JOINT STATEMENT (ADDENDUM) BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AND THE CWU COVERING THE CUSTOMER PRESENTATION STRATEGY – DEPLOYMENT OF OUTWARD VIRTUAL MAIL PIECE TAGGING (VMT) TO MAIL CENTRES WITH TOP2000 

JOINT STATEMENT (ADDENDUM) BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AND THE CWU COVERING THE CUSTOMER PRESENTATION STRATEGY – DEPLOYMENT OF OUTWARD VIRTUAL MAIL PIECE TAGGING (VMT) TO MAIL CENTRES WITH TOP2000 
Dear Colleagues,
 
Branches and representatives will be aware that upgrade activity to the TOP2000 (FSM) estate has been taking place. 
Following trial activity two elements in relation to the activity have already been endorsed by the Postal Executive and have now been deployed. These were Dynamic Tray Allocation (DTA) and Multi Mode Feeder (MMF) and were communicated to Branches via LTB 050/15 and LTB 415/15 respectively. 
For the information of Branches the DTA upgrade has improved the efficiency of the TOP2000, without increasing the amount of machinable traffic. The MMF upgrade has increased the number of machinable items by around 30% by enabling the processing of plastic wrapped items on the TOP2000. 
In addition to the above trial activity for a software upgrade in regard to Virtual Mail Piece Tagging (VMT) has also been taking place. The VMT software upgrade will not further increase the number of machinable items but allows improved automation of unwrapped and plastic wrapped addressed items and responds to customer concerns that printed barcodes on self-adhesive labels obscures their artwork and important information, i.e. promotional offers, contact details etc. 
A separate Joint Statement was agreed in April 2016 to enable the deployment of the VMT in relation to the Inward operation (LTB 202/16 refers). That Joint Statement also outlined that trial activity was to take place in relation to the Outward operation, which if successful was to be agreed as an Addendum. 
The introduction of VMT will allow for a digital image of the customer’s item to be captured and used in the automation process, rather than the adhesive labels that are currently applied. 
The Outward VMT upgrade to the TOP2000 enables the efficient and consistent tagging and processing of Outward mail from one Mail Centre to another where both are equipped with a TOP2000 large letter machine*. This enables VMT to be used for all types of mail processed by any TOP2000 at any time and on any work plan, sorted into trays. 
*Where mail leaves a Mail Centre without a TOP2000 and arrives at a TOP2000 equipped Mail Centre, VMT will process that mail as new Inward mail, as is the case currently but using the established Inward VMT process to complete sortation”. 
The trial activity in relation to the Outward operation has now concluded and attached for the information of Branches and representatives is a Joint Statement that has been agreed to enable deployment of the software upgrade. In line with the previous Joint Statement for the Inward deployment the attached provides for the full involvement of the CWU and Annexes which outline the schedule of works and arrangements for any diversions that may be required while the upgrade activity takes place. 
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to the relevant Officer: 
Industrial Issues: Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, e-mail: dwyatt@cwu.org or shayman@cwu.org quoting reference number: 712.05
Engineering Issues: Ray Ellis, Assistant Secretary, e-mail: djeffery@cwu.org 
 
Yours sincerely,
 
 
Davie Robertson Ray Ellis  
Assistant Secretary Assistant Secretary 
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB: 493/16 – JOINT STATEMENT (ADDENDUM) BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AND THE CWU

Attachment 1 – JS Deployment of Outword Virtual Mail Piece Tagging to Mail Centres with Top2000