POST OFFICE: PAY DISPUTE 2021/22 – PAY OFFER RECEIVED & REJECTED

Following our members delivering the 97.3% Yes vote, Post Office has reaffirmed the pay freeze position for 2021/22; however, an “interim” offer has been made for 2022/23 as follows:

• From 1^st April 2022 – 2% consolidated pay increase flowing through to allowances
• One-off £250 lump sum payment (unconsolidated and non-pensionable)

Angela Williams, Group Chief People Officer, stated in her correspondence “I recognise that times are hard with the increasing cost of living and I want us to be able to support our people in an affordable way”.  This so-called “interim” offer is barely worth a quarter of the current rate of inflation with RPI currently standing at 8.2%.  If Post Office was genuinely concerned about our members they could easily resolve this dispute by offering a fair pay increase from 1^st April 2021, which would provide our members with 12 months of arrears.

The “interim” proposal was made on the basis the 2% pay increase would be included within April salaries.  Ironically, the justification for this is “to help our employees with the immediate cost of living challenges”.  Clearly, this is an appalling offer, particularly when viewed against the backdrop of an imposed pay freeze for 2021/22.  Following a meeting of our Reps earlier today the offer was rejected as ridiculous and we have invited Post Office to do better.  Basically, the offer is inflammatory and in reality, they can easily afford a significantly improved offer and evidently will need to do so if they wish to avoid strike action.

Branches are advised the Postal Executive is due to consider next steps at its meeting scheduled for Thursday 7^th April.  Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary

22LTB159 Post Office – Pay Dispute 2021-22 – Pay Offer Received & Rejected

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CONSULTATION LAUNCH: FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN THE NON-RECOGNISED SECTOR TO SECURE THE FUTURE OF THE CWU AS A STANDALONE TRADE UNION

Consultation link: https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90445009/Securing-the-future-of-the-CWU

The entire union acknowledges that the future of the CWU as a strong, independent trade union ultimately depends not only on our ability to recruit and retain members in our core recognised areas like Royal Mail and BT, but that we must also prioritise efforts to identify areas for new membership growth and broader union expansion amongst non-recognised employers too.

Motion 11 at last year’s CWU Conference reaffirmed this position. The GROW campaign, which ran throughout March, has succeeded in refocusing the majority of branches attention onto the importance of weaving recruitment and organising into everything we do, as we emerge from the unique circumstances of the last couple of years. As a result, we have seen a welcome increase in membership density, with new joiners primarily coming from Royal Mail and BT.

Work will continue to ensure that an ongoing culture of recruitment and organising is embedded across all union structures and remains a high priority. Follow-ups to ensure the 13 Measures of Success workbooks are being completed as required by all branches will also provide the union centrally with a wealth of invaluable data and information to help us further shape what ‘future-proofing’ the CWU really needs to look like.

The formation of the United Tech and Allied Workers Branch in late 2020 saw us take solid steps in the right direction in regards to growing and future-proofing the CWU in an ever-changing world of work, and despite barriers presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns and an increased culture of remote working, the branch currently sits with an active membership of 604 members (correct as of 04/04/2022 and consisting of 674 joiners – 70 leavers over the branches lifetime).

As the department with direct responsibility for growth amongst the CWU’s non-recognised membership we are now launching a major listening and engagement exercise with every single region, branch, officer and rep, to kick-start this important conversation and get every level of the union thinking about the barriers we currently face when it comes to organising in newer areas and how we could best make changes to overcome these.

Please help us in this process by taking the time to complete the consultation using the link at the top of this LTB, and by sharing it with your branch members, encouraging them to complete it too. Our department will also have a presence at conference and be encouraging all attendees who haven’t already taken part in the consultation to do so. Please come and see us on our Recruitment and Organising stall if you’re planning to attend.

For any questions in relation to the contents of this LTB please email: rodept@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

RAY ELLIS
Head of Recruitment, Organising & Membership Growth Department

22LTB157 CONSULTATION LAUNCH

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Royal Mail & CWU Capture Photo on Delivery Joint Statement Addendum

As Branches will be aware the future success of Royal Mail is dependent upon the ability to offer customers products that meet current and future needs and increasingly Royal Mail’s large Account Customers are asking carriers to capture a photographic image as proof of delivery; their rationale for wanting this capability is that it helps to reduce ‘denial of receipts’. It is with this in mind and further to LTB 054/22 (dated 07/02/22), regarding Capture Photo on Delivery, that Royal Mail are now issuing an addendum to Phase 2 as a consequence of the expansion of the service offering and the impact that this is having on the operation and with customers.

Competitors already offer this capability as do Parcelforce, in order to retain and grow market share and we are committed to act quickly to enable this capability within the Royal Mail Core Network.

Phase 1 was deployed before peak 2021 enabling the Capture Photo on Delivery service for Boohoo Tracked items, initially and subsequently extended to M&S and the Very Group.  Phase 2 saw this capability extended to all Tracked Non-Signature Customers from the 10^thMarch 2022.

Background

Following the deployment of Phase 2, i.e. Capture Photo on Delivery for all Tracked Non-Signature Customers, many delivery colleagues have provided feedback, that they have existing agreed arrangements and understandings in place with the receiving customers to leave items in a safe place. The introduction of Capture Photo on Delivery has highlighted these arrangements, the cessation of which could impact on ‘Trust at the Doorstep’ relationships with receiving customers & delivery colleagues and could lead to an increase in customer complaints.

This Joint Statement seeks to make a change to the current Standard Operating Procedure recognising these existing agreed arrangements between the receiving customer and the delivery colleague. Both Parties have considered using a written physical document for customers to sign in order to confirm these arrangements, however, due to GDPR issues this is not possible. Accordingly, it has been confirmed that this is an interim change only until a digital solution is in place, which will enable customers to express their preference formally. This digital solution is expected to be in deployed pre-peak 2022.

Proposed Change to the Standard Operating Procedure

Delivery colleagues are permitted to leave Tracked 24/48, Standard Barcoded Royal Mail 24/48 and 1C and 2C non signature items in a safe place where a pre-existing agreement or understanding is in place with the receiving customer. Delivery OPG’s will have sole responsibility and be free to use their initiative to decide where the item shall be left (based on their local knowledge and experience fully taking into account the security of the item/s and their own safety in line with below):

• For any avoidance of doubt delivery OPG’s are not permitted to ‘safeplace’ any signature product.
• Abide by the existing examples of permitted ‘safeplace’ locations i.e. enclosed porch, shed, greenhouse, garage or outbuilding. As a reminder the following examples are unacceptable ‘safeplace’ locations e.g. all bins, including recycle, front or back doorstep and underneath parked cars.
• Where available follow the ‘safeplace’ procedure on the PDA when leaving an item in a ‘safeplace’. This protects the delivery OPG should there be a complaint as Royal Mail will have photographic evidence and a GPS location for barcoded items only. For un-barcoded items or barcoded where the ‘Safeplace’ option is not available on the PDA leave the items in a ‘safeplace’.
• All items left in a ‘Safeplace’ must be recorded on either a ‘Something For You/P739 card’or for PM/Sunday deliveries on a ‘Sorry we missed you card/ P6737 card’.
• Where there is a customer dispute or complaint as to whether there is a pre-existing agreement in place, the delivery colleague will not face any repercussions or conduct action.

It is acknowledged that this change to the Standard Operating Procedure is based on a pre-existing agreement or understanding between the receiving customer and with the sole discretion of the delivery OPG, using their knowledge and experience. It is accepted that the possibility may exist for an incorrect assessment to be innocently made and the item delivered to a safeplace. It is therefore agreed that where genuine mistakes occur the delivery OPG will not be held responsible.

Involvement / Structures 

In order to ensure effective communication and deployment of this change to the Standard Operating Procedure, the Local Joint Working Groups (LJWG) will ensure consistent application across Delivery Offices with the full support and involvement of Workplace Coaches.

Safe Systems of Work and Standard Operating Procedures 

Health & Safety is of paramount importance to both Royal Mail and the CWU, therefore prior to any change to the current safeplace process it is agreed that a Safe System of Working, Standard Operating Procedures and all relevant safety compliance documentation will be fully developed and agreed between RM and the CWU National Health & Safety Department.

Review/ Summary

Royal Mail and the CWU both understand the importance of being able to offer consumers a first-class experience to enhance the trust that already exists on the doorstep. It is recognised that Royal Mail’s standards, integrity, brand image and focus on quality are of key importance and these must be maintained. Accordingly, RM will share key measures with CWU and the aspects contained within this Joint Addendum which will be regularly monitored and reviewed to ensure that the change will not lead to increased customer complaints or breaches of RM’s integrity or security and difficulties for front line delivery OPGs.

Any questions of interpretation, implementation or application of this addendum shall be referred to the signatories as a matter of urgency for resolution and any local issues will be subject to the industrial relations framework.

Any queries to the content of the above please contact the Outdoor Department reference 540 , email address: njones@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Mark Baulch
CWU Assistant Secretary

LTB 156-22- RM CWU Capture Photo on Delivery Joint Statement Addendum FINAL

JS – Capture Photo on Delivery_admendent v0.1 FWCP.doc cwu final

SOP D22.7 Deliver To Safeplace – 04.04.22

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Links to the interviews with national officers at the forum yesterday.

Deliveries – Mark Baulch https://fb.watch/c6ppTNxinL/

Processing, Network, Distribution and Parcelforce – Davie Robertson https://fb.watch/c6pqT5LU4P/

Policies, Procedures, Fleet and Engineering – Carl Maden https://fb.watch/c6prUKTmGo/

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POST OFFICE: PAY DISPUTE 2021/22

Our members have today received a letter at their home addresses from Angela Williams, Group Chief People Officer (attached) indicating that despite the significant ballot result for strike action Post Office intends to continue with its dogmatic and uncaring attitude towards pay for 2021.  Indications are that the members are further antagonised by the poor excuses contained within the letter and I am certain our members will be unimpressed by the lack of respect being shown to them by Post Office Directors.

Comments on social media from members range from “this must be an April fools joke” to “how condescending are they” and my personal favourite “the letter has been returned to sender“.  Our members are far from enamoured by the attitude of Post Office and all they have done is to harden their resolve.

Clearly, it has taken a massive yes vote to force Post Office to come clean on its pay policy, which it could have communicated a year ago but they obviously didn’t have the courage of their convictions.  We will respond with a Fact versus Fiction communication to our members, as the arguments put forward by management are utterly spurious.

In respect of next steps, we are meeting with our Post Office Reps on Tuesday 5^th and a Postal Executive has been scheduled for Thursday 7^thApril where I imagine a decision will be made in regard to serving notice on the employer for strike action (we have to provide 2 weeks’ notice).  The letter from Post Office has really left us with no option in this matter.  It is clear they are putting their heads in the sand and pretending this dispute will simply go away, which of course it won’t.

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary

Attachment 1: 22LTB155 Post Office – Pay Dispute 2021-22

Attachment 2: Attachment to 22LTB155 – Letter to Members from Angela Williams

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CAPITA TVL: COST OF LIVING CRISIS – PAY TALKS

Further to LTB136/22 dated 23^rdMarch.  I’m pleased to advise Branches and our TVL members that following the recent rejection of the pay offer we have now arranged to meet again with Paul Johnston, Managing Director on Wednesday 6^th April.  In further correspondence, we have urged Capita to improve upon their rejected offer and have made the case for some tangible improvements over and above the headline numbers.  Specifically, these fall into two key categories:

• Real Living Wage: Capita’s current offer is to increase the hourly pay rate from £9.50 to £9.90 applicable from 1^st April (I would stress we believe they can do better in this regard). Bearing in mind the pay review date is 1^st January 2022, this in effect means no pay increase for those on the lowest pay on the TVL contract for the first three months of this year.
• 15-month Pay Proposal: Capita’s proposal is to move the pay review date by three months from 1^st January to 1^st This means the rejected offer, if accepted, would apply for a 15-month period.  Whilst we have no in-principle objection to moving the pay date, there does of course need to be a commensurate increase in pay to take account of the extended duration.  Clearly we can’t accept a 12-month offer being applied over 15 months as our members would lose out.  It follows this position has been strongly represented to Capita.

As a consequence, we are taking steps to write directly to our TVL members to explain the rationale for our stance in respect of the above aspects.  This is an important level of detail and complexity when considering the overall quantum of the offer, which is patently not good enough when viewed against the cost of living crisis.  Hopefully Capita will recognise this position and a revised offer will be made.

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary

22LTB154 Capita TVL – Cost of Living Crisis -Pay Talks

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