Postal Industrial Conference 2019 – Motion 142

Further to LTB 336/19 circulated to Branches on 4th June 2019.

Branches/colleagues will recall that the terms of Motion 142 made specific reference to the proposed CDC scheme and the principle of same sex relationships having the beneficiary wishes respected as detailed on Expression of Wish forms.

I am pleased to be able to report to Branches that following an exchange of correspondence with Royal Mail Group, a reply has been received confirming that although the rules of CDC scheme are yet to be written, it is their intention that the principle of equal treatment of the scheme’s members will flow through accordingly.

This development was reported to the Postal Executive at its meeting held on the 23rd July 2019 where the Executive agreed that the terms of Motion 142 had now been secured in full and that the item was discharged.

Branches will also recall that LTB 336/19 made reference to the concerns that were raised in the Motion regarding CWU members in the Postal Constituency experiencing difficulty in submitting an Expression of Wish form who are in same sex relationships. For ease of reference the relevant paragraph is reproduced below:

However in view of the concerns raised in Motion 142, any CWU member in the Postal Constituency who has experienced any difficulties in relation to submitting an Expression of Wish form who are in a same sex relationship should provide the details to the DGS(P) Department so they can be raised with the business accordingly.

Branches/colleagues are reassured that while the Motion has been discharged by the Postal Executive as an agenda item for future meetings any CWU members in the Postal Constituency in same sex relationships who are/have experienced any difficulty in the submission of their Expression of Wish form should bring this to the attention of the DGS(P) Department so that it can be raised with the business and addressed accordingly.

Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department.

Yours sincerely,

Terry Pullinger
Deputy General Secretary Postal

Mental Health First Aiders: Workplace Considerations’ – IOSH (the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health):

IOSH (the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health), one of the UK’s leading Health and Safety Professional organisations has produced a report and guidance entitled ‘Mental Health First Aiders: Workplace Considerations’ which considers the adoption and implementation of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) as an intervention and summarises some of its pros and cons for organisations and employers regarding the introduction of MHFA, from its recent IOSH funded research.

IOSH research in 2018 found that MHFA appeared to be a “useful vehicle” for raising awareness around mental health issues and HSE research last year also concluded that “There is consistent evidence that MHFA training raises employees’ awareness of mental ill-health conditions.” Also, a Public Health England (PHE) and RAND Europe evaluation concluded that MHFA ranked highly in relation to evidence based interventions.

Research on workplace wellbeing interventions is still at an early stage however and MHFA England is working with the HSE and the Centre for Mental Health on the development of new research to further look into the impact of MHFA on the person trained and those they support in the workplace.

The key point and key conclusion of this IOSH Report is that appointing Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) must not be seen as the primary control for dealing with poor mental health in the workplace. The founding principle of good occupational safety and health (OSH) practice is prevention. Employers taking preventative measures is a legal duty – to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the people they employ. Management systems and controls must be effective against workplace stressors and ill-treatment. Action must also be taken routinely to de-stigmatise mental ill-health throughout the organisation, promoting and supporting positive mental wellbeing.

Mental Health First Aiders on the other hand are a recovery control and an additional measure. They are not there to provide any treatment, counselling or professional guidance but are importantly there for people in distress and to focus on encouraging the person experiencing mental health issues, stress, anxiety etc., to talk, to accept what they are feeling and then to seek professional medical help. The Mental Health First Aider merely listens and initially helps the person experiencing mental or emotional distress to take personal ownership. The Mental Health First Aider will then ‘signpost’ or point to where that person can obtain specialist help and advice, encouraging them to act.

These two key factors are two sides of the same coin in the implementation of a ‘holistic’ mental health management system approach to tackle the causes of mental ill health as well as ensuring support for those in need. A growing number of organisations are now seeing Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) as one important aspect of their full arrangements for managing and promoting mental wellbeing.

The short, interesting report covers a number of other points around MHFA on structuring a system, design, volunteers, promotion, support, access and monitoring and will be useful in discussions with our employers.

The report concludes that all workers and managers would benefit from knowing how to identify the early symptoms of common mental disorders, whether caused domestically or at work. Early referral to a Mental Health First Aider, before the onset of a chronic condition, may mean subsequent medical assistance is applied earlier and has a better chance of being effective more quickly.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

19LTB447 Mental Health First Aiders Workplace Considerations – IOSH (the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health) I

OSH-MHFA-considerations

Peugeot Expert Vehicles – Side Loading Door Detachment Incidents:

Royal Mail have experienced several side loading doors coming off the rails on the Peugeot Expert vehicles with a number of incidents reported by ASRs to the Health, Safety & Environment Department. These incidents were reported to Royal Mail Group Fleet and subsequently investigated. The cause of the problem was identified as a design fault in the door rails that allows the door rollers to dislocate from the rail.

Manufacturer Peugeot recognised the failures and have initiated a recall to replace the side loading door rails on a range of these vehicles. The recall remedial action work is being carried out by both RM Fleet Workshops and in some cases by Peugeot Dealers.

Due to the possible injury risk to drivers and staff loading/unloading the vans that could occur if the door falls out of its rails, a Technical Services Bulletin (TSB) has been issued and the work will be completed across the fleet before the end of December 2019.

In the range of vehicles some may require top and centre rails replaced and a small range only require the centre rail replaced on both side loading doors on the offside and nearside of the vehicle.

Copy of the ‘Red’ TSB 15/19 is attached along with the repair outline.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

19LTB446 Peugeot Expert Vehicles – Side Loading Door Detachment Incidents

Outline of the Repair

TSB 15 19 Red Peugeot Expert SLD centre and top side door rails replacement

Scottish Parliament Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee Review of Dog Attacks and Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 – Report

Introduction – Bite-Back Campaign Re-Launch

This is an update report to Safety Reps, Branches and Regions further to LTB No. 113/2019 dated 18 February 2019 and LTB No. 572/18 issued on 9 October 2018 and to inform you that the Scottish Parliament’s Public Accounts and Post Legislative Scrutiny (PAPLS) Committee of MSPs (Members of the Scottish Parliament) have published their report on the above.

As CWU Branches, Safety Reps and Regional Safety Forums will know from previous LTBs, there are currently two public inquiries or legislative reviews underway, looking at the dangerous dogs problem in the UK, examining the effectiveness of the current Dog Control Legislation and its enforcement. One is being undertaken in Westminster by the UK Government’s House of Commons, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee and a second, in Holyrood, Edinburgh by the Scottish Government’s Public Audit and Post-Legislative Scrutiny Committee. Both inquiries were brought about, in no small part by a concerted effort and lobbying by the CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department’s ‘Bite-Back’ Campaign re-launch, following growing problems across the country with dangerous dogs law enforcement by Police and the Courts.

Additionally the CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department has been working hard campaigning also in Wales, pressing the Welsh Government to take action and a number of meetings have taken place with Ministers, MPs, MSPs and MLAs.

The Union has been successful in gaining the support of all political parties during our campaigning.

Motion to Scottish Parliament on Dangerous Dogs Laws 

As you will know, the CWU ‘Bite-Back’ campaign was re-launched in Scotland in 2018 and we have been lobbying hard, engaging with Ministers and MLAs over the last year in efforts to press for further changes and strengthening of the dog control laws and its enforcement in Scotland which I have to say is far from satisfactory. Our campaign led to a Motion coming before the Scottish Parliament on 8 May 2018 calling for a review of Scottish Dangerous Dogs Law and I’m proud to say that the Motion was carried unanimously, supported by every political party after I had met and engaged them all. This was followed by meetings with the Minister and Shadow Ministers and party leaders. This has culminated in the inquiry by the Scottish Government Public Audit and Post-Legislative Scrutiny Committee.

Timeline

• Early 2018 CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department re-launches ‘Bite-Back’ Campaign in the Scottish Parliament, lobbying and writing to all MPs and attending a number of meetings with MLAs and Ministers.
• CWU ‘Bite-Back’ Campaign on Postal Worker Dog Attacks’ links up with Radio Argyle ‘Lead The Way Campaign’ on dog attacks on Young Children.
• Cross Party discussions and meetings take place.
• A Motion is put to the Parliament calling for a Dog Control Law review and a debate takes place in the Scottish Parliament on 8 May 2018 relating to the effectiveness of the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010.
• On the 28 of June 2018 the Parliament’s Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee agreed to undertake a Post Legislative Review of the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010.
• Written evidence was called for from 3 July 2018 to 5 October 2018. CWU Evidence submission made.
• The Committee held three public engagement meetings in December 2018/January 2019 at Airdrie, Dalkeith and Dundee.
• Oral evidence sessions were held in February/March 2019. CWU evidence given on 21 February this year.
• 18 July 2019 – PAPLS Report published.
• Parliament scheduled to debate the Report in September.

The Report

Having given consideration to the contents of the Report, its conclusions and recommendations, it will be very much welcomed across the CWU in Scotland and in the UK as a whole as the Report will feed into the Dangerous Dogs Inquiry in Westminster also. The Report will be debated in the Scottish Parliament in September when hopefully the Scottish Government will accept the Report Recommendations in full and take appropriate action.A copy of the Report ‘Executive Summary’ is attached containing 33 conclusions and recommendations, all of which support evidence given by the CWU.

Key points:-

• There is an unacceptably high prevalence of dog attacks in Scotland and numbers have increased.
• The PAPLS Committee considers that dog attacks levels are a ‘national crisis.’
• Dog Control Legislation is weak and ineffective.
• A Scottish Dog Control Notice Database is required.
• General Practitioners, hospitals, local authorities and Police Scotland should be required to record and collect consistent dog attack data.
• The Scottish Government should urgently undertake a dog control awareness raising programme which is long overdue.
• Some local authorities and Police officers are not aware of or don’t understand dog control legislation.
• There is a lack of co-ordination between Police and local authorities.
• In many cases no sanctions are made in cases against owners of dogs who pose a risk to the safety of members of the public and animals.
• Appointing an insufficient number of dog wardens has negatively impacted on local authorities’ ability to implement Dog Control Law.
• Dog Control Notices (DCNs) should not be used as an alternative to the dog seizures under the 1991 DD Act. Where a victim has been injured and a prosecution is pending, the dog should be seized until the case has been heard.
• Local authority dog seizure powers should be strengthened.
• Victims of dog attacks should be entitled to know the outcome of the prosecution or other action that has been taken against the owner of the dog by the local authority.
• A database containing information on dog control activity should be set up and available to local authorities and Police Scotland.
• A new offence of ‘obstruction’ should be introduced in order to assist local authorities.
• Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) should be introduced for minor breaches of a Dog Control Notice (DCN).
• Local authorities should exercise their powers and create secure play areas for children in public parks from which dogs are prohibited and additionally create areas for dogs.
• The ‘reasonable apprehension’ requirement within S10 of the DDA 1991 which has created the so called ‘one free bite’ rule perception should be amended.
• A Dog Licensing scheme for dog owners should be considered.
• Legislative Controls on dog walking services should be considered.
• The Scottish Government should consider a modern consolidated Dog Control Act.
• The Scottish Government should assesses the scale of the public health impact of dog bites, and the associated cost implications, to determine if a multi-agency public health approach to tackling dog control issues is required.
• The PAPLS Committee concludes that the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 has had limited effect in preventing or reducing the number of dog attacks in Scotland.
• The PAPLS Committee concludes that current dog control law is not fit for purpose and recommends that the Scottish Government undertakes a comprehensive review of all dog control legislation without delay, with a view to introducing modernised, fit for purpose, consolidated dog control legislation.
• The PAPLS Committee concludes that in the interim, the Government must improve the implementation of the 2010 Act.

I will update branches further in due course.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

19LTB444 Scottish Parliament Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee Review of Dog Attacks

CONTROL OF DOGS (SCOTLAND) ACT 2010 – PAPLS Committee Report 18 July 201.._

NEC, Industrial Executives and Regional Secretary Elections 2019 – Change of Closing Date of Ballot

Further to LTB 433/19, dated 12^th July 2019.

The purpose of this LTB is to remind branches of the revised closing date of the 29^th July 2019 (first post)for the above National Elections.

Branches are asked to bring this information to their members by all means possible.

This should include using Branch social media outlets, the distribution of this LTB to workplaces/ members and where practical holding workplace meetings.

Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 020 8971 7237, or email address sdgs@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

19LTB422

RE-LAUNCH OF THE VOICE

The autumn issue of The Voice will see a full re-launch of the publication. We are moving away from a news focused strategy. In the world of constant 24/7 news, social media and video, any attempts to match this in print have become outdated.

We do however firmly believe an opportunity exists to produce a well read and important print magazine as a union.

With this in mind we will re-launch completely with more member-led publication including features from the workplace, branches and regions. We will still bring you news but to a much reduced level. We will see no reduction in our industrial and workplace coverage – it will just be brought to you in a more strategic and thought provoking way.

We will also use this opportunity to continue to promote our equality, education, young workers and retired member’s activities.

Additionally, we are delighted to confirm that alongside the new magazine we will cease the use of plastic postage wrapping and introduce a new compostable cover.

Finally, we have decided the stars of our first cover should be you – our reps and members. Whether at work or retired we want you to send us your selfies via WhatsApp to 07907 502190. Please get this message out there as far and wide as possible as we are looking for hundreds of images.

The Voice has a huge tradition in the union and rightly so. It is time to review its purpose and direction. We look forward to sharing the new edition with you in late September. If you have any thoughts or ideas we should consider please get in touch.

All enquiries on this LTB should be directed to our Publications Editor Karl Stewart kstewart@cwu.org

Kind regards

Chris Webb
Head of Communications, Engagement and Media

19LTB 441-19 – RE-LAUNCH OF THE VOICE