual T&FS Industrial Conference scheduled to be held in April 2024.
Therefore, an election for the DGS (T&FS) position is also going to be required.
These are clearly unprecedented and exceptional circumstances and rather than delay for a very significant period of time, the NEC believe it is essential for the democracy and leadership of the union to
commence these elections as soon as possible, in accordance with the proposed timetable set out below.
Accordingly, the NEC has agreed the election timetable and regulations for the CWU Deputy General
Secretary (Postal) and CWU Deputy General Secretary (Telecoms & Financial Services).
The timetable for these National Officer elections is as follows:
- Nominations Open: 05 October 2023
- Nominations Close: 26 October 2023 (14:00)
- Ballot Papers Dispatched: 09 November 2023
- Ballot Closes: 30 November 2023 (First Post)
The Election Regulations stipulate that a copy of the regulations for these elections must be distributed to
all branches in advance of the nomination process.
A copy of the Election Regulations can be found on the CWU Website for the attention of the members of the branch and a copy will be issued to all candidates nominated to stand in the Election(s).
Please note that in accordance with the election regulations the nomination forms for these elections will
be sent to eligible branches by email prior to the opening of nominations.