THE Communication Workers Union (CWU) is to abandon consensus decision-making after conference delegates branded it “undemocratic.”

The system, which allows any branch to veto decisions, has been in place at divisional meetings for 32 years, though not elsewhere in the union.

Gloucestershire delegate Billy Hunt, who moved the motion, said: “I just thought this was a tidying-up exercise.”

He told of how he was in a divisional meeting a few years ago discussing a social media communication strategy, which included proposals to set up a Facebook page, hold Zoom meetings and approve a new logo.

“Despite the majority of branches wanting it, one branch could scupper it. So it’s frustrating,” he said.

Fellow Gloucestershire delegate Ian Trehearne added: “We think it’s well overdue.”

Midlands divisional rep Paul Kennedy opposed, saying: “This is quite dangerous, this proposal.

“This is trying to change the divisional committee constitution, something that has been in place for 32 years.

“You would think, wouldn’t you, that if that constitution prevented committees functioning properly we would have heard about that.

“This is a solution in search of a problem.”

Delegate Paul Bosworth called for “honesty” over how divisional reps reach decisions prior to debating them at meetings.

Postal executive member Stephen Halliwell backed the motion, saying: “The problem does exist otherwise this proposition would not exist on the agenda. 

“This conference in itself works on a democracy, why would any other committee, other executive, other branch not do the same?

“Conference, clearly there’s a problem and we need to make sure the structures are effective.

“We feel that a veto which is what has been articulated is not the way forward, it is a barrier to promote good policy out in the fields.”