The London and Eastern Regional Women’s Committees held a

 2 Day Women in the CWU Seminar

 On Thursday 1st – Friday 2nd November 2007 

 The Constitution of the London Regional Women's Committee contains the following objectives:

•  To promote and actively campaign for the equality of women.

•  To encourage CWU women to take a more active part in branch affairs and the union in general.

•  To encourage CWU women to become committee members and union activists.

•  To deal with women's issues and to pursue them through the Branch, Regional and HQ structure.

•  To liaise with CWU National Women's Advisory Committee, Branch Equality Officers/Women's Officer and the TUC.

LONDON REGIONAL WOMENS COMMITTEE

ACTION PLAN 2007/2008

•  We will provide encouragement and advice for London Branches in recruiting and supporting women in the CWU.

•  We will make sure Women's Regional Committee information is on the London Regional Web Page

•  We will organise a delegation to an annual London event – this year the delegation will visit the Houses of Parliament.

•  We will interact with other unions regarding women's issues

•  We will set up a regional women's training course. A 2 day Women in the CWU course to be run at the London Regional Office in Dallington St. in September.

•  We will high light the issues of women by utilising support networks and services available to women in our region

•  We will aim to produce a newsletter twice a year. We will also produce a report to Post Worker and the Voice.

•  We will support CWU campaigns.

•  We will work with Branches and the Regional Secretary on recruitment initiatives.

•  We will raise political awareness with women members in the region and encourage them to become more involved in public life.

•  We will set up an informal regional Women's Network.

THE LONDON REGIONAL WOMEN'S COMMITTEE

Secretary: Linda Kietz

Room 120
Castle House
119-127 Gordon Road
London W13 8PR
Tel: 020 8280 3139
Fax: 020 8810 4654
07711 314 236
cwu.westlondon@btinternet.com

Chair: Tricia Clarke

07803909058
tricia.clarke@btopenworld.com
patricia.m.clarke@bt.com

Treasurer: John Denton
2nd floor 33/41 Dallington Street EC1V 0BB
Tel: 02073368371
Fax: 02073368370
07973872781
email: john@cwulondon.org

First Joint Regional Women's School

Alvescot saw the first ever, joint regional women's school, when The Eastern Regional Women's Committee joined forces with The London Regional Women's Committee the weekend of 22nd March 2003.
Eastern Regional Secretary John Colbert said "it has been an honor and privilege to be asked to attend, and participate in the inaugural joint Eastern & London Region's Women's school. Being able to offer an avenue for women to express their opinions and views is essential. It is still very apparent that the women's movement still has considerable hurdles to overcome. The barriers that have plagued women in both workplace and society for decades are slowly but surely being eradicated. There is without doubt a considerable wealth of talent within our regions. Empowering women into public life is essential to not only the CWU's longevity but also that of the Trade Union movement in general. Many issues that have emanated from the weekend school have shown that perceptions are changing, it's the pace that is now the major contributing factor."
Both Secretaries, Maxiene Johnston-Longman, Eastern Region and Pat Clouder, London Region, together with Linda Kietz, Chair of the London Regional thanked John for his support and agreed the successful outcome of this first school. They went on to confirm that a programme of joint working between the two regions is being produced building on this promising event, and acknowledged the initiative was born out of need to encourage more women to take their place in the CWU at all levels.

Acting National Equality Officer, Michele Emerson (left), who also attended the school said " Women are still underrepresented in the CWU and it's schools like these that will help to encourage the latent talent that exists in our Union, allow us to learn from eachother, build confidence and, ultimately, ensure that the union is reflective and responsive to the needs of its women members"

This success full event was tinged with an element of sadness as the Main facilitator Sam Wines, one of our longstanding pioneers on equalities issues told the school that she would be leaving her current employment, in the near future. It was agreed that Sam would be sadly missed but hoped that she would accept our invitation to attend the next Joint Regional School in September 2003.

This school and other initiatives undertaken by the two Regions are already paying dividends with more women participating and raising issues of concern to them and it is hoped to build on this success to make a real difference to women's lives.

If anyone would like any information about the school or would like to attend either Regional Committee please contact
Eastern Regional Women's Committee; Maxiene Johnston-Longman (Secretary)
Tele: 01206 542448 / 07801 964650
E-mail: maxiene@cwusea.org

London Regional Women's Committee; Pat Clouder (Secretary)
Tele; 07711 948 964
E-mail; patclouder@aol.com/ lrwc@talk21.com

Linda Kietz (Chair)
Tele; 020 8280 3130
E-mail; cwu.westlondon@i12.com

CONSTITUTION FOR THE LONDON REGIONAL WOMEN'S COMMITTEE

1 NAME

The Committee whall be known as the CWU London Regional Women's Committee.

2 COMMITTEE COMPOSITION

Women delegates from Branches on the basis of one from each of the Businesses represented by the Branch. The Branch equality/women's officer will also be entitled to attend in addition to the Branch's delegate/s but will not be entitled to vote.

3 OBJECTIVES

(a) To promote and actively campaign for the equality of women

(b) To encourace CWU women to take a more active part in Branch affairs and the Union in general

(c) To encourage CWU women to become Committee members and Union activists

(d) To deal with women's issues and to pursue them through the Branch, Regional and H.Q. structure

(e) To liaise with CWU National Women's Advisory Committee, Branch Equality Officers/Women's Officer and the TUC.

4 ELECTIONS

(a) At the Inaugural Meeting, which will be the AGM, the Committee will elect from their members a Chair, a Secretary and a Treasurer and two other members who will form the GPC on a first pass the post basis. Thereafter, the AGM will be held within the first three months of the year. The GPC will also consist of any London women members of the National Executive Council or National Advisory Committee. These will be in an advisory capacity only with no voting rights.

(b) The elections will take place at the meeting. The Secretary will inform Branches of the date of the AGM and seek nominations at least 21 days before. Nominations will close 7 days before the meeting, whereupon nominations received by the Secretary will be circulated to Branches.

(c) The Chair and Secretary will come from different constituencies whenever possible. The election of Chair will take place first. The successful constituency will be barred from standing for the election of Secretary if there are nominations from other constituencies.

5. CHAIR'S DUTIES

(a) The Chair will preside at all meetings. In the Chair's absence this duty will fall to a GPC member.

(b) It will be the responsibility of the Chair to ensure that all issues debated and decisions reached by the Committee comply with the aims and constitution of the Committee and the rules of the CWU.

6. SECRETARY'S DUTIES

(a) The Secretary will deal with correspondence to and from the National Equal Opportunities Committee. The National Women's Advisory Committee and the TUC and report to the Committee on these items, progress on any action points and any other issues raised by the Committee.

(b) It will be the responsibility of the Secretary to prepare Minutes and circulate them to the members of the Committee.

7. MEETING ARRANGEMENTS

The Committee will meet every quarter. In between meetings of the Committee, items of an urgent matter will be dealt with by the GPC and reported to the next Committee Meeting.