Royal Mail Announcement – Job Losses (Project Edison) – Customs Clearance Bureau (CCB)
Branches and Colleagues will be aware of the contents of LTB 266/26 which noted the announcement by Royal Mail of a programme of structural changes, over two phases which could lead to up to 2,500 job losses, most of which are anticipated to be from managerial grades.
While the Royal Mail Group communications stated that there would be no impact on Front Line Colleagues, the union was notified that in phase one approximately 183 CWU grade jobs were in scope and subject to change proposals.
The union met with Royal Mail on the 8thOctober 2026 where initial proposals, now branded Project Edison, were presented covering: Customs Clearance Bureau (CCB).
Royal Mail has formally forwarded the S188 documentation and Collective HR1 Documentation relating to the proposed headcount reduction and as such we are now engaged in the formal consultation process. In some areas the details of the proposals are yet to be advised by Royal Mail and communications addressing each of the proposals will be circulated as and when Royal Mail announces the details.
CCB
Parcelforce Coventry Hub has been identified as a unit which will be reviewed with a proposal to reduce current staffing levels.
Following the initial meeting, the CWU informed the business that we do not accept their proposal, we do not believe that the case for service reduction has been made in relation to the site and the CWU will expect the business to work through the proposal in detail as part of the consultation process. We reserve the right to oppose all or any elements of the proposal and to counter propose solutions as part of the process. The business has agreed to arrange the necessary meetings to progress this activity and an initial meeting has been scheduled for Friday 16thOctober.
In line with the joint activity to reduce the agency reliance nationally, the primary focus in the impacted locations will focus on redeployment. The business has confirmed that there will be no compulsory redundancy, that any/all redeployment activity will be progressed in line with the Managing the Surplus Framework (MTSF) and that any voluntary redundancy will be at the revised rates agreed in the Rebuilding Royal Mail Part 2 Agreement.
We do however understand how unsettling this proposal will be for our members in CCB and further regular updates will be given as talks progress. The Parcelforce Regional Organiser and Area Representative have been briefed on the proposal and the onward process.
Due to the nature of this project which was identified in LTB 266/26, and our commitment to share information once it is received, we have issued this LTB, though for your information the impacts in this update is specific to one business unit and we would ask South Midlands Postal Branch to ensure that the contents of this LTB are brought to the attention of our members in CCB.
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: jrodrigues@cwu.org or jmansell@cwu.org quoting reference LTB 274/26.
Yours sincerely,
Martin Walsh Andy Furey Davie Robertson
Deputy General Secretary (Postal) Assistant Secretary Assistant Secretary
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