COVID–19 Test Kits Home Collection Service

Dear Colleagues,

Branches and Representatives will be aware that Covid-19 testing services are now being made available via different access points. In this regard the CWU has been engaging with RMG on a cross departmental basis, to ensure that the services that are being provided for key workers and their families, through various initiatives on behalf of the Government/NHS, are collected and processed quickly and safely.

As detailed within the previous update contained within LTB 242/20 colleagues will note that one of the initiatives being provided by Royal Mail on behalf of the Government/NHS is a Home Collection service. Currently the Royal Mail owned eCourier service are collecting Covid-19 Test Kits from home addresses and delivering them to Mail Centres for onward processing and delivery by Royal Mail to laboratories. However, as the need to rapidly increase the numbers of individuals for testing grows and the service provision is expanded accordingly there is also the requirement to provide an in-house operational solution.

Therefore, we have been in discussion with Royal Mail in relation to expanding the home self- testing collection service to the rest of the UK. In this regard further to a successful pilot in the TR postcode area, we have jointly agreed with Royal Mail to extend the service on a phased basis to a further 159 units, which are attached and contained within the spreadsheet for information at Annex A.

As part of this expansion we have agreed a Phase 1 roll-out plan and we have also concluded a National Joint Statement with Royal Mail which covers the necessary operational and local engagement details and safeguards necessary in order to successfully provide this service. This is attached at Annex B.

The Safe Systems of Work for the home collection of these items is also attached as below:

Annex C: Delivery & Collection Service Annex D:Doorstep Collection Service

Equally, as demand for the Home Collection service increases additional Mail Centres/RDC’s will be coming on line and utilising the Tracked Returns process. Attached for assistance are the relevant SSoW and Standard Operating Procedures for the Processing function:

Annex E: SSOW Processing
Annex F: CV2 Outward Primary Sort RM Tracked
Annex G: CV3 Process and Scan Tracked Returns 24 Covid19 Test Packs Annex H: CV4 Delivery to Covid19 Test Pack Lab

We appreciate that members will have concerns in relation to the handling of the test kits and we believe that every effort has been made to ensure that maximum protections are being provided. However, all activity relating to testing initiatives will be continued to be monitored at National level.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to:

Delivery & Collections: Mark Baulch, Assistant Secretary, email: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org quoting reference: 600.

or

Processing, Area & Distribution: Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org quoting reference: 014.14.

or

Health & Safety: Ray Ellis, Acting Head of Health & Safety, email: lpietrzykowska@cwu.org quoting reference E1/20.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Baulch
Assistant Secretary

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

Ray Ellis
Acting Head of Health & Safety

LTB – 251/20 – COVID-19 Test Kits Home Collection Service

Annex A – Hub Mapping Covid19 May 20

Annex B – Joint Statement COVID Home Collection National Expansion

Annex C – COVID 19 Test Kit SSOW Deliveries and Collections (final)

Annex D – COVID 19 Test Kit SSOW Doorstep Collections V1.docx

Annex E – COVID 19 Test Kit SSOW Processing (final)

Annex F – CV2 Outward Primary Sort RM Tracked

Annex G – CV3 Process and Scan Tracked Returns 24 Covid19 Test Packs

Annex H – CV4 Delivery to Covid19 Test Pack Lab

Coronavirus – Government announcement on easing lockdown measures

The purpose of this LTB is to update branches on the Government’s announcement and statements this week, on easing the current lockdown measures in England to deal with coronavirus.

Whilst many CWU members will not be directly affected by the changes in relation to the re-opening of workplaces, we do have members who will be and we will all be impacted by the easing of lockdown measures more generally. The union has therefore been engaging with the Government independently and through the TUC over the past two months.

The Prime Minister has set out a number of steps on easing the lockdown for England including encouraging the re-opening of workplaces that have shut – notably in manufacturing and construction – where it is not possible for staff to work from home; removing the limit on exercising outside only once a day from Wednesday, while continuing social distancing requirements; and looking ahead, the possible re-opening of primary schools, starting with certain year groups in June, and the possible re-opening of the hospitality industry in July. A summary of the measures is attached to this LTB.

Alongside this, the Government has published more detailed guidance about safe-working in certain types of workplaces including offices and contact centres, other people’s homes and shops and branches. Along with the TUC, the CWU has been engaging with the Government on its workplace proposals and this guidance over the past two months. Working with other unions we have been pushing the Government to put the health and safety of workers first with regard to any easing of the lockdown and to clearly set out the steps employers need to take in order to ensure workplaces are safe. We have also made a number of proposals in relation to working practices in our own industries and taken part in a Government consultation to set out the union’s views.

We do not believe the Government has managed the latest announcements well, particularly by failing to publish its guidance on specific workplaces until last night and having been unclear initially about when it hoped workplaces that had been closed would open from – it has now clarified it is encouraging re-opening from Wednesday. We are also concerned that there is no UK-wide approach to social distancing, that the public messaging is not sufficiently clear and in several areas the proposals we made in relation to particular types of workplaces have not been included in the final guidance.

For members who are affected by changes as a result of the announcements on workplaces this week, it is important to be clear that employers are under legal obligations to protect workers from risks to their health and safety, to carry out risk-assessments and to consult union health and safety representatives. Importantly, employees have individual rights not to work in a workplace where they reasonably believe it would be unsafe to do so. The guidance the Government has published sets out more detailed workplace- specific standards in relation to coronavirus on issues such as maintaining 2 metre distancing and cleaning surfaces, and where any employer is re-opening their business or changing working practices in response to the Government’s announcement, it is important that branches contact the relevant industrial department for advice.

Similarly, where changes are being made by employers and there are questions in relation to those in vulnerable groups who have been told to self-isolate, individuals who have childcare issues or face difficulties getting to work because of public transport, branches should contact the relevant industrial department.

Finally, alongside the TUC, the union will be continuing to push the Government on both immediate steps taken in response to the crisis – including statutory sick pay, benefits levels, the furlough scheme and support for parents – and the need to ensure working people do not suffer as a result of a long-term economic crisis. The NEC will be discussing these issues later this week and we will be saying more on the union’s demands and how we will be campaigning on this as part of our ongoing work on the new deal for workers.

Any queries on the contents of this LTB should be directed togsoffice@cwu.org or the appropriate industrial department.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward

General Secretary

LTB 252/20 – Coronavirus – Government announcement on easing lockdown measures

Our Plan to Rebuild – Summary of Government Plan 12 05 20

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Communications Workshops for CWU Branches

Dear colleagues,

Over the course of the coming weeks the Communications Department will be putting together a series of workshops with branches on key channels / tools, which will hopefully enable you to build on the work you are doing locally.
 

The sessions will be held via Zoom and will be hosted by the Department and experts from across our movement.
 

So far in our planning we have agreed sessions on;
 

• Livestreaming
• Video
• Social Media
• Design
• Media

We will be adding to these in the coming weeks in order to fully share with branches the work we undertake at national level.

The first session will be held on Tuesday 26^th May at 4pm and will cover livestreaming. I will be joined by Gary McQuiggin who is the Head of Video at Novara Media and a livestreaming expert. We will cover the basics of live video alongside some more advanced content. We will of course take questions from branches during the event.

We will send the joining link for this and the full plan of events next week. None of the sessions will last more than an hour.

We would welcome suggestions from Branches on any other tools / channels you would want us to host an event on.

Kind regards,

Chris Webb

Head of Communications, Engagement and Media 

LTB 249/20 – Communications Workshops for Branches

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CWU 2021 Diary

Branches are reminded of the deadline dates below and attached is an electronic diary order form for your branch use.

We continue to offer branches personalised diaries at no additional cost. Branches can personalise an area on the front cover of the CWU pocket diary and also have the option to have a personalised page (printed on one side only) which will be inserted near the front of the pocket diary.

The CWU pocket diary is priced at £1.75 and the A5 desk diary is priced at £2.60.

We also continue to offer branches bulk discount on pocket diaries only on orders of 1,000 or more for £1.40 per diary.

Branches ordering unaltered diaries should return their completed order form by no later than Friday 11th September.

Personalised branch diary orders only

Branch personalised diary orders must be returned by no later than Friday 22nd May. On receipt of your order form you will be emailed the appropriate template(s),please ensure to include your email address as this is where your template(s) will be sent with further instructions.

Please complete your template(s) as soon as possible and note the return deadline is Friday 12th June. Due to strict deadlines any orders or proofs received after the dates provided may not be processed.

If you would like to use your 2020 diary template(s) and there are no changes, please advise Marcia Murray.

Orders will be based on the following:
Minimum order to personalise front cover: 250 units

Minimum order to insert page: 500 units
Minimum order to personalise front cover and insert page: 500 units

All completed order forms and enquiries on this LTB should be addressed to Marcia Murray by email only to mmurray@cwu.org

The diaries will be dispatched from Friday 25th September 2020.

Kind regards,

Chris Webb

Head of Communications, Engagement and Media

LTB 248/20 – CWU 2021 Diary

CWU 2021 Diary Order Form

REDESIGN – HEALTH, SAFETY & WELLBEING

The purpose of this LTB is to advise Branches that as part of Redesign and the ongoing reorganisation of CWU Headquarters, we are jointly developing a wider strategic role for Health, Safety and wellbeing within our Central Services team.

This will enable the union to develop a clearer forward agenda and have greater influence in Government, legal, societal and TUC developments in the field of health, safety & wellbeing.

Crucially, it will also provide the platform for consistent policy development, guidance and expertise being utilised across the whole union, in support of our industrial constituencies and our new Regional structures.

This more strategic approach in our Central Services team will also mean clearer defined responsibilities for day-to-day industrial health, safety & wellbeing work within the Industrial Executives.

Currently, we operate different approaches within the Postal and T&FS Constituencies and before the transition to the wider strategic role, we will be discussing with the DGS (P) and DGS (T&FS) the most consistent and effective way of undertaking our industrial health & safety work, whilst also harnessing the strengths of the overall union and the Central Services team, for the benefits of all members.

This type of approach has already been discussed with senior Health and Safety representatives and we will continue to take their valuable input as we begin the process of transition and the work will now commence to define the lines between strategic and industrial work, alongside better coordination between both.

As part of this, next week, we will hold a Zoom meeting for Health and Safety Representatives and Branches, where we can discuss the direction we are taking, as well as taking this opportunity for a wider discussion on the COVID19 pandemic and the approach the Government will be announcing on Sunday to ease the current lockdown.

Details on the date, time and how to access this Zoom meeting will be sent out in due course.

Any enquiries on the Redesign approach to the gsoffice@cwu.org, specific enquiries on Health, Safety & Wellbeing matters to djoyce@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward – General Secretary                                    

Dave Joyce – National Health, Safety and Environment Officer

20LTB246 REDESIGN – HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING

Deaf Awareness Week – Communications Department

Dear Colleagues,

As part of Deaf Awareness Week, the Communications Department have been taking the opportunity to reflect on the work we have done to make our communications as accessible as possible and, as a priority, what more we can do.

We take a lot of pride in the fact we were the first union to subtitle videos and use signers in live sessions. We now subtitle almost every recorded video that goes out on our channels.

We have, however faced challenges making sure our impromptu live sessions are as accessible as possible. We took the step some months ago, of transcribing each session shortly after they closed and this has worked well.

We have now agreed the following additional measures;

• A specific signer has agreed to work with us on as many of our live sessions as possible.
• We are working with the Equality and Education Department and Development Department to investigate the possibility of training CWU HQ staff as signers.
• We are looking into new technology which will make our communications even more accessible.
• We have updated the accessibility page of the CWU website.

This week we have produced two videos for Deaf Awareness Week:

We are pleased to share some progress we have made in auto captioning tools our deaf members can use to live caption any sessions (live or recorded) we are holding;

1. Android phone users https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.audio.hearing.visualization.accessibility.scribe&hl=en_GB

1. Web browser software https://webcaptioner.com/

We ask that Branches ensure the full content of this LTB is shared with reps and members locally so awareness of these tools is shared as widely as possible.

We hope Branches will be able to recognise the work that has gone into making our communications available to as many of our members as possible. In the same spirit we recognise that work must continue.

Kind regards

Chris Webb
Head of Communications, Engagement and Media

Average Pay on Annual Leave (Holiday Pay Claims) Against Royal Mail Group Limited

Further to LTB 112/20 circulated on 9^th March 2020, I am writing to provide Branches with an update on average pay on leave (holiday pay) in Royal Mail Group, both in terms of ongoing dialogue with management and the status of Employment Tribunal claims.

At a meeting on 17^th March 2020 the Postal Executive rejected a further closed offer from Royal Mail Group to settle the long-standing issue of average pay on leave. This closed offer had been tabled by a manager who was not present at the previous talks and contained a formula for calculating the regularity of holiday pay that was against certain national agreements and would have disadvantaged many members.

On 19^th March 2020 further correspondence was received from Royal Mail Group in which management questioned the use of a 52 week reference period (as outlined in LTB 112/20) and claimed that it was confusing and misleading. The LTB in question had been circulated following legal advice but for the sake of completeness the Department sought further legal opinion.

Unionline has now supplied a further judgement which supports the position of the union in relation to the use of a 52 week reference period and not that of Royal Mail Group. In part of their correspondence the solicitor from Unionline states the following “If Royal Mail say differently about what the reference period is then they should be asked for the legal basis of it. I could not find one”.

In light of this I have written to Royal Mail Group and made clear the relevant points about the 52 week reference period and also confirmed that the last closed offer received has been rejected but that we remain open to further talks.

Branches should however be aware that over the past six weeks there have been developments in relation to the Employment Tribunal submissions. These are reported below:

England and Wales

A preliminary hearing was held by telephone on 27^thMarch 2020. The legal representatives have agreed the clauses below, meaning that those who have already submitted ET claims will be able to have additional periods of annual leave added to their existing case without needing to submit an additional ET1:

• For all claimants who have already lodged claims in this multiple, additional claims of for subsequent periods of underpaid holiday pay are to be added by way of automatic amendment without the need to submit individual applications to amend.
• In respect of claims not yet lodged, once lodged, the same principle shall apply until determination of the multiple, i.e. that any additional subsequent periods of alleged underpaid holiday pay shall be added automatically   without the need for further application to amend.

Unionline has informed the Department that they are hoping to hear from the Tribunal in the near future in relation to whether these words are acceptable and following this will also provide an updated newsletter. Those who do not yet have a live case will however still need to follow the previous process starting with ACAS and submit a new claim. The Regional Employment Judge (REJ) will then decide if such submissions form part of the multiple claim.  This request was previously notified to Postal Executive members so that they could relay this on their Divisional calls with Branches, but it is worth repeating.

Importantly Branches must note that the REJ has also requested that CWU claimants use a standard claim form going forward and identify themselves as CWU claimants by listing the CWU as their representative. Claimants are also asked not to phone the ET for an update on their particular claim. 

In terms of timescales going forward, the parties have until 30^th September 2020 to identify potential lead claimants. It is envisaged this may be around 30 in number that will then be whittled down to a final 10. Royal Mail Group are not required to file an ET3 pending the identification of lead claimants.

A date of 5^th October 2020 has then been set for a further preliminary hearing to identify the lead cases, when the ET3 is to be filed, listed and further directions given.

SCOTLAND 

Branches will recall that all employment tribunal claims in Scotland were originally sisted until 20^th April 2020. This was then extended by just over a week to 28^th April 2020.

Following an update from Unionline in Scotland, unfortunately the position is that all Tribunal hearings scheduled to take place from the middle of March until 30^th June 2020 have now been cancelled.  These claims will be prioritised when the Tribunal list in person hearings again.

In the telephone case management discussions involving the respective parties, in order to reschedule cancelled hearings the Tribunal has advised that these Employment Tribunal cases will now be listed for a final hearing through January 2021 until March 2021.

The cases are of course safely in the system and it is possible that the timeframe for final hearings will be reduced. However, rather than raise expectations, at the time of writing we have to work on the assumption that there is likely to be a significant delay in arranging a final hearing.  Unionline will be writing to the Tribunal this week to request that a telephone case management be arranged so that cases can start to be progressed.

NORTHERN IRELAND

The situation in Northern Ireland remains unchanged at present, with all cases awaiting the outcome of the case involving the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Branches will appreciate that the COVID-19 crisis has undoubtedly resulted in the timescales for the Employment Tribunals and the associated hearings being deferred. Whilst this is disappointing it will hopefully allow more time for talks with the business.

It is also important that Branches continue the previous good work in terms of maximising the number of claims and the Department will ensure that further updates are circulated as and when they become available.

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)        

LTB 243/20 – Average Pay on Annual Leave (Holiday Pay Claims) Against Royal Mail Group Limited

COVID–19 Test Kits Initiatives Update

Branches and representatives will be aware that Covid-19 testing services are now being made available via different access points. In this regard the CWU has been engaging with RMG on a cross departmental basis, to ensure that the services that are being provided for key workers, through various initiatives on behalf of the Government/NHS, are collected and processed quickly and safely.

Attached for information at Annex A is a Joint Communication, which provides an update in respect of the current status of the Covid-19 testing initiatives.

As detailed in the attached update colleagues will note that one of the initiatives being provided by Royal Mail on behalf of the Government/NHS is a Home Collection service. Currently the Royal Mail owned eCourier service are collecting Covid-19 Test Kits from home addresses and delivering them to Mail Centres, for onward processing and delivery by Royal Mail to laboratories.

Due to the expanding demand for Home Collection test kits consideration is being given to the introduction of the collection element by Royal Mail employees, as eCourier have limited capacity to provide the service. Discussions have therefore been taking place with the business in this regard and pilot activity has been agreed to be undertaken in the TR area. The pilot agreement is included at Annex B. Branches and representatives will be kept updated in relation to the pilot and in regard to the operational arrangements for the deployment of the service on a wider basis going forward.

The Safe Systems of Work for the home collection of these items is also attached as below:

Annex C: Delivery & Collection Service
Annex D: Doorstep Collection Service

Equally, as demand for the Home Collection service increases additional Mail Centres/RDC’s will be coming on line and utilising the Tracked Returns process. Attached for assistance are the relevant SSoW and Standard Operating Procedures for the Processing function:

Annex E: SSOW Processing
Annex F: CV2 Outward Primary Sort RM Tracked
Annex G: CV3 Process and Scan Tracked Returns 24 Covid19 Test Packs 
Annex H: CV4 Delivery to Covid19 Test Pack Lab

We appreciate that members will have concerns in relation to the handling of the test kits and we believe that every effort has been made to ensure that maximum protections are being provided. However, all activity relating to testing initiatives will continued to be monitored at National level.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to:

Processing & Area Distribution: Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org quoting reference 014.14

Delivery & Collections: Mark Baulch, Assistant Secretary, email: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org quoting reference 600

Health & Safety: Ray Ellis, Acting Head of Health & Safety, quoting reference E1/20. 

Yours sincerely,

Davie Robertson 
Assistant Secretary

Mark Baulch 
Assistant Secretary

Ray Ellis
Acting Head of Health & Safety

LTB 242/20
Annex A – Joint Communication Test Kits – 05.05.20
Annex B – COVID Home Collection_TR Document_Final
Annex C – COVID 19 Test Kit SSOW Deliveries and Collections
Annex D – COVID 19 Test Kit SSOW Doorstep Collections
Annex E- COVID 19 Test Kit SSOW Processing
Annex F – CV2 Outward Primary Sort RM Tracked
Annex G – CV3 Process and Scan Tracked Returns 24 Covid19 Test Packs
Annex H- CV4 Delivery to Covid19 Test Pack Lab

A couple of videos for branches to share on Deaf Awareness Week