Annual conference delegates for communications union CWU looked set to endorse more gender and ethnic diversity among its decision makers yesterday.

The union has been conducting a proportionality exercise in order to ensure that its decision-making bodies are more representative of ordinary members.

Most recently there was a proportionality branch forum held at the TUC on January 28.

National Executive Committee member Dave Ward declared that the argument on proportionality had been won. 

“If we can better reflect the ethnicity and diversity of our membership the CWU will become an even stronger union,” said Mr Ward, who recognised the desire for things to move more quickly.

Assistant secretary Trish Lavelle, who has played a major role in the process, declared that “the proportionality train has very much left the station and is on its way.”

There were motions on a speedier implementation, with calls for a more proportional union by 2017 rather than the proposed six to ten-year timescale.