Communication Workers Union (UK)

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**CWU**

Communication Workers Union
Founded	1995
Members	250,000^[1] .
Country	United Kingdom
Affiliation	TUC, STUC
Key people	Billy Hayes, general secretary
Office location	London, England
Website	www.cwu.org

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) is the main trade union in the United Kingdom for people working for telephone, cable and postal delivery companies, with 250,000 members ^[2]. It was formed in 1995, by the merger of the Union of Communication Workers with the National Communications Union. Its current secretary is Billy Hayes. CWU members work in the Post Office, BT, O2 and other communication companies, cable TV, Accenture HR Services, the Alliance and Leicester and Girobank. Members' expertise includes engineering, computing, clerical, mechanical, driving, retail, financial and manual skills.

1 2007 industrial action
2 General Secretaries
3 Labour Party affiliation
4 References
5 External links

[edit] 2007 industrial action

Main article: 2007 Royal Mail industrial disputes

On 7 June, 2007 the union's postal members voted by 77.5% to strike after a 2.5% pay rise coupled with £350million every year for five years (totaling $1.5 billion) of cuts was offered.^[3]^[4] They took their first one day strike on Friday 29th of June 2007, and the second on 12th/13th of July.

The action then progressed to a series of rolling strikes.

The basis of the strike was a disagreement over pay and pensions.

[edit] General Secretaries

1995: Alan Johnson
1997: Derek Hodgson
2001: Billy Hayes

[edit] Labour Party affiliation

The CWU has long been affiliated with the Labour Party. Alan Johnson, a previous General Secretary is now a Labour MP. But in recent years members' satisfaction, especially amongst the postal section, means that this close working relationship with Labour may be in jeopardy.^{[citation needed]}

At the CWU Annual Conference 2007 there took place much debate about this relationship.^{[citation needed]}