World Mental Health Day Sunday 10 October 2021 – Theme ‘Mental Health In An Unequal World’:

The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) 

The WFMH has announced World Mental Health Day 2021 will take place on Sunday 10 October. The theme for this year is: ’Mental Health in an Unequal World’.

Each year, on 10 October, World Mental Health Day aims to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilise efforts in support of mental health. Please give it your full support across the CWU.

Greater Investment – Greater Access

At a time when the world has been confronted by the unprecedented mental health consequences and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on billions of people, the WFMH is using the day as a focal point to call for the urgent redress and investment in mental health and to rebalance the mental health inequalities that exist – a call which they say can no longer be ignored. Now more than ever greater investment in mental health is needed to ensure that everyone, everywhere has access to mental health care. The under investment in mental health has left large treatment gaps globally. Mental health is an investment and not an expense and should be prioritised to avert a further catastrophe.

The worldwide pandemic arose against an already dire mental health landscape that saw mental health conditions on the rise across the globe. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) about 450 million people live with mental disorders that are among the leading causes of ill-health and disability worldwide.

According to the WFMH, the treatment gap remains large with 50% of people with mental disorders in high income countries and 85% of persons in low-and middle income countries having no access to treatment (WHO Report). Fragile health systems have not been able to address or cope with the large inequalities and treatment gaps and need for mental health care. Nations’ stretched health systems are further stretched and challenged by the increase in demand for mental health interventions as a result of the Covid-19 virus pandemic.

Hard and drastic lockdown measures implemented to reduce COVID-19 transmissions and deaths saw the enforcement of physical isolation and distancing become a new reality disrupting natural social interactions.

Parallel to emotional and health implications, large scale socio-economic fallout was witnessed as markets and economies were destabilised. The overwhelming impact of the virus has revealed and exposed the deep inequalities and levels of poverty experienced by many causing further mental distress and vulnerability.

According to WHO’s ‘Mental Health Atlas’ survey, governments spend on average 3% of their health budgets on mental health, ranging from less than 1% in low-income countries to 5% in high-income countries. The value of investment needed over the period 2016–30 for scaling up treatment, primarily psychosocial counselling and antidepressant medication, amounted to US $147 billion.

Yet the returns far outweigh the costs. The WHO states that for every US$1 put into scaled up treatment for common mental disorders, there is a return of US$4 in improved health and productivity. Despite hundreds of millions of people around the world living with mental disorders, mental health has remained in the shadows. Despite a growth in mental health awareness, mental health investment has been stagnant across the globe. It is clear that greater movement and action needs to be seen within countries to increase access to mental health for all.

The WFMH state that while COVID-19 has increased the spotlight on mental health, the stocktaking of how greater access to mental healthcare can be improved must always be a continuous process. We can always do more to strengthen mental health response and support in our communities. These investments are not purely the government’s responsibility, nor should doctors be the only answer for those suffering. These investments are the responsibility of all. More importantly, they indicate that we ourselves are an untapped resource in mental healthcare.

World Mental Health Day is simply not a one-day event however it provides the opportunity to maintain a focus on Mental Health and maintain the attention of governments, policy-makers and all stakeholders to ensure action for greater investment in mental health – making good mental health a reality for all – everyone, everywhere.

World Mental Health Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders involved and working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.

To help raise awareness and get people involved in the workplace, the Mental Health Foundation has produced a series of World Mental Health Day Posters which are free to download (Link: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/world-mental-health-day-2021-posters).

‘Mental Health in an Unequal World’

The theme for 2021 was chosen in a global vote by the ‘World Federation for Mental Health’ (WFMH) members, stakeholders and supporters. The thought behind the decision is that the world is becoming increasing polarised in terms of the gap between the wealthiest and those living in poverty, which shows no sign of decreasing.

The WFMH says that access to mental health services remains unequal, with between 75% to 95% of people with mental disorders in low and middle-income countries unable to access mental health services at all, and access in high income countries is not much better. Lack of investment in mental health is disproportionate to the overall health budget and contributes to the mental health treatment gap.

The WFMH adds that many people with a mental illness do not receive the treatment that they are entitled to and together with their families and carers continue to experience stigma and discrimination. The gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ grows ever wider and there is continuing unmet need in the care of people with a mental health problem.

The WFMH state that the Covid-19 pandemic has further highlighted the effects of inequality on health outcomes and no nation, however rich, has been fully prepared for this. The pandemic has and will continue to affect people, of all ages, in many ways: through infection and illness, sometimes resulting in death bringing bereavement to surviving family members; through the economic impact, with job losses and continued job insecurity; and with the physical distancing that can lead to social isolation.

Senior Psychologists at the Health and Safety Executive have stated that there are ‘three parallel pandemics going on’; one is a global recession, which is a pandemic in its own right with loss of jobs, which we know impacts people’s mental health. There is the Covid-19 pandemic, with people going through physical illness and then we have a tidal wave of mental health issues happening, where people are experiencing significant levels of mental distress.

The World Federation for Mental Health has put together educational material to support this year’s World Mental Health Day theme and this is available for download from the WFMH website on this link: https://wfmh.global/world-mental-health-day-2021-theme/

MIND

Mental health problems can affect anyone, any day of the year, but 10 October is a great day to show your support for better mental health and to start looking after your own wellbeing.

UK Mental Health Charity ‘MIND’ say that World Mental Health Day 2021 is the most important one yet. The months of lockdown and loss have had a huge impact on us all, and prioritising mental health has never been more important than it is now. That’s why this year MIND wants to bring everyone together to mark the day with their better Mental Health campaigning. Making positive change can seem hard, especially during uncertain times, and sometimes, it can be hard to know where to start. MIND urges people to take the opportunity this World Mental Health Day to find out more about the MIND initiative and how you can start with one thing.

Our mental health is just like our physical health: everybody has it and we need to take care of it.

The MIND World Mental Health Day campaign information can be found at: https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/world-mental-health-day/

Mental health problems affect around one in four people in any given year. We all need to take care of our mental health and wellbeing whether we have a mental health problem or not. Mental wellbeing describes how you are feeling and how well you can cope with day-to-day life. It can change from moment to moment, day to day, month to month or year to year.

MIND has produced a range of information, guidance and some tips and practical steps people can take to improve and maintain their wellbeing, including making time for yourself, building positive relationships and getting active. MIND has information on both common and rarer problems such as:

• MIND – ‘What is Mental Health?’ video https://youtu.be/AUWhdmKyOE8
• depression- https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/depression/about-depression/
• anxiety and panic attacks – https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/anxiety-and-panic-attacks/about-anxiety/
• schizophrenia- https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/schizophrenia/about-schizophrenia/
• bipolar disorder – https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/bipolar-disorder/about-bipolar-disorder/

Living with a mental health problem can often have an impact on day to day life, making things that others might not think about a bit more difficult. MIND has put together some tips and guides to help people cope with everyday things like money, work, university and more. Work can have a significant impact on our mental health and wellbeing, but there are steps we can take to be mentally healthy at work. Read their information on dealing with stress, managing difficult relationships, asking for support and advice on returning to work if you’ve had time off with a mental health problem.

• Wellbeing tips – https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/wellbeing/wellbeing/
• Tips for everyday living – https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/
• Tips for staying well at work – https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/workplace-mental-health/work-and-mental-health/

Mental Health Foundation (MHF)

The MHF produce a range of excellent guide books to order:

• How to look after your mental health
• How to support mental health at work
• How to manage and reduce stress
• How to overcome fear and anxiety
• How to look after your mental health using mindfulness
• How to look after your mental health using exercise
• How to sleep better
• How to look after your mental health in later life
• The truth about self-harm

You can find out about prices and how to order any of their publications at this link: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-to-order

You can order any of the mental health publications listed above at the following link: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications

or browse their full publications listing here: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/listing

Time To Change

Led by MIND and ReThink Mental Health, ‘Time to Change’ is a growing social movement working to change the way people think and act about mental health problems. They’ve already reached millions of people and begun to improve attitudes and behaviour. Time to Change are preparing for World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2021, and are calling on everyone to open up to mental health, to talk and to listen. Time to Change are spreading the word that everyone deserves to feel safe and supported when talking about our mental health. But too often, mental health stigma leaves people feeling isolated and ashamed. At worst, it prevents people getting support, finding employment or having open conversations. They have a range of excellent resources for employers, workers, universities and the general public to help change attitudes this World Mental Health Day. More information and resources are available at:- https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/

Website Links:

HSE Guide to Work-Related Stress – https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/

NHS Every Mind Matters – Dealing With Stress At Work – https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/stress/

World Health Organisation (WHO) – https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/09-09-2019-suicide-one-person-dies-every-40-seconds

International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) – https://www.iasp.info/

World Federation For Mental Health (WFMH) – https://wfmh.global/

United For Global Mental Health (UFGMH) – https://www.unitedgmh.org/

MIND – https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/world-mental-health-day/

SAMARITANS – https://www.samaritans.org/

Mental Health Foundation (MHF) – https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/

Time To Change – https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/

Rethink Mental Illness – https://www.rethink.org/get-involved/awareness-days-and-events/world-mental-health-day/

Samaritans 24 Hour Helpline

Whatever you’re going through, a Samaritan will face it with you, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Call 116 123 for free

Attachments:

• MIND – ‘Do One Thing’ Poster
• SAMARITANS – ‘SHUSH’ Listening Tips Poster – Top Tips For Becoming A Better Listener
• ‘Time to Change’ Poster
• World Mental Health Day Poster 2021

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

21LTB430 World Mental Health Day Sunday 10 October 2021 – Theme ‘Mental Health In An Unequal World’

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POST OFFICE: CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS – JOINT STATEMENT

Branches are advised that the following Joint Statement regarding Crown Office opening hours for Christmas and New Year has been agreed:

JOINT STATEMENT POST OFFICE AND CWU

Opening hours for Christmas 2021

We have now confirmed the opening hours for the DMB network for this Christmas and wanted to take this opportunity to communicate this.

 Opening Hours

Date

Opening time

24^thDecember

4PMClosing time

25^ththrough to 28^thDecember

Closed

29^th & 30^thDecember

Normal opening times

31^stDecember

4PMClosing time

1^stthrough to the 3^rdJanuary 

Closed

4^thJanuary

Normal opening times except for branches in Scotland.

Work Time Learning Sessions

 To help maintain customer service during the Christmas period, sales meetings on Mondays and WTLL sessions on Tuesdays will be cancelled from 7th December until the New Year. This will allow you to open at 8.30am, but you should still hold a session to brief your team incorporating key Teamtalk messages and prepare your branch for trading.

 The only possible exceptions are Tuesday 7th December for branches in Northern Ireland and Tuesday 14th December for England, Wales and Scotland branches when December’s trading period end accounts need to be completed.

Christmas Eve

•  With the primary aim to ensure good customer service, resourcing on Christmas Eve will be organised based on minimal staffing levels. Consequently, Branch Managers will have discretion to determine a reduced level of colleague attendance where operationally possible. 

We agree to work on the key principle of having no more colleagues in branch than the manager believes necessary to service our customers, whilst taking account of the necessary security required including keys.

•  Work will take place at a local level to match colleague attendance to the optimum cover required using opportunities to pay back hours owed and set duty patterns requiring a minimal number of colleagues to work after 12:30.

•  Managers will work locally with colleagues to determine who will work in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, utilising as a first priority volunteers where that is possible. Where there are insufficient volunteers, those colleagues scheduled to work Christmas Eve and/or New Years Eve will be required to work their duty pattern to meet customer requirements up to 16:00.

 

Steve Blampied

Head of Directly Managed Branch Network  

Andy Furey

CWU Assistant Secretary

Branches and Representatives are urged to bring this LTB and associated Joint Statement to the attention of our members working in Crown Offices.  Representatives are encouraged to engage with Area Managers to ensure Christmas Eve arrangements described in the Joint Statement are applied in all Crowns.  If difficulties are encountered these should be escalated.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

21LTB428 Post Office – Christmas Opening Hours – Joint Statement

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Royal Mail Group – Latest Updated Coronavirus/Covid-19 – Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Guidance Document (Version 10)

This LTB and attachment updates LTB 386/21 issued on 13 September 2021.

I attach for your information Version 10 of the Royal Mail Group, Managers’ Coronavirus/ Covid-19 Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Guidance document, issued by the business today.

At the commencement of the Coronavirus/Covid-19 outbreak, Royal Mail Group established a ‘Business Pandemic Team’ which includes all national heads of department and this team meets regularly to review the situation across Royal Mail Group and to issue update Questions and Answers information communications to all managers, which is cascaded throughout the business.

The Coronavirus Guidance, Version 10 Q&A document has been shared with the Union’s Health, Safety & Environment Department and is hereby circulated for information and reference purposes for CWU Regions, Health and Safety Reps, Branch Reps, Divisional IR Reps and members.

Changes made since the previous version have been highlighted in yellow.  The changes involve:

Changes to Covid controls and easing of restrictions announced by the Northern Ireland Assembly,

• Shared vans risk assessment and safe working instructions,
• RMG/CWU Joint Statement on the removal of social distancing restrictions,
• Process for re-introduction of Covid-Secure Controls,
• Ending of Private Cars on Delivery,
• Removal of social distancing controls.

The Q&A documents are circulated to all RMG managers and are also available to access through a link on the Royal Mail Group ‘Intranet’, in the ‘Managers Update Messages’ section on the RMG Coronavirus portal.

Contents List: 

1. Shared Vans
2. Social Distancing
3. Face Coverings
4. Self-Isolation, Testing, Vulnerable Colleagues and Enforcement Visits
5. Cleaning, Facilities & CSP Cash Handling
6. Operations

Any enquiries regarding this LTB or feedback on the RMG Q&A document should be directed to Dave Joyce CWU National Health, Safety & Environment Officer. Issues received in connection with the attached which are appropriate to other CWU/HQ Departments will be passed on the appropriate National Officer.

Attachment:

• RMG Coronavirus Guidance Questions and Answers V10

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

21LTB429 RMG Covid-19 – Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Guidance Document (Version 10)

Coronavirus Guidance Questions v10

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POST OFFICE: DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION SCHEME (RMPP) –

HISTORICAL ERRORS MADE BY POST OFFICE

Further to LTB 223 dated 1^stJune.  I would like to provide Branches and our Post Office members with an update with regards to the historic errors in the Defined Benefit Pension Scheme (Royal Mail Pension Plan – RMPP) which closed in March 2017.  It should be noted there is no impact on the Defined Contribution pension scheme administered by Scottish Widows.

Background

As previously reported, Post Office historically (over a number of years) provided some incorrect pay information to the Pensions Service Centre (PSC) where the pension scheme is administered.  This is obviously very unfortunate; however, Post Office and the RMPP Trustee gave a commitment that ultimately nobody will receive a pension less than they are entitled to.  After the errors were uncovered, an action plan was put in place by Post Office to fully understand these mistakes and provide the correct information to the Trustee to rectify accordingly.

Communications to Post Office RMPP Members

Members received an initial communication (via a One Update) from Angela Williams, Interim Group Chief People Officer, a RMPP Trustee communication (to home addresses) and a Joint CWU/Unite letter back in June.  The Post Office communication committed to addressing these problems in conjunction with the Trustee.

In the intervening time, further analysis has been undertaken by Post Office in order to provide accurate data to the Trustee and Post Office has recently confirmed this has now been completed.  The salary data has also been independently reviewed by Post Office’s external advisers.  This data has now been provided to the PSC who will need to run it through the pension administration system in order to determine what the effect is on each member’s benefits on an individual basis.

To keep members apprised of these developments, a further communication via a One Update, again from Angela Williams (attached) has been emailed to members today.  There will also be a communication to home addresses shortly from the Trustee which will include details regarding the timetable they are working through to complete the review.

Contact for Queries

If members have an urgent requirement for corrected pension numbers, for example those members going through divorces or those who have pensions that are just about to come into payment, they should contact the RMPP Trustee on 0345 603 0043 or via email – Pensions.helpline@royalmail.com.

Our View is Post Office Should Pay for its Mistakes

Post Office has obviously picked up the admin costs associated with extra resource required to make good its failings thus far.  In pursuance of our policy to ensure no member is disadvantaged, we will continue to meet with both Post Office and the Trustee on a regular basis to understand the total costs involved as the ongoing activities progress.  Further developments in this regard will be reported.

Crucially, both CWU and Unite have made it clear to Post Office from the outset that our members should not be paying for any costs associated with these historical errors, and this includes not using the “surplus” to subsidise the cost of making good.

If Branches receive enquires from Post Office members in relation to this LTB, please redirect these to lsheridan@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 427/21 – Post Office – Defined Benefit Pension Scheme (RMPP) – Historical Errors Made By Post Office

Attachment to LTB 427/21

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Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 34 – September/October 2021

The Greener Jobs Alliance was launched to promote skills training and job creation to meet the needs of Britain’s rapidly growing low carbon sectors and to green the whole economy. The transition to a low carbon and resource efficient economy can drive sustainable economic recovery and job creation in every part of the country as well as making existing jobs more secure. But this requires a more strategic national and local approach to deliver the workforce skills needed and to stimulate demand for clean energy and energy efficiency services.

The Greener Jobs Alliance liaises at a national and local level to build the broadest possible support for the policies, investment, partnerships and commitments needed to drive the transition to a low carbon economy.

The Greener Jobs Alliance liaises with training bodies, colleges, universities, employers, local and national Government, trade unions, housing associations, campaign and community groups – to build the policies, investment and partnerships needed to drive the transition to a low carbon economy.

The GJA runs a number of ‘free’ courses on the environment for Trade Union Reps in different parts of the UK which have been attended by a number of CWU Reps. See details below.

The GJA came into existence as a result of funding from Battersea and Wandsworth TUC.

The founder GJA Secretary and Newsletter editor was Graham Petersen who is well known to the CWU and has a long standing working relationship with the Union. He is a former TUC tutor and course designer who created safety reps training courses and the successful TUC Occupational Health & Safety Diploma Course. He was the head of the Trade Union Studies Centre at South Thames College before retirement from the post and has been a visitor and guest speaker at CWU events and meetings. After 30 editions, Graham stood down at the GJA AGM on 2 February and has handed over to Paul Atkin as newsletter editor and Tahir Latif as GJA Secretary. Graham remains a GJA Steering Group member and is now working part time for the Wales TUC having recently written a publication for them ‘Greener workplaces for a just transition – a Wales TUC toolkit for trade unionists’.

See attached copy of the GJA Newsletter No.34 for September/October 2021.

In this Newsletter the GJA editor is calling on the UK Government to put its money where its mouth is after a summer of wildly turbulent weather.  Concerns have doubled regarding climate breakdown being a serious issue, and it is now second only to dealing with COVID in the front of people’s minds. As real climate impacts multiply, so will the concern. This isn’t going away. And the COP (UN Climate Change Conference 31 Oct – 12 Nov in Glasgow) won’t put a lid on it. This decade requires urgent action, which will require and generate increasingly urgent activism. Decisions on the Cambo Oil field and Cumbria coal mine have been postponed until after the COP. This does not bode well, as if they were going to block them, they would want to boast about it there.

The IPCC (Intergovernmental Climate Change) Report 2021 was a wake-up call that Conservative back benchers – and the Treasury – want to put on the back burner. Their problem is that the argument that we “can’t afford” to save ourselves from climate breakdown presumes that we can somehow afford not to. That the price of inaction is not social breakdown. The Government strategy for Net Zero 2050 is due out later this month prior to the COP and will be examined closely, not least to compare the claims to world leadership to the actual level of investment committed and the solidity of the plans. So far they have been long on aspirations and short on investment. Part of the problem is their view that the transition has to be driven by the private sector; which, at most, might be nudged or ‘persuaded’ to invest. Waiting for this could be like waiting for Godot. The Observer reported that Climate Secretary Alok Sharma “used his first major interview as the clock ticks down to COP26 to paint a picture of a healthier world within reach, if businesses and investors could be convinced to grasp the opportunities”. What if they can’t be convinced and don’t invest, and we keep pootling on to disaster much as we are now? Do we just shrug our shoulders and leave the work undone, the transition not made, the jobs not created? And do we fail to train people for the skills we need; as the same approach applies to the new skills agenda, which will be led by demand from private business. At the webinar introducing this, the GJA asked “What if they don’t lead?” Answer came there none. The private sector will only be persuaded to invest if they think they can make a lot of money. Which is why banks still invest in fossil fuels. The time for urgent Government investment and direction is now.

In the meantime, the need for the whole of society to mobilise to make this happen requires a new legislative framework to put duties on employers and give rights to workers.

(NOTE: IPCC Report findings summary – Warming of the Earth’s surface is attributed to human activities and the report projected increases in future global mean temperature, rising sea levels, and increased frequency of heat waves.)

Contents:

1. Editorial
2. GKN Strike Ballot
3. Debate: Energy options and supply chains
4. Graphics of the Month
5. Government Reports and Task Forces
5. Green Jobs Task Force
6. Transport
7. Tooling up
8. Climate Crisis Advisory Group
8. UNITE Environment Conference
9. TUC Guide to motions and amendments
10. Fringe Meetings
11. Campaign updates
11. CEPOW
12. COP26 events
13. Climate themed learning month
14. Stats of the month

Further details at:www.greenerjobsalliance.co.uk

Attachment: GJA-Newsletter-34-September/October 2021

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 426/21 – Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 34 – September October 2021

Att: GJA-Newsletter-34-SeptOct-2021

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Asbestos Inquiry – House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee of MPs Inquiry into the Health and Safety Executive’s Approach to Asbestos Management – CWU Response:

The Department for Work and Pensions House of Commons Select Committee of MPs has launched an inquiry into how the Health and Safety Executive manages the continued presence of asbestos in UK buildings.

Despite the importation, supply and use of asbestos being banned in the UK since 24th of November 1999, twenty-two years later this toxic mineral still plagues public health, being linked to multiple diseases. Asbestos remains the largest single cause of work-related fatalities, with more than 5,000 deaths each year from diseases including Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer and Asbestosis.

Vast quantities of asbestos remain inside public and private buildings throughout the UK because asbestos was used heavily in construction up until the 1980’s where it remains in-situ. The UK today remains a storehouse of asbestos. There are six million tonnes of asbestos in the UK, most of which can be found in over 1.5 million buildings across our public estate, including our hospitals and schools. This means that many people are still exposed to the potential dangers of asbestos on a daily basis. While workers are no longer manufacturing or installing asbestos, the substance continues to be the UK’s number one occupational killer, causing more than 5,000 deaths a year.

The Select Committee raised concerns last year with the Government about the UK’s policy on managing asbestos in buildings, following the publication of a report by ‘think tank Respublica’. In response, the Minister for Employment confirmed that the HSE would be reviewing the effectiveness of the regulations for managing asbestos.

This inquiry will examine the current risks posed by asbestos in the workplace, the actions taken by HSE to mitigate them and how its approach compares to those taken in other countries. The results of the inquiry will feed into the Health and Safety Executive’s asbestos regulations review.

The inquiry has been welcomed by the CWU, TUC and all UK trade unions who collectively have adopted a policy of seeking ultimate removal of asbestos.

Despite being banned for more than 20 years, the impact of asbestos is still devastating lives. Thousands of people die from asbestos-related illness every year. With the UK death rate from asbestos-related illness the highest in the world, there are serious concerns about how the material is being dealt with compared with how it is managed in other countries, such as Germany, the Netherlands and France. The HSE is rightly looking into how asbestos can be handled more safely and the House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee’s inquiry aims to help to make sure monitoring and regulations are as effective and safe as they can possibly be.

Evidence has pointed to there being widespread non-compliance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 in the UK and a lack of information on the full extent of how much harm asbestos is causing. The UK has some of the weakest standards in Europe, while also having some of the highest Mesothelioma rates and there is widespread non-compliance with asbestos control law.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) requires a ‘duty holder’ to ‘manage the risk of asbestos exposure in public buildings’. These ‘duty holders’ are responsible for identifying the location and condition of asbestos. When it is disturbed or removed, air monitoring takes place to ensure the concentration of airborne asbestos fibres are at a ‘safe’ level, before the building is repopulated. Concerns about the risk, and cost, of removing asbestos has led the HSE to affirm that it is generally safer to leave asbestos in-situ than to remove it, provided it is in a ‘good condition’. However, perpetually maintaining asbestos, which degrades over time becomes more of a threat.

Shockingly UK nurses and teachers are 3 and 5 times more likely to develop Mesothelioma because of the asbestos in the buildings in which they work.

The Government should firstly, bring the UK Health & Safety regime for the management of asbestos up to the highest international standards, as currently practiced in Germany, the Netherlands and France. Secondly, strengthen compliance, ensuring buildings are safe through sensitive air monitoring when the buildings are in use. Thirdly, establish a central register of all asbestos currently in place in buildings across the UK identifying location, type and condition. Finally, initiate a planned, phased, controlled removal of all asbestos containing materials.

Asbestos, far from being yesterday’s problem, is a real and present threat to potentially thousands of lives for many generations to come. The European Parliament has called for the removal of asbestos from all European public buildings by 2028 but the UK has made no such commitment. The goal of the CWU, TUC and UK trade unions is to seek the total eradication of asbestos from UK buildings rather than the current approach of managing asbestos ‘in-situ.’ The CWU has submitted evidence in line with Union policy. The TUC, many other trade unions, the Asbestos Victims Support Forum, and charities like ‘ActionMeso’ and ‘Mesothelioma UK’ will be submitting evidence and share the Unions aims of raising awareness and seeking the eradication of asbestos and asbestos-related diseases. A copy of the CWU submission is attached.

Further information on the inquiry is available at:- https://www.btog.org/news/work-and-pension-select-committees-inquiry-into-the-hses-management-of-asbestos/

The Inquiry Terms of Reference – The Select Committee has invited views on the following questions:

• What are the current risks posed by asbestos in the workplace? Which groups of workers are most at risk?
• How effective is the current legislative and regulatory framework for the management of asbestos?
• How does HSE’s approach to managing asbestos compare to the approach taken in other countries? Are there lessons that the UK could learn from best practice elsewhere?
• How does HSE measure and report its progress in mitigating the risks of asbestos?
• Does HSE keep adequate records of asbestos in public buildings?
• Is HSE making best use of available technology and systems to monitor the safety of asbestos which remains in buildings?
• Does HSE commit adequate resources to asbestos management in line with the level of risk?
• How robust is the available data about the risks and impact of asbestos in the workplace? What gaps in evidence need to be filled?
• Is HSE drawing on a wide body of international and national regulatory and industry expertise to inform its approach to the management of asbestos safety in buildings?
• How effectively does HSE engage with external stakeholders and experts about its approach to the regulation of asbestos?

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 425/21 – House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee Inquiry into the HSE’s Approach to Asbestos Management – CWU Response

Work and Pensions Select Committee Inquiry – HSE’s Management of Asbestos

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Pathway to Change Agreement – Culture and the Interim Trust Survey Headline Results

Further to LTB 378/21 that was circulated on 8^th September 2021, Branches will recall that the next phase of the interim Trust Survey commenced on 13^th September 2021 for the Northern Ireland and West Scotland, Yorkshire, Essex and Anglia, Home Counties South SDL areas and Engineering and Fleet.  The Chief Commercial Officer Area was also surveyed although this is mostly a managerial audience.

The headline results were supplied to the DGS(P) Department on 27^th September 2021 following the closure of the interim survey the previous day and are attached for the information of Branches and Representatives. These were also shared and discussed at the Postal Executive on 5^th October 2021.  The overall return rate for this interim survey was 72% compared to the previous Big Trust Survey of 48%.  In terms of the actual trust score (which is based on five particular questions) this was 68%.

As with all average scores, there is obviously a range from unit to unit and it can be seen that of the frontline units which returned results, the lowest score for a unit delivering a trust score was just 19%, whilst at the other end of the scale the best unit was at 98%.

Branches and Representatives will be aware that the need for action plans to be agreed in each workplace and shift continues to be of paramount importance.  The requirement to address the issues that have been raised, together with agreed timelines for resolution, forms a key part of our joint ambition to improve culture and the working environment.  In relation to the number of action plans that have been agreed by SDL (or equivalent) area, Braches should note that these latest interim results illustrate that awareness of this stands at 63% as opposed to the 67% in the August interim survey and that 85% believe that their unit is making progress against the action plan as opposed to 87% in August.  This demonstrates a slight decrease on both counts compared to the previous interim results whilst illustrating that there is still work to be completed in getting action plans agreed although the awareness of the agreed action plans is still at a high percentage.

The DGS(P) Department is still waiting for the unit by unit figures to be provided.  Once these are received they will then be circulated to the relevant Divisional Representatives and Area Representatives (or equivalents) therefore enabling them to jointly consider the results on a unit by unit basis.

It has also been agreed that a further deep dive briefing for SDL’s and Divisional Representatives will be held at 09:30am on 14^th October 2021with another session for Fleet and Engineering to be held after at 10:45am.  This process was previously followed for those areas involved in the first interim survey and will again allow for the results to be considered and a discussion held around what has been good and bad in terms of getting members in the respective areas involved in the survey.

These briefings will also enable dialogue to continue on identifying the units that have yet to produce an agreed action plan in each specific area or those that have not returned a response.  This will help in the process of planning joint remedial action which will undoubtedly contribute towards ensuring that local CWU Representatives are supported in concluding agreements that move the cultural issues that have been identified in the workplace in the right direction.

In order to start the process of identifying function specific issues and to commence a more detailed analysis of how national agreements are being implemented, the DGS(P) Department has also been involved in agreeing a number of tailored functional specific questions.  Royal Mail Group has experienced some challenges from a technical point of view in terms of making these specific functional questions available to only those in the relevant function and these have taken time to resolve.

I am however now pleased to report that it has been agreed that the October and November surveys will trial functional specific questions in Delivery and Collections that have been developed in conjunction with the Outdoor Department.  The business has confirmed that they can add these questions by utilising Operational Manager areas to identify those members eligible for the additional functional questions.

The output and results from these targeted functional questions will provide additional useful information that can then be used to drive further improvements to culture and the working environment in line with the joint commitments in our national agreements.  These questions provide an opportunity to measure how well our joint agreements are landing in the workplace.

Branches and Representatives should also note that the next interim survey is to commence on 11^th October 2021 to those in West Midlands, East Midlands & Peterborough, South Coast, Croydon & South East SDL areas and Parcel Operations.  It will be interesting to see how the results from these areas continue to compare when assessing the overall cultural picture and strategy going forward.

In closing, I would like to thank all Representatives for ensuring that our members continue to become involved in the Trust Survey Questionnaires and please be assured that your work is helping to ensure that the matters raised will be addressed.

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 424/21 – Pathway to Change Agreement – Culture and the Interim Trust Survey Headline Results

Attachment to LTB 424/21 – Trust Check-in_September_Headline Results

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CWU DEATH BENEFIT

In accordance with the terms expressed in CWU Rule 4.1.11 Branches are advised that from the 1^st October 2021 the CWU Death Benefit payment will be increased to £884.

This information will also be published in the Voice.

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

21LTB423

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Royal Mail Group – Provision of Personal Attack Alarms (140db) To Postal Workers Plus Other Personal Security Issues Update – New PDAs and ‘Hollie Guard’ Personal Safety App, ‘Walksafe’ and New Entrants Guide:

CWU/HQ has continued to receive a heavy number of enquiries regarding the provision of ‘Personal Attack Alarms’ by Royal Mail Group over recent months and this is a progress report and update on the wider issue of personal safety discussions being undertaken.

The CWU HQ Health, Safety & Environment Department has been actively pursuing this matter for some time in fact but more so over the last year and a half during which time we have examined the statistics and nature of incidents of attacks on our members both on foot and in vehicles whilst on delivery and collection work.

The matter has been raised with Simon Thompson Royal Mail Group CEO and subsequent meetings have taken place with the Directors and Heads of RMG Security, RMG Assets, RMG IT, RMG Compliance and Sustainability and RMG Safety Programmes etc. The most recent meeting took place yesterday during which confirmation of the business decision was set out.

There have been around 450 reported attacks of various nature on CWU Postal members in the last three years and around 60 van thefts and robberies in the last two years. There have also been four recent, serious attacks on employees.

As a result, we have been looking at a number of options to improve safety and security and the provision of personal attack alarms has been one of them.

Personal Attack Alarms

I’m extremely pleased to report that agreement has been reached with Royal Mail to provide personal attack alarms. The type, design and specification has been concluded and the first order placed. Royal Mail has awarded a contract for the supply of personal attack alarms to ‘Dimensions’ the existing work-wear, uniform and PPE clothing equipment suppliers.

The personal attack alarms are black in colour with the Royal Mail red cruciform logo brand on them. Royal Mail has agreed that they will become a standard Uniform/PPE equipment provision channel item.

We have looked at the various types of personal attack alarms and the model provided will be of the type approved by the Police and Suzy Lamplugh Trust personal safety charity.

The first initial order for 5,000 alarms has been placed with manufacturers and is due to arrive within 5 weeks. Further orders will be placed once demand has been measured.

Dimensions will confirm the final details as soon as they are available on the Royal Mail Group online ordering portal. Dimensions has stressed that we need to bear in mind that the current situation with international shipments is very volatile and so a further communication will be issued once the actual date is confirmed. We are informed that at the moment, everything remains on track but we will be given confirmation as soon as the stock is delivered to Dimensions at their warehouse.

See attached the visual of the agreed personal attack alarm model and art work.

A further update LTB will be issued in due course.

Personal Attack Alarms Guidance

In the past when looking at this issue I discussed the matter with the ‘Suzy Lamplugh Trust’ and their guidance. The ‘Suzy Lamplugh Trust’ is a charity created in December 1986 by the parents of the 25-year-old estate agent Suzy Lamplugh. Suzy disappeared in July 1986. The Charity Trust offers personal safety training and advice to others, to help people be and feel safe. They stress that a personal attack alarm is only part of the solution. We have suggested that RMG consider working with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and adopting the Charity’s guidance.

Walksafe

LTB170/07 reported on the introduction of the RM/CWU first nationally agreed Royal Mail Assaults (Policy) in 2007 named ‘Walksafe’ – ‘Walk Threat Risk Assessment For Delivery Routes’ on managing the risk of assaults on delivery.  It includes ‘Streetwise’, a presentation, the ‘Walksafe’ guide to managing the risks of assault on delivery staff, the ‘Walksafe’ Talkabout WTLL document and a ‘Walksafe’ Pocket Card as part of the ‘Walksafe’ Pack. We have requested a review, refresh and re-launch of the ‘Walksafe’ policy.

New Entrants Induction Guide

In line with the above, we have suggested the need to update the relevant sections of the RM/FWW new entrants guide.

Uniform

RMG have agreed that the personal attack alarms which are PPE safety equipment will become part of the uniform provision, like the delivery torch that is issued to outdoor delivery/ collection staff.  In that way, it will become a permanently available item that the workforce can order both initially and as a replacement/renewal item together with new batteries etc., as and when required.

The alarms can be clipped on to the stormproof jacket ring which we have ensured is retained on the new uniform or it can be carried in a pocket. Clipping the alarm to the ring will make it easy to activate. The ring can also be used for the ‘clip-on’ torch that is an agreed part of the provision.

Hollie Guard App

We have additionally asked Royal Mail to investigate and consider the installation of the ‘Hollie Guard App’ on the new PDAs. ‘Hollie Guard’ is a new smartphone app that provides enhanced levels of personal protection for those working and travelling alone. It can be set in ‘Deterrent Mode’ or ‘Stealth Mode’.  The idea of ‘Deterrent Mode’ is to make it clear to anyone in the surrounding area that an alert has been raised and to reduce the risk of an attack. The phone will display an obvious red alert screen capturing the GPS location of the individual, as well as audio/video footage that may be used to assess danger and collate evidence. With a second shake of the phone it will generate a high-pitched alarm and a flashing light to attract help. Alternately, ‘Stealth Mode’ allows the holder to raise an alert silently. The Royal Mail IT Team are currently looking at the technical aspects of this App in respect of the new PDA.

Police forces are supporting the App and are encouraging people to download this free personal safety App to their smartphones to help them feel safe.

Hollie Guard is an App that can track a person’s location as they work or make their way home, as they’re out jogging or cycling, or simply going about their day today work or tasks.

If they feel unsafe, all they need to do is shake their phone to send an alert to specified contacts to warn them that they may be in danger. Once the phone has been shaken, it will then start recording both audio and visual footage of what’s happening around them.

This will be saved and sent to their contacts so they can see what is happening, and they can call the police or ambulance service if they are required.

If the phone is shaken again, a flashing light and high-pitched beeping will start coming from the phone to alert people nearby that that person may be in danger.

Key features of the ‘Hollie Guard’ App Include:

• Journey – Allows a person to safely and confidently travel, by providing their emergency contacts with real-time updates of their movements as they move between two places.
• Meeting – This function allows the person to identify when they are going to a potentially dangerous meeting or working alone. An alert will automatically be created if the timer expires or they do not cancel the meeting.
• Man Down – Man Down will send an alert to a dedicated contact to make them aware if a person hasn’t moved in a while. The App will flag sudden non-movement and impact, for example if someone has been assaulted or fallen down.
• Duress Pin – If a person is being forced to cancel an alert they can enter the Duress Pin of 9999. The alert will appear to have been cancelled, but will remain active on Hollie Guard’s secure server, so they will know the person has been forced to cancel an alert.

With thousands of users already, Police forces are supporting this App to help people in the country to feel safe as they are out in their communities.

The free App was set up in memory of 20-year-old murder victim Hollie Gazzard, who was stabbed to death in 2014 at the salon she worked at in Gloucestershire by a jealous ex-boyfriend who couldn’t accept that she had ended their relationship. The App was set up by Hollie’s father.

RMG IT are currently investigating this proposal and further updates will be provided.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 422/21 – Royal Mail Group – Provision of Personal Attack Alarms (140db) To Postal Workers

Personal Alarm Art work black with RM Logo in red

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Royal Mail Group – 2021 Free Flu Voucher Scheme Offer – Update & Reminder:

Further to LTBs 341/21 and 346/21, as previously reported, discussions have taken place on the above and Royal Mail Group has agreed there will be a 2021 ‘Free Flu Voucher Offer’ this year to all employees.

The Royal Mail Group Flu Voucher Scheme has now been formally launched. Letters were dispatched and delivered to all employees’ home addresses with all deliveries due to have been completed by Friday 1^st October.

The letter to homes provides full details of the scheme plus a ‘link’ and code number in order to access an online ‘digital Flu jab voucher.’

Members will be able to redeem their ‘free Flu Jab voucher’ at 4,000 locations, including pharmacies and supermarkets, which is over 2,200 more flu jab providers than last year.

Where the distance between a member’s home and the nearest pharmacy exceeds 15 miles, the Unit Manager will be able to authorise use of another, alternative flu jab provider up to the maximum cost of £15. This is claimed through the travel and expenses process.

New recruits and agency staff will again be included in the ‘Free Flu Jab’ scheme this year.

For the first time this year it has been agreed that ‘on-site flu jab clinics’ will be available at 110 of Royal Mail Group’s (Royal Mail and Parcelforce) largest sites.

The Vouchers may be redeemed up until 31 December 2021.

The flu jab will also be available free of charge from the NHS for people where there is a risk of severe illness from catching flu, for those with certain defined conditions and expanded age groups, e.g. over 50 year olds.

In summary: 

All of the Royal Mail Group workforce will have received a letter delivered to their home before 1 October 2021.

To obtain a free flu jab voucher and arrange a flu vaccination, members need to follow the steps below:

1. Visit www.digitalflu.co.uk(Google Chrome browser preferred) and enter the code RMG83672 
2. Complete the pre vaccination consent form. Over 50 year olds will be advised to continue and book a free NHS flu vaccination without downloading a voucher.
3. Enter their post code to search for participating outlets.
4. Enter their email address (either work or personal email) to request a voucher, which will be emailed to them.
5. Book an appointment with a participating outlet (direct through the website in most cases, for some), they may need to telephone the outlet direct (contact details will be provided).
6. To receive a free flu vaccination, members will show their voucher, either printed or on their phone plus their Royal Mail Group ID to the provider.

(Any individual needing any assistance in obtaining a voucher should ask their line manager for support and assistance).

Influenza (flu) is one of the most significant causes of illness during the winter months. Flu is a respiratory illness caused by a virus, which is highly contagious and can lead to severe ill-health. In 2017 a large number of the Royal Mail Group workforce, over 31,000 employees were affected by flu which was a 31% increase on the previous year with over 127,000 days lost to the flu. Those unfortunate enough to catch flu suffered debilitating pain, nausea, high fever, headache and muscle aches, cough, sore throat, tiredness and discomfort plus time away from work. This meant that in addition to members being unwell, the service to customers was badly affected.

Considering the risk of flu and Covid-19 co-circulating again this winter, Royal Mail Group and the CWU are jointly encouraging all members to take up the opportunity to have the flu jab and in doing so reduce their risk of getting flu, becoming unwell and passing it onto family, friends and work colleagues.

Would all Area and Unit Reps please remind all members to seriously consider taking up the ‘Free Flu Jab’ offer before the closing date of 31 December 2021. Thank you.

See attached copies of: 

• RMG Free Flu Voucher Offer – Letter to Home Addresses
• RMG Flu Voucher Scheme Q&As
• RMG Free Flu Voucher Scheme Poster
• NHS Flu and Flu Vaccination Information Web Pages

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 414/21 – Royal Mail Group – 2021 Free Flu Voucher Scheme Offer – Update & Reminder

Flu voucher colleague home mailing FINAL 10 September v11

Flu 2021 Common Questions and Answers 21.09.21

Flu 2021 Digital Voucher Workplace Poster

NHS Flu Vaccination Information Pages

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