Month: July 2019

JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AREA DISTRIBUTION AND THE CWU – PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS DIGITAL TACHOGRAPH CARD DOWNLOAD FREQUENCY

JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AREA DISTRIBUTION AND THE CWU – PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS DIGITAL TACHOGRAPH CARD DOWNLOAD FREQUENCY

Branches and representatives will be aware of the Joint Statement between Royal Mail Logistics and the CWU – Professional Drivers Digital Tachograph Card Download Frequency, which was applicable in Network and received endorsement from the Postal Executive (LTB 318/19refers). 

Following further discussions with the business it has now been agreed that the same arrangements in relation to tachograph download frequency will also be applied for Area Distribution Professional Drivers.

Therefore attached for your information is a further Joint Statement, endorsed by the Postal Executive, which deals specifically with the policy in Area Distribution.

Colleagues will note that the attached is identical to that agreed for the Logistics Network Professional Drivers, with the exception of the change of title and the Area Distribution Joint Working Group having responsibility for reviewing the activity.

The new policy will be introduced from 8th July 2019 and further communications will be sent out via Area Distribution comms and shared with the ADC’s to assist with the change of policy. 

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org or shayman@cwu.org quoting reference number: 518.02.

Davie Robertson

Assistant Secretary

19LTB402

JS Professional Driver Digital Tachograph Download Fequency Area Distribution 01.07.19



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RM/CWU Dog Awareness Week 2019 Monday 8 July to Saturday 13 July 2019:

RM/CWU Dog Awareness Week 2019 Monday 8 July to Saturday 13 July 2019:

To raise awareness and encourage responsible dog ownership, the Union and Royal Mail will jointly launch their sixth annual Dog Awareness Week on Monday 8th July 2019.

The number of dog attacks is still too high and every dog attack is one attack too many. The official number of dog attacks in the UK on postmen and women last year is 2,484, but unreported minor attacks take that up to 3,000 in our estimation. 2,484 represents a 9% increase on Royal Mail’s 2017/18 figures.

The number of dog attacks on postmen and women increases during summer holidays, when children and parents are at home and dogs are more likely to be out in the garden with the family.

Royal Mail Dog Awareness Week is supported by the Communications Workers Union and a wide range of organisations and animal charities including PDSA, the National Police Chief’s Council, and the National Dog Wardens Association.

A special Dog Awareness Week postmark will be applied to all stamped items from Monday 8th July to Friday 12th July.

3,000 Postmen and Women were attacked by Dogs in the UK last year, that’s 47 a week or 7 a day.

ASRs, Regional Health and Safety Forums, Branches and Regions are asked to fully support the week and work locally with Royal Mail and supporting organisations on the campaign.

The Following Press Statement Has Been Issued by Dave Joyce CWU National Health, Safety and Environment Officer: 

CWU National Health, Safety and Environment Officer Dave Joyce said “The failure of Dog Owners to control their animals remains a major concern for postal workers and the public. The number of attacks has risen, with yearly hospital admissions for dog bites increasing by 80% over the last decade. Seven postal workers are attacked by dogs every working day of the year which is unacceptable and the whole idea of Dog Awareness Week is to highlight the problem and the repercussions for dog owners and the victims, many of whom are seriously injured.

83% of dog attacks on postal workers happened at the front door or in the front garden and that number is increasing as we deliver more online purchased parcels. We are appealing to all customers who are dog owners to work with us and think TWICE when the postman calls. Put the dog away in a secure room before opening the door to collect and sign for your delivery.

The vast majority of our customers and their dogs aren’t a problem but irresponsible and reckless dog owners are. Customers are always pleased to see the postman or postwoman arrive as they’re eager to take delivery of the goods they’ve ordered and paid for on the internet but thousands of them unfortunately don’t give a second thought to the postal worker’s safety by putting the dog in a safe, secure place.

There are tough court penalties and a criminal record for irresponsible dog owners including prison and unlimited fines so it’s in their best interest in more ways than one to make sure the dog doesn’t bite the postman/woman. One owner from Romford, Essex paid fines and costs of £9,000 after his dog injured a postwoman’s fingers as she put letters through the door. Another owner from Oxford was handed a 16-month suspended prison sentence and banned from owning dogs for life after his dog badly injured a postman’s hand.

Dog owners need to fully understand that their actions usually are the cause of a dog being dangerous and simple precautions can prevent the pain for everyone concerned. No matter what breed of dog is involved, the dog can present a substantial danger to postal workers.

Worryingly there continues to be a number of very serious Dog attacks on Postal Workers in both Royal Mail delivery and Parcelforce delivery this last year, some of which could easily have ended in fatalities if it wasn’t for the intervention of the owners and good Samaritans”.

I am calling upon all CWU Representatives to fully support and get involved with 2019 Dog Awareness Week.

Further LTBs, Dog Awareness Week materials and information will be issued in due course.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

19LTB400 RMCWU Dog Awareness Week 2019 Monday 8 July to Saturday 13 July 2019

 

 

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KELLY MARY FAUVRELLE – CROYDON POSTWOMAN MURDERED AT THE WEEKEND

KELLY MARY FAUVRELLE – CROYDON POSTWOMAN MURDERED AT THE WEEKEND

I am writing to advise Branches of the tragic news that the story covered in the media at the weekend, of a pregnant woman who was horrifically murdered, was Kelly Mary Fauvrelle, a postwoman and CWU member from Croydon Delivery Office.

Kelly leaves behind a baby fighting for its life, a family utterly devastated and friends and colleagues at work who are in total shock.

The union will do everything possible to help Kelly’s family and our members during this period and we are liaising with the local Branch on this.

Yet another tragic loss of innocent life is sickening.  It is clear that the gang culture and environment across the UK, but particularly in London, has reached a level where it just cannot go on.  The CWU is calling for an immediate reversal of police cuts in London and the UK as an absolute priority; and we will link up with other organisations to pressure the government and the Mayor to act now.

The streets are no longer safe and this is not a world we should be handing over to our children and grandchildren.

Finally, in conjunction with the CWU Croydon and Sutton Amal Branch, we will set up later today an appeal fund to support the family and further details on this will be sent out in due course.

Any enquiries on the above LTB should be addressed to the gsoffice@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

 

Dave Ward

General Secretary

399-19 Kelly Mary Fauvrelle



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POST OFFICE: BEIS SELECT COMMITTEE INQUIRY – POST OFFICE NETWORK – MINISTER’S RESPONSE

POST OFFICE: BEIS SELECT COMMITTEE INQUIRY – POST OFFICE NETWORK – MINISTER’S RESPONSE

Further to LTB 305/19 dated 22nd May 2019. A further evidence hearing was held last week in relation to the BEIS Select Committee inquiry into the Post Office network. The second hearing was held specifically to hear evidence from the Minister, Kelly Tolhurst, who requested a delay to her oral evidence session rather than attending the first hearing held on 21st May which the Union attended along with the NFSP, Citizens Advice, WH Smith, the Association of Convenience Stores and the Post Office. The House of Commons transcript of this week’s Ministerial hearing is attached for your information. 

The Minister was questioned at length by the Committee and the MPs in attendance on the franchising programme, SubPostmasters’ remuneration and Post Bank.

Of particular note was a question from Peter Kyle, Labour MP for Hove, who challenged the so-called public “consultations” surrounding Crown Office franchising a “sham”. Kelly Tolhurst responded by suggesting the whole consultation process was more about receiving feedback about the location change rather than whether the Crown should actually be franchised. She did however note that the Post Office should be clearer about what they were actually consulting on and agreed to ask the Post Office for more information before responding back to the committee. 

Disappointingly but predictably, when asked whether she would be happy with the Crown Offices being 100% franchised, the Minister said she believed the franchise system was working well. Obviously this position doesn’t bode well for our members’ jobs in the Crown network, hence the need to continue building upon the Save Our Post Office campaign.

Press Coverage – Save our Post Offices Campaign

The Daily Mail, which launched its Save our Local Post Offices campaign last month, followed up the previous high profile articles (which included a front page headline) with a further piece on the Post Office concentrating on the requirement for government to provide an ongoing subsidy to support rural Post Offices often described as the last shop in the village. The article, under the heading “Lifeline for 3,000 rural post offices” can be accessed by using the following link: 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7181433/Lifeline-3-000-rural-post-offices-Minister-vows-continue-50million-annual-subsidy.html

Additionally, a web article criticising much of the Minister’s evidence, particularly in relation to the Union and also the Labour party policy of establishing a Post Bank is attached for your information.

Next Steps

We await with interest to see the report from the BEIS Select Committee along with the recommendations. Hopefully this will be published prior to the parliamentary recess.

Further developments will be reported.

If you have any questions in relation to this LTB, please contact Lea Sheridan – lsheridan@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey                     Terry Pullinger                                Dave Ward

Assistant Secretary     Deputy General Secretary (P)    General Secretary

LTB398-19 Post Office – BEIS Select Committee Inquiry – Post Office Network – Minister’s Response

Attachment 1 to LTB398-19 House of Commons Transcript

Attachment 2 to LTB398-19 – Web Article

 



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