CWU triumphs at TUC communication awards

Last night's TUC communication awards at Congress House in London saw the CWU walk away with the top accolades for a range of communications. CWU head of communications Kevin Slocombe said: "Winning an unprecedented four categories at the TUC awards is an endorsement of the union's communications strategy, the weight that we place on communications and the ability of the team."

The annual TUC communication awards showcase the very best in trade union communications. With a judging panel consisting of five judges with an impressive range of communications experience between them, the entries were all given careful consideration with results in each category being decided almost unanimously.

Winning best photo/illustration for an eye-catching manipulation of the classic image of a red pillar box used in last year's Keep the Post Public campaign was, according to judges, a "clear winner".

Triumphing in the category of best campaign for Don't hang up on Barrow - a campaign for which the union successfully fought to save jobs in a Cumbrian call-centre - the judges were particularly impressed by the "shoestring" budget of £400. Sally Bridge, CWU national officer fronting this campaign said she was "delighted" that the campaign's success had been recognised.

Kevin Slocombe added: "As a campaigning union it is rewarding to have won the best campaign for the second year running and to have won the best use of an image from the Keep the Post Public campaign."

The award for best website went to www.cwu.org with judges describing it as "outstanding" with "a very modern feel that enhances its value". In accepting the award, CWU web manager and press officer, Sian Jones said: "We are delighted to win this award. It is a real team effort as the website is an integration of all communications. From journalists writing more and better content to greater integration of new media including video content and interactive features, the website is a communications platform that speaks to our members on every level and for this we are extremely proud."

e-Voice took top spot for best e-communication for its "impressive array of options for viewing and interacting with the content" making it a clear winner for the judges. An electronic version of Voice, the printed publication covering Postal, Telecoms and Financial Services news, the eVoice is packed with broadcast content, links and interactive features which, according to CWU publications editor, Simon Alford, "is becoming increasingly popular especially with the younger membership."

Agreeing, Kevin Slocombe said: "When unions face real challenges in engaging an increasingly diverse and younger workforce, most rewarding are the awards for best website and best use of e-communications for eVoice.

"Communications can no longer simply be about pieces of paper. CWU has put the modernisation of our communications tools at the forefront of that challenge as we compete to get our message out in a crowded media world."

Of this year's awards TUC general secretary Brendan Barber commented: "This year has seen yet another fine crop of entries, once more showing off the excellent work of the union movement in the communications field."

Source: CWU