Why Join the CWU?
The Communication Workers Union offers workers and their families help and support in a whole range of different ways both at and away from work.
The CWU is the biggest union within the communication industry and we are one of the biggest trade unions in the UK, with a membership of 250,000. The Central Counties & Thames Valley Branch is one of the largest CWU branches with around 3,000 members. Size may not be everything, but it does ensure that we have enormous influence and are well respected.
Representation Close at Hand
The Central Counties & Thames Valley Branch has a team of trained branch officers at locations througout the branch area, so you'll never be far away from someone who can offer advice and assistance.
In 2009 the Central Counties & Thames Valley branch officers directly helped over 420 branch members with a range of issues from simply giving advice over the telephone to representing them at discipline hearings and Employment Tribunals.
We are backed up by specialist officers and organisers at CWU head office ready to assist you and your colleagues.
In short - we're there to provide help when and where you need it.
We're Working for You
The branch officers have many years of experience in helping members with a wide variey of issues. The CWU is a modern forward thinking union, who have the knowledge and experience gained from representing workers in communications for over 150 years.
Support and Advice
You could be fortunate and never need some of our services but anyone can find themselves in difficult circumstances. We provide advice and representation for our members at grievance and disciplinary interviews. We also have an excellent record in successfully representing members at Employment Tribunals.
As a CWU member, these valuable services are free to you.
Campaigning for Your Future
The CWU is a first-class effective campaigning organisation. We have a proven track record of running professional and successful campaigns on a whole range of issues, including many parliamentary campaigns.
At national level the CWU has conducted high level campaigns on employment rights, health and safety at work and regulation within the communication industry. We continue to look to the future and are leading the way in the campaign to raise standards in Call Centres where the CWU now has over 30,000 members.
We are and want to remain a union for the future - a union for your future.
This commitment is detailed in the CWU Universal Manifesto, setting out benchmarks for pay, conditions and future negotiations
Free Legal Advice
The CWU is very proud of its top class professional Legal Services department, that gives expert advice and exclusive assistance to our members and each year the CWU wins around £40 million pounds in compensation claims for our members and their families.
Democratic and Accountable
Your membership entitles you to vote for the people who will represent you, this is because we are a democratic organisation, that listens to our members' views and is run by our members.
Keeping in Touch
As a major force in the communications industry, the CWU is keen to keep in regular touch with all its members. Every CWU member receives a copy of the highly successful union newspaper the CWU Voice and the local Branch magazine - delivered to their home.
CWU head office also promotes campaigns and informs through the national web site and the branch has a popular and informative website.
- CWU Head Office web site: www.cwu.org
- Central Counties & Thames Valley Branch web site: www.cwu-cctv.org
