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It has been suggested that our Association should amalgamate with the National Federation of Post Office & BT Pensioners. This will entail major changes to the way we operate. The details will be presented at Branch AGM’s. Come along and have your say about the future of your Association.
June 2002.
Nine of our eleven branches voted in favour of continuing discussions with the National Federation of Post Office and BT Pensioners with a view to agreeing the terms on which a merger might take place. These discussions will therefore proceed and, depending on their outcome, a formal proposal will be put to members in due course.
June 2003
The result of the postal ballot held in May was as follows:
In favour of the merger 81%
Against the merger 19%
This result will be discussed by the National Committee on 8th July with a view to continuing negotiations with PO and BT pensioners about the terms on which the merger should take place. These negotiations will not include anything which might compromise our relationship with the British Steel Pension Fund.
August 2003
Following the National Committee meeting on 8th July a small working group met with representatives of the PO and BT Pensioners Federation on 31st July. The basis for the conditions under which a merger could take place was drawn up and will now be referred back to the executive committees of both organisations and other interested parties with a view to merging in 2004.
February 2004
Both executive committees have now agreed the merger conditions and, subject to ratification at the Federation's Annual Conference in April, the merger will take place on 1st May, 2004. The terms of the Agreement are as follows (These were originally part of the minutes of a meeting between the two negotiating teams which accounts for the inclusion of some items of little relevance):
1. The agreement is to merge the National Association of British Steel Pensioners (NABSP) into the Federation of Post Office and BT Pensioners (the Federation). The new organisation will retain the title National Federation of Post Office & BT Pensioners, or the name in force at the time of the agreement as agreed by the Annual Conference of the Federation. (Provisonal brand name is "Unite".)
2. The new organisation will contain the existing Federation Branches and a new British Steel Branch.
3. The existing NABSP Branches will become sub-branches of the main British Steel Branch.
4. Membership for determining Annual Conference delegates will be the membership of the main British Steel Branch only. The sub-branches will not be entitled to separate representation at Conference.
5. Membership for calculation of the Branch Rebate will be the total membership of the main British Steel Branch only. The Rebate will be paid only to the main Branch account.
6. The new Branch will come under the existing Rules of the Federation in force at the time and be bound to them for future including any changes agreed by Annual Conference.
7. All members transferring from the NABSP will become full members of the new organisation and will be liable to pay the full subscription rate, subject to any transitional arrangements agreed between the parties and by an Annual Conference of the Federation.
8. All members transferring from the NABSP will be eligible for all Federation services.
9. The NABSP will transfer all of its existing funds into a new bank account in the name of the British Steel Branch in the new organisation, which may involve a simple name change of the existing account. Up to £4000 of the money transferred from the NABSP will be used to fund a recruitment campaign amongst members of the British Steel Pension Scheme during 2004 and 2005.
10. For Years 1 and 2 only, a member of the NABSP National Executive shall be co-opted to the Federation Executive Committee. The NABSP shall decide who their nominee shall be. The British Steel Branch shall fund the travel and subsistence costs of the co-opted member. The British Steel Branch will not be eligible to nominate a member for election to the Executive Committee in these two years, but will be eligible to nominate members for election to the Standing Orders Committee or to be Internal Auditor. In year 3 the co-option ceases and the British Steel Branch will be eligible to nominate a member for election to the Executive Committee, as any other Branch is able to do.
11. The British Steel Branch will have its own Branch Notes on the Veteran (now "Unite" magazine - August 2007) carrier sheet. Articles relating to the British Steel Pension Scheme will be published in the Veteran from time to time.
12. The current arrangements for British Steel Pensioner representation to the Consultative Committee will continue subject to full consultation with the General Secretary and reports of meetings supplied for the Executive Committee as appropriate.
13. Negotiations with Corus and the British Steel Pension Scheme on recruitment initiatives will include the General Secretary, subject to agreement with the business and pension scheme.
14. The current arrangements for representation of British Steel Pensioners to the Unions' Steel Co-ordinating Committee will continue as at present, subject to full consultation with the General Secretary and reports of meetings supplied for the Executive Committee as appropriate.
15. Subscriptions.
The following schedule of subscriptons was agreed:
YEAR 1
Full - £6.00 - No rebate payable.
Joint - None allowed until year three.
In Year 1 the British Steel Branch will operate using their existing funds. The subscription of £6.00 will be paid to HQ and will not attract a rebate. YEAR 2
Full - £9.00 - No rebate payable.
Joint - None allowed until year three.
In year 2 the British Steel Branch will continue to use their own funds. The subscription of £9.00 will be paid to HQ and will not attract a rebate. YEAR 3
The Full Subscription Rates will be equivalent to those prevailing at the time. Currently £12 full and £18.40 joint, on which Rebates will be paid. 16. It was requested that British Steel members have access to the Federation's Charity. Ron Smart said that we could not agree to this as we have no power to do so since the Charity was independent of the Federation and this decision would have to be left to the Trustees. The Federation undertakes to raise this with the Trustees at the first opportunity.
17. Many of the current Life Members of NABSP may not want to join and start paying the subscription. It was asked if they could continue as Associate Members. Under current Federation Rules any Branch may have Associate Members and the subscription they pay is up to the Branch. However these Associate Members can take no part in discussion on Federation Policy, may not receive a copy of the Veteran (now "Unite" magazine), may not have access to any Federation Member Services, may not attend Annual or Special Conferences as a Delegate and may not act as a Branch Officer. A Branch Newsletter can be sent to these Associate Members but the expenditure will have to be agreed by the Full Members and be funded out of Branch Funds.
18. A mandate letter will be supplied to the British Steel Pension Scheme for authority to deduct from pension.
April 25th 2004
The PO & BT Pensioners Federation Annual Conference endorsed the merger with NABSP on 21st April. It will therefore take effect on 1st May 2004.
October 8th 2004
The merger to form "UNITE" duly took place on 1st May and many members have taken advantage of the reduced subscriptions available up to the end of August as detailed above. This is no longer available but full membership only costs £12 per year and can be deducted from your pension automatically at the rate of £1 per month. A mandate form for this can be found on another page.
Life members of the Association who have not joined UNITE will continue to receive an annual newsletter and can attend meetings of their local sub-branch but will not be eligible for full membership priviledges and will not receive copies of the "Veteran" (now "Unite") magazine.
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