Mediation

Mediation
 

The Agenda for Growth Agreement set out a new process to strengthen dispute resolution involving the process of mediation. Over a year since its introduction the CWU and Royal Mail have been reviewing the operation of the new mediation procedures, ‘introducing potential further improvements. Currently we are jointly developing:

 

• Providing a clearer organisational structure around mediation to ensure that recommended improvements are considered and agreed by the Postal Executive (see Annex A). The Mediation Team are suggesting the Postal Executive are presented with bi-monthly ‘B’ documents which report on mediations within the business and identifies successes and obstacles (see Annex B).

• Developing the mediation process to cover Bullying and Harassment cases from January 2016. As the Mediation Team have been carrying out mediations for over a year and have gained experience and credibility, we have agreed to use the internal Mediation Team to deal with Bullying and Harassment cases (see Annex C).

• Developing a triage process which enables a better understanding of the background prior to a mediation taking place. In each case, the mediator responsible for managing that case will hold a triage call with the referrers to establish more of the facts and identify as many as issue as possible.

 

Thus far we have developed and agreed a support programme (attached at Annex D) which looks at how the process of mediation works, who supports the parties after mediation and the benefit it can bring to all those involved. The rationale for the support programme builds on the fact that the mediation process involves both regular follow up meetings with the parties (after one, three, six and twelve months respectively) and requesting feedback from all parties in the referral process.  

 

To better support the parties after the mediation day, a bespoke support programme has now been jointly developed which will be offered to the key stakeholders (i.e. the individual or individuals best suited to support the mediation parties when they return to the workplace). This is likely to include Area Representatives, Delivery Sector Managers, Plant Managers, HRBP and Divisional Representatives, although this list is not exhaustive.  

 

The proposed training programme has been tentatively trialled in two divisions and gives Officers or Representatives the chance to learn basic mediation skills which could assist them in their day to day working relationships. In the long-term, the Mediation Team would hope to roll out the support programme across the company but as yet funding has not been secured.  

 

At this stage, the Mediation Team are offering the Support Programme to CWU Representatives and Royal Mail Managers when mediation has taken place in their areas. This will be done on a strictly voluntary basis and would be co-ordinated in conjunction with the Divisional Representatives. The expectation is that the course will be delivered within two weeks of mediation taking place and that the invite could be extended to nearby Branches for Representatives to attend the course, where it makes geographical sense and at little cost to the Branches.  

 

The CWU will continue to monitor the mediation process going forward and will continue to report any future developments.

 

Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGSP department.

 

Yours sincerely

 
 

Terry Pullinger​​​​​​

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)