RM/CWU National Dog Awareness Week, 4 – 10 July 2022 – Royal Mail Group Press Release & CWU Letter To Government Minister, DEFRA Secretary of State George Eustice:

Further to LTB 292/22 issued on 30 June, see attached copy of the Royal Mail Group ‘Dog Awareness Week 2022’ launch press release.

Launching the 2022 ‘National Dog Awareness Week’, Royal Mail Group issued the attached Press Release yesterday in conjunction with the CWU National Health, Safety and Environment Department.

The CWU has called upon UK dog owners to be more responsible and keep their animals under control and we have called on the Government to further toughen up the dangerous dogs laws and enforcement.

Dog attacks remain a major safety hazard and concern for postmen and women across the UK and the scale of the problem shouldn’t be underestimated:

• 33,000 postmen and women attacked by dogs in the last decade!
• 6 dog attacks on postal workers across the UK every day.
• 32 dog attacks on postal workers every week.
• 1,700 reported dog attacks on postal workers in 2021/22.
• 400 dog bites through the letterbox every year.
• 500 postmen and women have had a finger or part finger bitten off through the letterbox in the last 5 years.
• 80% of dog attacks on postal workers took place at the front door or on the garden path, driveway or yard.
• The UK dog population has surged by 3 million in the last 4 years according to the RSPCA.
• 10,000 people need hospital treatment following a dog attack according to the NHS.
• £75 million a year is the cost of NHS hospital treatment for dog attack injuries.

The CWU is very concerned about the continuing dog attack epidemic. The number of people admitted to hospital for dog bites has tripled in the last 20 years and apart from the personal costs, pain, suffering and disablement caused by dog attacks, it costs the NHS and UK taxpayers over £75 million a year, treating more than 10,000 patients, including innocent postal worker victims.

There have been 57 recorded dog attack deaths in the UK from 1986 to 2022 and 6 people have already been mauled to death by dogs this year so it’s a big concern for postal workers.

The unacceptably high prevalence, scale and volume of dog attacks plus the impact on victims, which can be life changing, is nothing less than a ‘national crisis’.

The key objectives of Dog Awareness Week are primarily to remind the public to be aware of their legal and moral responsibilities to control their dogs and prevent dog attacks on postal workers who have been heroes, working through the pandemic as essential workers, delivering the mountain of goods to the public, ordered on-line during the high street lockdowns and also a reminder to all our postmen and women members to be vigilant, keep safe and take no risks – and don’t put your fingers through the letterbox!

A letter has been sent to the Government Minister, DEFRA Secretary of State George Eustice calling for a meeting to discuss what more the Government and Police can do to toughen up the dog control laws and enforcement – such is the concern of the CWU. A response has been received and a meeting is being arranged, see copy attached.

The Scottish Government established a Government led Dangerous Dogs Legislation Review Group which commenced work in March meeting monthly. The Scottish Government appointed the CWU National Health, Safety & Environment Officer to the Group which is discussing in fine details all aspects of dog control law and enforcement with the aim of progressing the production of a report and recommendations to the Scottish First Minister and Scottish Government at the end of the year.  See copy of the attached announcement regarding the establishment of the group and CWU involvement.

Attachments:

• RMG 2022 Dog Awareness Week Press Release
• CWU Letter to Government Minister, Defra Secretary of State George Eustice
• Scottish Government Appoints CWU’s Health and Safety Officer Dave Joyce to their Dog Control and Dangerous Dogs Law Review Group

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

22LTB296 RM CWU National Dog Awareness Week 4 – 10 July 2022 – Royal Mail Group Press Release and CWU Letter To Government Minister

RMG 2022 National Dog Awareness Week (10th Annual Campaign)

Letter to DEFRA Sec.of.State George Eustace -Dangerous Dogs National Crisis Legislation and Enforcement Failure-25.05.22

Scottish Government Appoints CWU’s Dave Joyce to Dangrous Dogs Law Revie…

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RM/CWU National Dog Awareness Week, 4 – 10 July 2022 – Ordering Campaign Resources – ‘Door to Door’ Postcards, ‘Dog Behind The Letterbox’ Warning Cards and ‘Posting Pegs’:

Further to LTB 292/22 issued on 30 June, find attached ordering process for:-

• Royal Mail/Parcelforce/CWU – ‘Dog Awareness Postcards’ – for customer ‘door to door’ drop, awareness raising campaigns.
• Royal Mail ‘Dog Behind The Letterbox’ Cards – for delivery prep sorting frame, dog hazard address slots and delivery bundles.
• Posting Pegs – to avoid fingers through the letterbox dog bite risks.

Images of all three items are attached. Details as follows:

• ‘Do You Have A Dog’ – ‘Door to Door’ Post Cards

Dalmatian image postcard which is designed to be posted to all households in an area as part of Dog Awareness Week to ask customers to ensure their dogs are kept secure and under control when the postman/woman calls. CWU ASRs and Reps should organise this locally with COMs, OPLs and RODs. The budget for printing these cards lies with the Regional Operations Manager. They are not a standard stores item.

• ‘Dog Behind The Letter Box’ Warning Cards 

This is the red coloured Alsatian image Warning Card/Leaflet which is used to identify to the postman/woman where a known dog resides. The card/leaflet is placed in the frame when prepping and can then be put with bundles as a reminder when going out on the round. Also useful to use in raising awareness of the dog bite through the letterbox hazard and reminding postmen and women – DON’T PUT YOUR FINGERS THROUGH THE LETTERBOX. Remembering that 450 postmen and women are bitten through the letterbox every year. 1000 postmen and women have had a finger or part of a finger bitten off through the letterbox in the last 5 years.

• ‘Posting Pegs’

Plastic red coloured peg for posting flat letter and postcard mail through letter boxes in order to help avoid dog bites through the letter box. The posting peg isn’t suitable for every type of mail item members deliver but works well for the items that can be delivered using this safety tool. If members can’t safely deliver mail to addresses with dogs, through the letterbox using a posting peg then they should report the matter to their manager BUT DON’T PUT YOUR FINGERS THROUGH THE LETTERBOX – is the message to members.

See attached ordering process. Would all ASRs ensure stocks of the above are ordered and local campaigns organised, concentrating attention particularly on high risk dog attack areas.

(*IMPORTANT: Dog Attacks are a criminal offence in public places and on private property. The CWU fought for and won the battle to make this the law in the UK through our ‘Bite-Back’ campaign. Please give full support to Dog Awareness Week. Please ensure that all dog attacks are reported to the manager, to the Police (obtaining a crime number) and to the Royal Mail Security Helpdesk – This is the only way to stop future dog attacks happening).

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

22LTB295 RM CWU National Dog Awareness Week 4 – 10 July 2022 – Ordering Campaign Resources

Process For Ordering Dog Posting Cards and Pegs 2022

023790_ROYAL MAIL_DOG POST CARD Proof 1

DBLBOX-10k English (3)

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NATIONAL YOUNG WORKERS FORUM, 25^TH AUGUST– 26^th AUGUST 2022, BIRMINGHAM

The National Young Workers Forum will be held on Thursday 25^th Augustand Friday 26th August at the offices of CWU Birmingham District Amal Branch, 47 Summer Lane, Hockley, Birmingham, B19 3TH.

This is set to be an exciting and dynamic few days with presentations and guest speakers. For this reason, branches are encouraged to send their young workers as delegates to this event.  A timetable for the event is attached.

In order that we know the numbers of those in attendance, branches are asked to register their delegates that will be attending by emailing eventsregistration@cwu.org providing name, branch, position held and membership number by Wednesday 27^th July 2022.

Accommodation for delegates will need to be booked directly with hotels but the nearest hotels to Summer Lane are as follows:

Holiday Inn Express Snow Hill, 1 Snow Hill Plaza, B4 6HY:

https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/gb/en/birmingham/bhxsh/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-EX-_-GB-_-BHXSH

Hampton By Hilton:

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/bhxbnhx-hampton-birmingham-jewellery-quarter/?SEO_id=GMB-EMEA-HX-BHXBNHX

A letter is also attached from the Young Workers Committee which is self-explanatory.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to conferences@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward
General Secretary

22LTB294 – National Young Workers Forum, 25th – 26th August 2022, Birmingham

Letter from NYWC for Forum 2022

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