Resourcing Principles Agreement Between Royal Mail and The CWU Covering the Deployment of Dimension, Weighing & Scanning (DWS) Equipment to All Mail Centres
Branches are informed that the Department were made aware that the business was trialling Dimension Weight Scanners in the Special Delivery Lockers within Manchester and London Central Mail Centres. This activity was not agreed with the CWU in advance and was progressed unilaterally by the business following their move to a new unagreed trial process.
However, representations were made to the business and following discussion the department has now been able to bring this activity back in line with previously agreed processes. To this end, given that the trial of the equipment has been viewed as a success, please find attached an agreement on Resourcing Principles for the deployment of the DWS activity, which was endorsed by the Postal Executive at a meeting on 7th November 2023.
The deployment of DWS equipment is an integral part of the Events Based Billing (EBB) Portfolio, which supports the Revenue Integrity strategy. The DWS machine will provide the business with the capability to measure and capture data to help identify miss-declared items in the SD operation. This data will aid BAU reconciliation processes in the recovery of revenue, which will ensure the business is paid correctly for the work it does. This strategy will be delivered through three capability pillars, which are highlighted below:
DWS activity will take place in two 4-hour windows, 16.30 to 20.30 (outward) and 01.00 to 05.00(inward). Each machine will be staffed by 1 employee, which with their introduction across all Mail Centers would potentially introduce new roles into the Mail Centre. Discussions have secured the full involvement of the CWU in agreeing workload for the DWS. This includes aligning other work to aid in creating full time duties, including reviewing innovative duty patterns. This could also assist with the supernumerary situation in some locations.
In line with previous agreements, the document confirms that all Health & Safety requirements, including SSOW, will be jointly developed by Royal Mail and the CWU National Health and Safety department.
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: shayman@cwu.org, quoting reference: 714.12.
Yours sincerely,
Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary
286-23 – DWS Resourcing Principles Agreement 09.11.23
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 
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