Some video content we’ve put out in the last 24 hours.

Deliveries https://www.youtube.com/live/zFG-uYg5l2E?feature=share

Get the Vote Out Day LIVE https://www.youtube.com/live/lVII_ccvVqY?feature=share

Parcelforce https://www.youtube.com/live/IBwrTv4r79k?feature=share

Processing / Distribution https://www.youtube.com/live/Vfz0_O9eQa0?feature=share

Engineers https://www.youtube.com/live/zZ-lnnUVhgw?feature=share

Fleet https://www.youtube.com/live/aQy7QM6LMiE?feature=share

Update from GS https://www.youtube.com/live/-ZPUyeO_a4E?feature=share

WeAreStillHere

Royal Mail Group (SHE) Safety Flash FY23 004 – Peugeot Expert Side Door Detachment:

Introduction

A problem first reported in RMG GP SA 2018 005 and CWU LTB 570/2018 has again become a widespread problem with a growing number of incidents reported of Peugeot Expert van side doors detaching from the small panel vans whilst side doors are being operated whereby the top mounting arm comes out of the runner (see photographs in attached Safety Flash).

Background and Description: 

Royal Mail Group’s Safety Team have issued RMG SHE Safety Flash FY23 004 following a number of reports of side doors detaching from Peugeot Expert small panel vans whilst the doors are being operated. This is due to the door’s top mounting arm coming out of the runner which in turn has the potential to cause injury to the driver and passenger with the door falling off the vehicle as well as damage to the vehicle (see photographs in attached Safety Flash).

Impact/Injuries: 

• Potential to cause injury to the driver and passenger with the door falling off the vehicle and damage to the vehicle (see photographs in attached Safety Flash).

Key Messages, Learning Points and Actions: 

1. When opening and closing the side load door on the Peugeot Expert vans, drivers should ensure that the side door is opened and closed without using excessive force which can otherwise cause door failure.
2. Drivers must not use a ‘throwing’ action when opening and closing the door as it will damage the door. Instead, the door should be held by the handle throughout its operation which prevents the door being ‘thrown’ against its stop.
3. If excessive force is used, the door can detach from the top runner channel during use (see photographs in attached Safety Flash). The door components have already been modified and strengthened following the same problem occurring on these vans in 2018.
4. In summary, drivers must not use a ‘throwing’ or ‘slamming’ action to open and close the door with force. This can break the support arm and runner channel after repeated heavy use leading to door detachment.
5. Drivers instead should ensure the door is opened and closed without using excessive force as damage can occur. Drivers should remain holding the handle throughout the entire sliding travel ensuring the door is opened fully to engage the end of travel catch.
6. Drivers must not use the upper door arm as a grab handle.
7. Drivers and PiCs must ensure that a vehicle ‘defect report (PMT1)’ form is submitted should this fault develop on a van. Vans should never be used with an insecure door as it may detach when the vehicle is driven and in use.
8. Please ensure the message gets to all drivers operating this LCV type small van.

PiCs Actions:

• PiCs to brief all staff on this SHE Flash and deploy the above Key Messages, Learning Points and Actions.
• PiCs to ensure PMT1 Defect Reports are submitted for Peugeot Expert vans with faulty side doors and are referred to RM Fleet Workshops for attention.
• PiCs to ensure that vans are not used with an insecure, defective door which can detach whilst in use. (e.g., the door should not be ‘taped up’ and left in use).

CWU ASR/WSR Action:

• WSRs/ASRs please ensure that this Safety Flash is communicated and brought to the attention of all appropriate members/drivers and that actions above are deployed.
• WSRs/ASRs to ensure any van with a faulty side door has a PMT1 Defect Report submitted and is not used with an insecure door which can detach whilst in use.
• ASRs to concentrate attention to this matter during Workplace Safety Inspections.

Attachment: 

• Royal Mail Group (SHE) Safety Flash FY23 004 – Peugeot Expert Side Door Detachment.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 031/23 – Royal Mail Group (SHE) Safety Flash FY23 004 – Peugeot Expert Side Door Detachment

Att: SHE Flash FY23 004- Peugeot Expert Side Door Detachment

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ROYAL MAIL GROUP: LEGAL CHALLENGE – STRIKE ACTION – 16^TH / 17^TH FEBRUARY

On Saturday 4^th February we received correspondence from RMG legal representatives challenging the strike notice issued on Thursday 2^nd February.  This challenge centres around technical issues relating to the Dispute Resolution Process and the lifespan of the existing Change ballot.  Having discussed this with our own lawyers, they have said we have an arguable case that we could defend our position in Court.

However, our lawyers have also advised that the risks associated with losing in court may potentially impact on the re-ballot – something which we cannot allow to happen.  Therefore, on the basis of the advice given, the Postal Executive do not believe it is worth risking the status of the new ballot to defend a ballot mandate that expires on the 17^th February.  Instead, we have agreed the following steps:

• We will cancel the strike action on 16^th / 17^th February
• The focus of the whole union must remain on winning the ballot
• We will re-enter negotiations with Royal Mail Group this week
• If talks fail, we will significantly step up the programme of strike action
• The union will shortly announce details of a formal strike fund

The Postal Executive are crystal clear that the single most important issue at the moment is that the whole union focuses its efforts on maximising the Yes vote and turnout in the live re-ballot.  We cannot allow RMG’s blatant efforts to demoralise our members and discredit the union to distract from the reality that the resolution to this long-running dispute will be determined and settled by the outcome of the current national ballot.

This simple message must be strongly conveyed to all members throughout the remainder of the balloting period, including in preparation for tomorrow’s Get the Vote Out Day and ongoing Branch meetings.

To support this approach, we have attached a members’ communication, which we are asking all CWU reps to read out to our members during national Get the Vote Out Day.  The overriding message in the members’ communication will be the focus of our own live broadcast tomorrow morning at 08.00.

Finally, given the content of this LTB, it is now incumbent on the whole union to also recognise that it really is not worth risking the status of the new ballot – instead our task is to do everything possible to get the vote out.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward – General Secretary               

Andy Furey – Acting Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

23LTB030 ROYAL MAIL GROUP LEGAL CHALLENGE – STRIKE ACTION – 16TH 17TH FEBRUARY

NATIONAL GET THE VOTE OUT DAY – A Message to all CWU Members

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Royal Mail Group (SHE) Safety Flash FY23 003 – Reporting Hazardous Corrosion Damage:

Background and Description: 

Royal Mail Group’s Safety Team have issued RMG SHE Safety Flash FY23 003 following a number of accidents and near misses on Royal Mail Group sites, in recent months, caused by the failure of seriously corroded, and unsafe items and components which should have been reported for remedial action, repair or replacement. Instead the various items were left to corrode and disintegrate, becoming a danger, leading to failure or collapse.

If evidence of corrosion is identified early enough, this can be repaired, preventing accidents and injuries to the workforce and third parties. Waiting until the structure of an item has decomposed and failed has the potential to cause serious injury and operational disruption. Complete failures may lead to prolonged disruption and temporary working arrangements whilst replacements are procured and repairs undertaken.

Two recent examples and photographs are detailed in the SHE Safety Flash FY23 003 (attached). These are;

• A Delivery Office entrance doorcollapsed, falling onto a person who was standing nearby. The door hinge was extremely badly corroded which caused its failure due to it becoming weakened and no longer able to support the door.
• A ‘Safety Barrier’ was extremely badly corroded, breaking away from the fixing point and so undermining its structure and the physical protection it offered. When the barrier was leaned on by a person it moved away instead of holding firm. Safety barriers are fundamental when it comes to keeping sites safe and complying with health and safety regulations and are designed to prevent and control accidents and events by maintaining safe routes, providing warnings of hazards, protecting workers and directing groups of people etc., and providing a visible warning for employees and the public.

Impact/Injuries: 

• Employees injured by failed items and components plus near misses.

Key Messages, Learning Points and Actions: 

• Any evidence of corrosion on a site should be documented in the PiCs routine workplace daily inspections and bi-monthly inspections (as per SHEMS 11.2) and raised to the RMP&FS National Service Centre immediately (0333 005 0312.)

PiCs Actions:

• PiCs to record and report all corrosion for attention.
• PiCs to brief all staff on this SHE Flash and deploy the above Key Messages, Learning Points and Actions.

CWU ASR/WSR Action:

• Please ensure that this Safety Flash is communicated and brought to the attention of all appropriate members and that actions above are deployed.
• WSRs/ASRs to report all incidents of hazardous corrosion.
• ASRs to concentrate attention to this matter during Workplace Safety Inspections.

Attachment: 

• Royal Mail Group (SHE) Safety Flash FY23 003 – Reporting Hazardous Corrosion Damage.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 029/23 – Royal Mail Group (SHE) Safety Flash FY23 003 – Reporting Hazardous Corrosion Damage

Att: SHE Flash FY23 003 – Corrosion

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Annual Conference 2023 – Submission of Motions/Rule Amendments

Further to LTBs 494/22, 495/22 and 506/22 regarding the submission of Rule Amendments, Motions to the General conference and Postal Conference. Branches will have seen LTB 016/23 that gave information around the deferment of Conference from April until October. Accordingly discussions are currently taking place with the Standing Orders Committee with regard to a new date(s) regarding the submission of the above.

We can inform Branches therefore that the original dates published are deferred pending the above discussions. Once these have concluded new dates will publicised via LTB along with the relevant documentation.

Motions that were submitted prior to the postponement of conference will have to be resubmitted on the new forms issued and will not be carried forward to the new date.

Any queries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to Angela Niven at Head Office on conferences@cwu.org or on 020 8971 7256.

Yours sincerely,

A P Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary

23LTB028 – Annual Conference 2023- Submission of Motions and Rule Amendments

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🚨URGENT PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO EVERY CWU MEMBER 🚨

If you do not vote then this is the future.

• no negotiation at local level
• Later start times in every function.
• Executive action
• Below inflation pay
• Massive executive pay
• Total flexibility
• If they can suspend reps and colleagues on ‘fit ups’ then the same can happen to you

Royal Mail Group have been:

• caught lying at the select committee
• Removing posts from Workplace that expose their later start plans
• Suspending reps and members daily
• Senior executives voted to change their bonus arrangements as they imposed 2% on you.

There is no fence to sit on in this dispute. Your very future depends on this ballot.

Vote today. Vote YES.

End this reign of shame.

WeAreStillHere

ROYAL MAIL GROUP: CHANGE DISPUTE – STRIKE ACTION – 24-HOURS FROM 12.30PM THURSDAY 16^TH FEBRUARY

We have today served the legal notice on RMG under the current Change ballot for a 24-hour strike action as follows:

The strike will cover all duties and scheduled attendance commencing between the period at or after12:30pm on Thursday 16^th February 2023 and before 12:30pm on Friday 17^th February 2023.

The Postal Executive has called this strike action as a consequence of RMG’s ongoing and planned Executive Action in local offices across the UK, whereby the company are implementing Revisions and unagreed change, whilst refusing to negotiate locally or apply the terms of the IR Framework.

This is in direct contravention to the unequivocal commitment given by the CEO Simon Thompson, in a letter to the Union of 6^th January, stating “the IR Framework will apply in full”.  At that point, the CEO’s commitment was instrumental in the Union not calling further strike action up until 20^thJanuary, to enable intensive talks to continue in a more constructive environment.

In a further attempt to avoid Executive Action, the CWU presented RMG with a proposal for re-engagement in Revisions at local level, which met the company’s timescales and included a fast-track process to resolve any disagreements over savings targets.  This was rejected by the company in their counter proposal, copies of both documents are attached. 

In making the decision to call further strike action under our existing Change ballot, we wish to make clear that the Postal Executive concluded that RMG’s actions to remove the right of negotiation at local level, has wider implications than the current Revisions and change activity and must now be viewed as a significant step towards de-recognising the Union and the voice of our members in the workplace. 

We must also take into account that the scale and severity of RMG’s Executive Action is increasing on a weekly basis and goes well beyond even their own guidelines.  This is about RMG deliberately accelerating their plans to change members’ attendance patterns and start & finish times in Delivery, in advance of their proposal for significant network changes later this year.  In Processing units, Executive Action on unagreed structural Revisions will impose unacceptable widespread change to duties, attendance patterns and earnings packages.  

Given the gravity of the situation, including the company’s refusal to discuss this matter further in Acas talks, the CWU has no alternative but to defend the principle of our Union having the right to negotiate on all aspects of change at local level.  This principle has been fundamental to how we represent and support our members throughout the history of our Union. 

We have made it clear to RMG in writing that to avoid this strike action the CEO needs to honour the commitment he made to apply the terms of the IR Framework in full, including applying this retrospectively to all units that have had change imposed upon them.  

The Union’s position remains that we want to negotiate an agreement and the best way of achieving this is to re-establish the IR Framework agreement so that joint re-engagement can take place locally, rather than managerial Executive Action, whilst national negotiations continue.  However, unfortunately what we are faced with is the company continuing to act in bad faith, displaying a total lack of integrity in their conduct.

Finally, Branches must convey the content of this LTB to all workplaces and encourage members to join our CWU Live session scheduled for 6pm tomorrow.  This will give us an opportunity to provide a full update on recent talks, and the need to do everything possible to maximise the turnout and Yes vote in the re-ballot.  

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward
General Secretary

Andy Furey
Acting Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

Mark Baulch
Assistant Secretary                               

Carl Maden
Assistant Secretary           

LTB 027/23 ROYAL MAIL GROUP – CHANGE DISPUTE STRIKE ACTION 24-HOURS FROM 12.30PM THURSDAY 16TH FEBRUARY

Att: CWU Proposal

Att: RMG Counter Proposal

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ROYAL MAIL PROPERTY & FACILITIES SERVICES LIMITED (RMPFSL) – PAY AND
ASSOCIATED ISSUES DISPUTE UPDATE

Further to previous LTBs (Letters to Branches) updating Royal Mail Property & Facilities Services
Limited (RMPFSL) Members, Reps and Branches on the Pay and Associated Issues dispute

We met with RMPFSL on 26th January, where the Company set out an improved ‘without prejudice’
proposal for a two-year deal which represents some progress towards what we hope will be a final
negotiated settlement and one which can be put to members in a ballot.

The latest offer is being given further consideration, although we have sought clarification from
RMPFSL on what was received in writing, after the meeting. We are now awaiting this clarification
back from the Company and when this is received, we will update Branches, Representatives, and
members further.

Any queries regarding the content of this LTB should be addressed to the PTCS Department quoting
reference number 312 – email khay@cwu.org or the Outdoor Department, quoting reference 120.12
email address: njones@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,                                                           Yours sincerely,
Carl Maden                                                                   Mark Baulch
Assistant Secretary                                                     Assistant Secretary

23LTB026

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ROYAL MAIL PROPERTY & FACILITIES SERVICES LIMITED (RMPFSL) – PAY AND ASSOCIATED ISSUES DISPUTE UPDATE

Further to previous LTBs (Letters to Branches) updating Royal Mail Property & Facilities Services Limited (RMPFSL) Members, Reps and Branches on the Pay and Associated Issues dispute.

We met with RMPFSL on 26^thJanuary, where the Company set out an improved ‘without prejudice’ proposal for a two-year deal which represents some progress towards what we hope will be a final negotiated settlement and one which can be put to members in a ballot.

The latest offer is being given further consideration, although we have sought clarification from RMPFSL on what was received in writing, after the meeting.  We are now awaiting this clarification back from the Company and when this is received, we will update Branches, Representatives, and members further.

Any queries regarding the content of this LTB should be addressed to the PTCS Department quoting reference number 312 – email khay@cwu.org or the Outdoor Department, quoting reference 120.12 email address: njones@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,                                

Carl Maden          

Assistant Secretary                               

Mark Baulch

Assistant Secretary                    

LTB 026/23

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