ALL BRANCHES WITH POSTAL MEMBERS. Advanced Engineering Apprenticeship scheme 

AdvanceD Engineering Apprenticeship scheme 
Please find attached a comprehensive Advanced Engineering Apprentice Scheme agreement. 

 
Background

 
After several years of lobbying by the union a commitment to re-establish an Engineering Apprentice programme was secured in the Engineering section of the Business Transformation Agreement 2010.

 
However, the Apprentice programme was subsequently launched without CWU involvement, which has created a number of problems in recent years, both for apprentices and for Royal Mail including differential treatment of external and internal recruits, lack of clarity over exit pay arrangements, lack of clarity over circumstances in which apprentices can cover engineering roles, and a national level disagreement over progression on completion of apprenticeship. 

 
The Agreement

 
The attached agreement regulates recruitment, learning and development, training, management, representation, placement, attendance, pay and progression for engineering apprentices. It moves the union from a position where we had been deliberately held at arm’s length to one in which the Apprentice programme is covered by a comprehensive agreement with the union covering all important aspects. 

 
Any enquiries should be addressed to PTCS department, quoting reference PTC/PD/dj/102. Email address: djeffery@cwu.org  

Yours sincerely

Ray Ellis                                               

Assistant Secretary