Network Window – Seasonal Variation Joint Communication Changes 

Network Window – Seasonal Variation Joint Communication Changes 

Branches and CWU members will recall that on 13^th February 2024 we issued LTB 065/24 which outlined changes that had been agreed with the business around Seasonal Variation for the Winter Low Season 2024 and subsequent Summer Low Season 2024 – as set out below:

• During the Summer 2024 period, during weeks 13 – 23 (24th June 2024 until 8th September 2024), full time employees will typically work at 35 hours, in line with the agreement, for 11 weeks. 
• This will mean that full time employees will start 14 minutes later and finish 10 minutes earlier, and part time employees will work 10 minutes less per day. 

Since that decision was communicated the CWU has continued to explore further opportunities with the business on mitigation of the Network Window changes, and as a result of those national discussions there has been a change to the above design to better support the introduction of the Network Window change on 17^th June 2024. This is summarised below:

• The first adjustment to the design relates to the start week of the Summer Low Season. This has been advanced by one week, and the overall duration retained at 11 weeks. This means that the Summer 2024 period will run during weeks 12 – 22 (17th June 2024 until 1st September 2024). Full time employees will typically work at 35 hours, for 11 weeks, during this period 
• The second adjustment to the design relates to the attendance time adjustment on the day by our employees. Instead of starting 14 minutes later and finish 10 minutes earlier, our Full Time employees will now start 9 minutes later and finish 15 minutes earlier (thus continuing to attend 24 minutes per day less than in mid season). Part time employees will start 5 minutes earlier and finish 15 minutes earlier (thus continuing to utilise 10 minutes per day) to ensure they align with the Full Timers. 

For clarity the above arrangements will not change the previous communication regarding the High Season for 2024 (Christmas period), which will run from Monday 18th November (week 34) and will end on Sunday 22nd December (week 38) – 5 weeks, thus meaning Full-timers (including 35-hour contracts) will see a 24 minutes per day variation increase applied before their start time. Part-timers will see a 10 minutes variation before their start time.

As stated, the above has been agreed between RM & CWU nationally to seek to support the overall impact linked to Network Window on start/finish times and the above changes will mean further mitigation is made to the overall impact which will be subject to a formal National Post Implementation Review.

Attached to this LTB is a copy of the Joint Communication that has been issued to all RM managers and for the attention of CWU Representatives and Branches to ensure it is cascaded to CWU members.

Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department hford@cwu.org or Outdoor Postal Department pharacz@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh                                                                                       

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)                                      

Mark Baulch

Assistant Secretary

LTB 165/24 – Network Window Seasonal Variation Joint Communication Changes

LTB 165/24 Attachment – RM CWU Joint Communication SV_Summer 24 Low Season Adjustment_Final Version

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