Royal Mail Group – Safe & Slow Reversing Communications Initiative (Title “Reversing – The Power of 1 MPH”)

The Royal Mail Group Safety Health and Environment Team’s National Road Safety Manager has launched a Safe and Slow Reversing Communication Initiative which the CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department is supporting.

Last year 2,397 road traffic collisions (RTCs) occurred involving RMG (RM, PFWW, RMSS, RMP&FS etc.,) when fleet vehicles were reversing which is over 30% of all RTCs.  Road Safety organisations note that reversing a vehicle is sometimes difficult, particularly in a commercial

vehicle where the driver’s visibility is limited. THEREFORE EXTRA CARE AND MOVING THE VEHICLE SLOWLY IS IMPORTANT!

Key Facts:

One way to make reversing easier is to keep the vehicle speed DEAD SLOW, by ‘inching’ it backwards at 1 MPH or as slow as possible.  The difference it makes is:

• More time – drivers can carefully check mirrors as they reverse and can react to reversing sensors.  If a vehicle is reversed at over 4mph, the vehicle will hit an obstruction before the driver even hears the sensors.
• Better control – drivers can make adjustments as they go, increasing the manoeuvrability of the vehicle and making it less likely that they’ll misjudge the space.
• Limited damage – if a driver does make a mistake, the level of damage will be massively reduced.  There’s even a chance that there will be no damage at all.

NOTE: It takes just 11 seconds to reverse 5 metres at 1mph.

Key Messages to Drivers:

1. Limit your speed when reversing, ‘inching’ it backwards and keeping below 1 MPH.
2. Use the clutch to control your speed and cover the brake with your right foot. You shouldn’t need the accelerator to reverse.
3. Be cautious – if ever in doubt, just stop. No driver will hit anything when stationary!

See attached:

• “This Week In Opps” Briefing/Huddle message.
• “RMTV Screen Message. Reversing at 1mph gives you:

*TIME – more time to check your mirrors and react to your sensors

*CONTROL – you can easily make adjustments as you reverse

*OUTCOME – if you do make a mistake, the damage is reduced

In addition to the attached, the RMG National Road Safety Manager will be launching a brief video tutorial on RM Workplace.

Management only enquiries to Mark Bromhall Royal Mail Group Road Safety Manager Mobile: 07872 815241 Email: mark.r.bromhall@royalmail.com

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 216/21 – RMG – Safe & Slow Reversing Communications Initiative (Title “Reversing – The Power of 1 MPH”)

Att: This Week in Ops – Reversing – Power of 1MPH v2

Att: TV screen template Wk9 Reversing 1MPH_V4

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Election of National Representative Positions – 2021

• CWU Retired Members Committee

The NEC has agreed the 2021 election arrangements for the National positions listed above.

Accordingly please find attached the regulations and nomination forms.

Branches are advised that the elections for the Retired Members Committee in 2021 will be conducted using revised arrangements, a summary of which is set out below:

Election Timetable 

It is necessary for the election timetable to be significantly longer than normal to allow branches sufficient time to seek nominations from their members and to then subsequently agree on which candidates(s) they intend to nominate for election and, once the list of candidates is known to then decide which candidate(s) will receive the branch vote.

Nomination Process

In respect of seeking nominations branches will need to put in place a robust system and use all reasonable methods at their disposal to publish suitable notification throughout the branch area giving members the opportunity to submit their name for nomination to the position should they choose to do so.  Following this the branch would need to put in place arrangements to hold a membership meeting to decide which candidate(s) will receive the branch nomination.

On the basis that no face to face member meetings are currently allowed then this would need to be conducted via a suitable video conference platform such as Zoom or Skype, etc. that provides the opportunity for large numbers of members to take part if required.

Additionally branches will need to allow for members who do not have video conference capability to join the meeting by phone again if they choose to do so.

The timeline for the meeting would need to be agreed in advance and notification provided to members at least 7 days prior to the meeting taking place.

Dispatch and Return of Nomination Forms to CWU HQ

Nomination forms will be sent to branches electronically (attached to this LTB) and it will be our intention to set up a specific dedicated election email address where branches should return completed nomination forms to.  The details of this will be included on the nomination form.

Nomination Forms will need to be returned by the advertised closing date to be included in the list of candidates. 

The revised system will avoid the necessity to return forms in the post system which of course may be subject to delay during the current Covid-19 crisis.

Dispatch and Return of Voting Papers

The respective constituency based voting papers will be sent by email direct to branches at the email address which we hold on file.  Branches should return the completed voting papers by email to the advertised CWU election email address.  Notification will be sent to branches confirming receipt of the voting paper, however it will the responsibility of the branch to ensure that voting papers are returned to the correct email address.

To be included in the ballot voting papers will need to have been returned by the advertised closing date and time.  

Branch Voting Recommendations

Clearly we are in unique and challenging times and whilst branches would normally arrange mandating meetings to decide which candidates to vote for in the respective elections we do not believe that this is either practical or necessary during the current crisis.  Therefore, on this occasion this decision can be made by the Branch Committee and the decision subsequently notified to members of their branch accordingly.

Election Timetable and Term of Office 

The election timetable for the above will be as follows:

Nominations Open:                           25 May 2021

Nominations Close:                           14 June 2021

Despatch Ballot Papers:                   17 June 2021

Ballot Closes:                                        8 July 2021

Branches will wish to note that the term of office for the 2021 Retired Members Committee will run from July 2021 for two years.

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

LTB 215/21

Att: RMC Election Regulations 2021

Att: RMC Nomination Form 2021

Att: Candidate Consent Form 2021

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CWU ANTI RACISM STATEMENT  

The TUC and Stand up to racism have called for unions to engage in a week of action to strengthen workplace anti-racist campaigning and to mark the one year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd.

In response to this request, the CWU NEC discussed and unanimously agreed a document that set out our own plan to launch a CWU public statement calling out racism and setting out our values as an organisation.

A copy of the statement is attached and this will be made available online and will be produced as a public statement for our own members and those from the wider movement to sign.  Importantly, this approach offers us a foundation to build upon as a commitment to a broader anti-racism strategy, rather than simply a one-off action.

The statement also commits the union to developing new approaches that will focus on bringing our members together and uniting working people.

The CWU statement will be released tomorrow online and a link to this will be sent out soon.  This will serve as a starting point for our ongoing work and we ask that Branches engage with this process and urge as many members to sign the statement as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward

General Secretary             

Kate Hudson

Head of Equality, Education & Development

LTB 213/21 – CWU ANTI-RACISM STATEMENT

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CWU ANTI-RACIST STATEMENT

The values of a trade union bridge every divide and the CWU is a strong anti-racist organisation. 

We deliver change together, we win ballots together, we take on employers together, and we will confront racism together.  

Our priority is to unite working people by recognising that we share far more in common with one another than we do with those who seek to exploit and divide us.

The signatories of this statement commit to:

• Calling out and challenging racism wherever we see it, in wider society or the workplace
• Uniting working people, by being open to new effective approaches, including practical steps that tackle racism and all forms of injustice through the power of our collective strength
• Promoting this statement to colleagues, friends and family – urging them to show their support.

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Royal Mail Property and Facilities Solutions (RMPFSL)
Engineering and Admin & Generic Grades Pay 2021

Further to LTB 193/21 dated 12th May 2021 we can now confirm the ballot timetable for our Engineering and Admin & Generic grades has been arranged and the ballot timetable is as follows:

Ballot opens:    Tuesday 2nd June 2021
Ballot closes:    Wednesday 23rd June 2021

The Postal Executive recommend our members vote YES to accept the pay offer.

All enquiries regarding the content of this LTB should be addressed to the PTCS Department, quoting reference 320. Email address: khay@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Carl Maden
Acting Assistant Secretary

LTB 212/21

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POST OFFICE: POST OFFICE PENSION PLAN (POPP) – SCOTTISH WIDOWS DEFINED CONTRIBUTION SCHEME – ANNUAL STATEMENT

Branches and our Post Office members are advised of the following forthcoming activity in relation to their DC pension scheme administered by Scottish Widows:

• The annual statement showing the value of the funds in members’ Defined Contribution POPP with Scottish Widows will arrive on doormats from around the end of May. There is good news in the annual statements as the investments have performed well over the course of the last year and no doubt this will be welcomed by our members.

A Tri-partite statement has been agreed between Post Office, Unite & CWU and is attached to this LTB for your information.

I would like to remind members that as an integral part of the last pay agreement we secured an improvement to the Defined Contribution pension scheme with a new maximum tier of 8% employee and 12% employer. Members can email POL.Pensions@postoffice.co.uk using their Post Office email account to increase their employee contribution to secure a better employer contribution.

Members can also find out more information via the Scottish Widows dedicated Post Office website:

www.scottishwidows.co.uk/save/postoffice/

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 211/21 – Post Office – Post Office Pension Plan (POPP) – Scottish Widows Defined Contribution Scheme

Joint Statement May 2021

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ROYAL MAIL: POST OFFICE PAY INCREASE OF 1.5% & CONSOLIDATION OF BONUS FOR EX-POST OFFICE “SAFENET” MEMBERS WORKING IN ROYAL MAIL

Branches will recall (refer to LTB 211/19, attached for information) that we have a number of members (c.130) who were redeployed from Post Office “Safenet” duties back into the Royal Mail operation under MTSF in 2009.

Following positive discussions with Graham Long, Head of IR Delivery, Corporate Functions, we can now confirm that these ex Post Office members will receive the Post Office pay increase of 1.5% plus the consolidation of bonus scheme monies of £900 (pro-rata for part-timers) as per the pay agreement reached with Post Office and endorsed by PO members in March 2021.

The following Joint Statement has been agreed with Royal Mail:

 Joint statement between Royal Mail and the CWU regarding ex-Post Office ‘SafeNet’ employees working in Royal Mail.

 Following joint discussions Royal Mail and CWU confirm that all ex Post Office ‘SafeNet’ employees working within Royal Mail will receive the Post Office pay increase of 1.5% for the 20/21 financial year.

 Key Features of the Pay Agreement are:

•  5% pay increase – the headline pay increase of 1.5% applies from 1st April 2020
•  £900 Bonus Scheme Consolidation – Supply Chain (Pro-Rata for Part-Timers)

Royal Mail HR Services are currently processing the pay uplift and this will be implemented in May salaries for monthly paid and Friday 28th May for weekly paid employees, including all back pay. 

 We wish to thank people for their patience whilst we have been clarifying these matters. 

 Graham Long                                                  Andy Furey

Head of IR – Delivery,                                      CWU National Officer

Corporate Functions

I would like to thank the members for their patience in regard to receiving their 2020 pay rise. The delay was in the main due to the agreement with Post Office for the pay increase applicable from 1^stApril 2020 not being reached until late February 2021, followed by our consultative arrangements with the members.

Finally, I would be grateful if Branches could bring this successful outcome to the attention of our ex-Post Office members working in Royal Mail.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

Attachment 1: 21LTB209 – Royal Mail – Post Office Pay Increase of 1.5% & Consolidation of Bonus

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POST OFFICE: POSTMASTERS: HORIZON INQUIRY GIVEN STATUTORY STATUS

Further to LTB 173/21 dated 27^th April. Paul Scully, BEIS Minister with responsibility for Post Offices announced in the House of Commons today that the Horizon Inquiry currently being undertaken by retired judge Sir Wyn Williams will become statutory from 1^st June 2021, meaning it will have the legal power to compel witnesses to give evidence.  Essentially, the powers, remit and scope of the inquiry have been extended, a position we welcome and indeed called for.  Therefore it is pleasing to see the Government has finally listened, albeit belatedly.  The full statement to the House is attached to this LTB.  Contained within the statement is a revised Terms of Reference for the inquiry.  Also attached is a Government press release and a Post Office communication from Nick Read, CEO published this afternoon.

This positive development comes after continued lobbying and pressure from a significant number of MPs, the mainstream media and journalists including Nick Wallis, the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance (JFSA) and other key stakeholders including the CWU. Branches will be aware we have consistently adopted the position of participating in the inquiry (as the only vehicle open to us), whilst continuing to vociferously advocate that it doesn’t go far enough and should be given statutory status in order to really get to the bottom of what happened to the victims of this terrible injustice and to make sure this can never happen again. Indeed we highlighted this position in our written submission to Sir Wyn Williams’ inquiry dated 23^rd February 2021. We therefore welcome today’s announcement and will continue to work with Sir Wyn Williams’ team to help the victims get justice and to bring to account those responsible.  The inquiry, which was established last year, will now be extended for a further year and will report its findings in the autumn of 2022, although the Minister has asked for an interim progress report from Sir Wyn Williams, to be published this summer.

The announcement was also welcomed by every MP from across all major parties speaking today in the House of Commons in a session that lasted for 45 minutes. The clear message was that MPs were very happy with the Minister’s change of heart in terms of the statutory status of the inquiry, although there was some criticism that it had taken him so long to change the nature and scope, particularly as he gave a statement in the House on 27^th April, 4 days after the Court of Appeal’s decision to quash the convictions of 39 Postmasters saying that nothing would change.  Seema Malhotra, Labour Shadow BEIS Minister, specifically asked the question as to what had happened since that date when Paul Scully was still insisting that the inquiry would be non-statutory with the consistent message that a full statutory inquiry would take too long to report its findings.  However shortly after the Court of Appeal’s judgement, seemingly Sir Wyn Williams himself asked the Minister for more powers and it appears that after further consideration the Minister finally gave in to pressure from many fronts, which led to the turnaround announced today.

Compensation for all Victims

Following the Court of Appeal’s decision on 23^rd April to overturn 39 former Postmasters’ convictions, a further 2 have since been quashed and when added to the 6 former Postmasters who had their convictions overturned at Southwark Crown Court last year, this makes 47 people in total who were wrongfully prosecuted with the likelihood of hundreds more to follow.

Many MPs demanded answers today in relation to compensation for the victims of the Horizon Scandal.  Not only does the Government have to consider the 47 Postmasters whose convictions were quashed, but serious questions were also raised about how the c.550 former Postmasters who brought about the Group Litigation Order will receive proper compensation.  Whilst the settlement for this group was c.£58m, only c.£12m of this was available to distribute amongst the Group due to the associated legal costs.  This is clearly completely inadequate when some of the victims lost their livelihoods, their homes and even went to prison because of wrongful prosecutions.  There is also the Historical Shortfall Scheme which c.2,500 Postmasters applied for (applications have now closed), which ironically may eventually lead to larger payments for these people than the c.550 who were part of the GLO.

Following a bombardment of questions from MPs today on the matter of compensation the Minister repeatedly told the House that this particular aspect was not covered under the scope of the inquiry. However, the CWU is calling for proper and meaningful compensation to be paid to every single Postmaster who has suffered so terribly as a result of this travesty and we believe that Government, as the owner of Post Office Ltd needs to ensure the money is there to fund this.  We will continue to work with the members of the APPG for Post Offices and all key stakeholders including MPs and campaign groups to hold the Government to account in this regard.  It should also be noted that Nick Read, Post Office CEO has stated Post Office cannot afford to pay for the compensation.

Fujitsu Also Coming Under Fire

There were questions today over the role of Fujitsu in the Horizon scandal and one in particular from Duncan Baker, Conservative MP for North Norfolk stating Fujitsu “must not be let off the hook” and he suggested they “contribute compensation to the fund”.  The Minister said it was Post Office’s role to work out the terms of compensation but he was sure they would hear Mr Baker’s message.

Press and Media Coverage

There were a number of pre-emptive media stories on this matter yesterday including on Sky News and the BBC, the links to which are as follows:

https://news.sky.com/story/post-office-scandal-inquiry-to-become-statutory-ministers-to-announce-12310008

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57162437

Also, the following BBC article has been published today:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57173296

A CWU web article will also be published shortly.

Today’s climb-down by Government is another positive step forward in this unprecedented scandal; however, there still needs to be full accountability for all those senior Post Office Directors who perpetrated this diabolical travesty of justice against so many innocent Postmasters.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 208/21 – Post Office – Postmasters – Horizon Inquiry Given Statutory Status

Attachment 2: to LTB 208/21

Attachment 3: to LTB 208/21

Attachment 4: to LTB 208/21

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CWU Rule Book 2021

Please find attached a copy of the revised CWU Rule Book 2021 which incorporates the necessary changes required as a result of the rule amendments carried at the Special Rules Revision Conference.

The new Rule Book is on the website and you can find by using the following link:

https://www.cwu.org/my-union/rulebook/

Any queries regarding this LTB please contact Angela Niven on 020 8971 7256 or by e-mail to aniven@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward

General Secretary

LTB 207/21 – CWU Rule Book 2021.doc

Rule Book 2021 – Updated April 2021

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CWU App – Update

Further to LTB 172/21 we wanted to give a brief update on the launch plan for the CWU App. Following our extensive testing phase, we identified the need to simplify the process for members to download and use the App.

Although all functions were working during the test, it became clear that the technical knowledge of individual users varied significantly. This led to us taking the decision to revisit the initial experience of the App for members and ensure all reps and members could get onto and use the App with as much ease as possible.

This adjustment is a relatively simple one and we have been advised by the developers that the App will return to the App store and Google Play in June where it will be available for the whole membership to download.

When we reach this point we will hold a national launch event for branches. We will of course share further updates closer to the official launch.

Kind regards

Chris Webb
Head of Communications, Engagement and Media

21LTB206 – CWU App – Update

CWU REGIONAL SECRETARY ELECTIONS – 2021

Further to LTB 174/21 dated 27^th April 2021. 

Please find attached a copy of the detailed branch analysis for the above elections.

This is being sent to the branches in electronic format only. If any branch requires a paper copy of the branch breakdown, then this can be obtained from the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be directed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department for the attention of Peter Metcalfe:

Telephone:  0208 971 7368

Email:  pmetcalfe@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 205/21

CWU Regional Secretaries Elections – Analysis

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