5th Dec 2024 – Branch Merger approved by members from both branches.
The results of the Branch Merger Ballot are below –
CENTRAL COUNTIES AND THAMES VALLEY BRANCH AND THE SOUTH EAST ANGLIA BRANCH MERGER BALLOT 2024 TO FORM A NEW BRANCH WHICH WILL BE KNOWN AS THE ESSSEX AND CENTRAL COUNTIES BRANCH
Result of ballot:
CENTRAL COUNTIES AND THAMES VALLEY BRANCH
Do you agree with the Branch merger?
| YES | 227 | 93% |
| NO | 16 | |
| Spoilt ballot papers – no vote | 1 | |
| Spoilt ballot paper | 0 | |
| Total ballot papers received | 244 | 13% |
| Total ballot papers dispatched | 1891 |
SOUTH EAST ANGLIA BRANCH
Do you agree with the Branch merger?
| YES | 113 | 89% |
| NO | 14 | |
| Spoilt ballot papers – no vote | 0 | |
| Spoilt ballot paper | 0 | |
| Total ballot papers received | 127 | 15% |
| Total ballot papers dispatched | 837 |
Thank you to all those who voted. Moving forward, steps to be taken include, updates to Branch Rules, Election of Officers, Inaugural meeting (AGM) of the new branch, Information meetings with existing branch members in the run up to the change to the new branch and the merger of finances of both branches, amongst other things.
Members will be informed of a full list of timescales as they become available.
The Branch Committee is happy to inform members that our proposed Branch merger with South East Anglia Branch has been approved by the CWU National Executive. It is now down to the full Branch membership to vote on the issue. The Committee is recommending a ‘YES’ vote in the ballot.
The Independent Scrutineer responsible for overseeing the vote has stipulated the timetable for the ballot as follows:-
Ballot papers despatched: 13 November 2024
Ballots Close: 4th December 2024
Members should contact the Branch if a paper is not received at their home address.
Following an Extraordinary General Meeting on the 5th August 2024, the Committee gave notice that they have agreed to seek a merger with the South East Anglia Branch. The rational behind this decision is that, in the view of the Committee, the Branch can remain as a strong voice both regionally and nationally within the CWU. This is against a background of reduced level of membership across the Branch area with people leaving the principle employer (BT/Openreach).
This reduction affects the amount of facility time the Branch gets and hence the amount of officers it can have to represent its membership. The aim of merger is to help reduce duplication of attendees at various meetings, hence to reduce costs and to maintain its reps. This means that the Branch can continue to represent all members in their workplace regardless of who they are employed by.
The approval for the merger will need to be initially approved by the Union’s National Executive and both branches have entered into correspondence to seek this approval. Once this has been obtained a membership vote is expected to take place in the autumn to seek consent from the membership of both branches by a simple majority. This membership vote will be conducted by Head Office under a postal ballot.
More details will follow in due course.