Devon & Somerset Branch

2010 is Recruitment Year

As you know, the CWU now represents people in nearly 40 different company's, and is seeking recognition with many more.

The communications industry is now one of worlds fastest growing industries, and the potential for the CWU is enormous. We must not stand still as a Union, and it is imperative that we recruit and organise within these company's, in order that we improve not just the terms & conditions for those involved, but a general resurgence of Trade Unionism.

For many years now rogue employers have treated there workforce with contempt, with attitudes like "if you don't like it, you know what you can do". And within some company's workers have had to work long and unsocial hours just to make ends meet.

The CWU also has a need for recruitment, since it's formation mainly due to massive downsizing within it's 2 core business's BT & the PO, we have seen membership decrease by 50%.

So you can see that if we are to maintain and improve our services to the members we must recruit, and that recruitment needs to start now. The CWU still is a very powerful Union, and has a huge say in most of the company's it represents, mainly because it has kept in close contact with it's members. This is achieved through the Branch structure we have, by maintaining a local branch office, (not just a regional office like so many other Unions), the officers are still in touch with the members at grass roots level.

But I am sure you would agree if you talk to friends and family who are members of other Trade Unions, the way the CWU is organised serves you the member better than most.

That is why we must recruit, if we do nothing we would soon be bankrupt, and we would then have to contemplate mergers with other Unions to survive.

So to you the Branch members, we the officers can't do this on our own, we need your help. We ask that you assist the Branch in this recruitment drive, if you know of a colleague who is not a member ask them to join. If you meet people during the day who work within the communications industry, ask them if they are a member of a Union, or get there details and contact the Branch Office. If your friends or family work for a contractor working for BT or the PO, or in a call centre, and do not belong to the CWU ask them to join, or contact the Branch Office.

Phil Thomas

2010 IS RECRUITMENT YEAR