ROYAL MAIL: FINANCE & HR (INCLUDING LEGAL) – ANNUAL BONUS PAYMENTS 2021/22 AND FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS

Branches are advised that we have reached an agreement with Adrian Porter, Director of Reward and Performance, to pay the following bonuses to CWU members in both Finance & HR (including Legal):

• Finance £400
• HR & Legal £331.55

These payments, which are pro-rata for part-timers, will be made with July salaries.  Joint Statements to this effect are attached to this LTB and are being published today.

The bonus payments above are less than we would have hoped for.  This is due to a number of measures associated with the Balanced Scorecard not being met.  As a consequence, we have been able to negotiate revised arrangements for the current financial year and beyond.  In essence the maximum bonus that could be paid to our Finance/HR members has been fixed for a number of years since the inception of the schemes and as such the value has effectively reduced.

Against this backdrop we have agreed with Royal Mail to double the value of the scheme from the start of this financial year as follows:

• Finance – New potential maximum bonus £2000 (up from £1000)
• HR (including Legal) – New potential maximum bonus £1500 (up from £750)

It should be noted that the enhanced bonus monies available are linked to the achievement of various measures associated to the Balanced Scorecard.

Naturally our members will be pleased with the doubling of the potential monies available, especially as it is normal to receive better payments than this year. Whilst we are aware the members will be disappointed with the outturn for the last year, hopefully the prospect of earning a significantly better bonus in the future will ameliorate the situation overall.

Against the prevailing environment across Royal Mail, the Postal Executive is supportive of these enhanced arrangements and has endorsed the package including the bonus payments for the last year.

Finally, I am pleased that Royal Mail has recognised the need to improve the value of the bonus payments going forward and I look forward to reporting on more favourable figures for our members in the future.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

22LTB309 Royal Mail – Finance & HRS (including Legal) – Annual Bonus Payments 2021-22

Attachment 1 to 22LTB309 – Finance

Attachment 2 to 22LTB309 – HRS&S

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Royal Mail Group Safety Director Message To All Managers -“Amber Extreme Heatwave Warning” and “Level 3 Heat Health Alert Warning” issued by Government Agencies”

The CWU HQ Health Safety and Environment Dept. has raised concerns with RMG Interim Global Safety Director, requesting that Unit managers be again reminded of their risk assessment obligations. This LTB is being issued further to LTBs 213/22, 226/22, 305/22 and 306/22.

• The attached message has been sent to all managers across Royal Mail Group today from the Royal Mail Group Interim Global Safety Director.
• Managers have been requested to brief/share SHE Huddle FY22 022 Sun Safety with the workforce. Copy attached also.

Heatwave Temperature Warning:

The Met Office has issued an “Amber Extreme Heatwave Warning” for Sunday 17 July, Monday 18 July and Tuesday 19 July, highlighting adverse health effects for the public as temperatures have the potential to break records. Alongside this the UK Health Security Agency have issued a “Level 3 Heat Health Alert” in order to prepare the NHS, health professionals and emergency responders.

The Met Office forecast is that the temperatures over this period could exceed 35C or 95F and may extend beyond the 3 day period concerned.

Outdoor workers who have a lot of overall exposure to the sun (even without burning) are at increased risk of skin and eye damage, skin cancer and dehydration. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun can cause damage to the skin and lead to skin cancer.

Given that the extremely hot heatwave weather and record high temperatures are expected to continue, the CWU Health, Safety and Environment Department have requested  special attention be given to ensuring that Unit and area level operational Managers in Royal Mail and Parcelforce are focussed on the Sun Safety messages and that Unit Managers complete a Severe Weather Risk Assessment for “Sun” daily to avoid unnecessary staff sun burn/sun stress/dehydration conditions which could lead to injury, illness or death.

Managers must carry out a Severe Risk Assessment in consultation with the CWU ASR ‎where the temperature and the periods of sun exposure have increased significantly as at present.

Managers have been reminded to convey the key “Stay Safe in the Sun” messages and guidance to the workforce.

For outdoor delivery and collection CWU members it is vitally important to remember that working outdoors in hot sunny weather poses health risks such as sunlight/UV ray exposure, dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Managers  must use the “Severe Weather Risk Assessment” (SWRA) tool to assess the controls required for the conditions the workforce are experiencing.

Full CWU ASR/WSR involvement and consultation is part of the SWRA process. The Manager must consult the CWU ASR/WSR on the assessment and controls as set out in the assessment process and take account of the ASR/WSR input.

ASR/WSR ACTION:

• ENSURE ALL UNITS CARRY OUR DAILY SEVERE WEATHER RISK ASSESSMENTS DURING THE HEATWAVE HOT WEATHER IN CONSULTATION WITH YOURSELF AND YOUR WSRs AND THAT APPROPRIATE ACTIONS ARE TAKEN WHERE NECESSARY.
• ANY NON-COMPLIANCE BY OPERATIONAL MANAGERS SHOULD BE PROGRESSED BY THE ASR VIA THE NATIONALLY AGREED RMG SHE STANDARD 5.1 ‘DISPUTES ESCALATION PROCESS’.
• CONVEY THE MESSAGE TO MEMBERS – COVER UP/KEEP THE DANGEROUS SUN OFF YOUR SKIN. SHORT SLEEVED T-SHIRTS AND SHORT TROUSERS INCREASE SKIN EXPOSURE. USE SUNSCREEN. NEVER LET YOUR SKIN BURN IN THE SUN. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.

Attachments:

• Message From Phil Graham RMG Safety Director
• Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) Huddle FY22-022

‎Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 308-22 – Royal Mail Group Safety Director Message To All Managers -Amber Extreme Heatwave Warning and Level 3 Heat Health Alert Warning issued by Government Agencies

July 14th Amber heatwave warning

SHE-Huddle-FY22-022-Sun-Safety-1

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POST OFFICE: PAY DISPUTE 2021/22 – STRIKE ACTION

Firstly, may I thank all of our Crown members who supported the strike on Monday 11th July in such overwhelming numbers. Also my appreciation goes to our Reps and Branches for supporting our members along with their efforts in raising the profile of the dispute across local media and of course amongst the wider movement.

Once again I’m pleased to report we gained good media coverage with our reasons for the dispute featuring in all press articles with plenty of powerful quotes from the union. Unsurprisingly as has been the case previously Post Office made no attempt whatsoever to justify or defend their pay freeze policy. Indeed this was also the case in respect of internal communications in the lead-up to the strike.

Admin & Supply Chain Strike – Thursday 14th July

Tomorrow our Admin & Supply Chain members will be on strike (third occasion). From all reports received we are anticipating another excellent response from members who understandably are angry with the dismissive attitude of Post Office. To put this into perspective, Post Office are quick to self-publicise how much money is transacted across the Post Office network each month. Only this week they have highlighted cash deposits and withdrawals for June remained steady at over £3 billion and this was the fourth successive month where over £3 billion had been transacted.

Clearly Post Office is making a lot of money on the back of “cash”. Indeed the statistics above are important as our Crew members primarily deliver and collect these monies from Post Offices supported by our Cash Centre members who process significant volumes of cash. It follows that our members should be sharing in this success and their efforts should be recognised in a tangible way with a fair pay rise.

The bottom line is Supply Chain members provide vital support services for the 11,500 network of Post Offices with the transacting of cash integral to the long term viability. Without our members performing such an important support role, this, success wouldn’t happen. In essence Post Office can evidently afford to provide a decent pay rise but they are simply choosing not to do so. This situation is not lost on our members and that is why tomorrow’s strike is necessary.

Finally Branches and Reps are encouraged to support our Supply Chain picket lines.

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary

22LTB307 Post Office Pay Dispute 2021-22 Strike Action

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Royal Mail Group – Sun Safety and Severe Weather Risk Assessment Process:

Further to LTBs 213/22 and 305/22, temperatures have now risen to the highest of the year and are forecast to remain high and increase further as the current heatwave continues. These record temperatures, intense sunlight and exposure to high UV ray levels bring dangers!

The Met Office has yesterday extended an ‘Amber Extreme heat warning’, as temperatures look to build later this week and early next week for much of the UK. The Amber Warning, which has been issued for Sunday (17 July) and Monday (18 July), highlights likely adverse health effects for the public, not just limited to those most vulnerable to extreme heat. Temperatures could be in excess of 35°C in the southeast, and more widely around 32°C within the warning area. These high temperatures could extend further into next week and an extension of this rare, extreme warning covers most of England and Wales and will be considered in the coming days. High Temperature records for the UK could be broken.

All CWU Reps and members need to be alert and aware of those health risks!

Sunburn  and Sunstroke – is painful and hurts you in more ways than one. The danger goes far beyond any short-term pain, redness and discomfort, because after the sunburn fades, lasting damage remains. Heatstroke an quickly damage the brain, heart, kidneys and muscles. Sunburn accelerates skin aging and is a leading cause in the majority of Skin Cancer cases. A Sun Tan is not a sign of good health – it’s a sign of serious skin damage!

Skin cancer – is the most common form of cancer in the UK, and rates continue to rise with 100,000 new cases diagnosed each year and 2,500 deaths. The main cause of skin cancer is exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Dehydration – can cause organ damage and failure, seizures, fainting, heatstroke and shock.

IMPORTANT ADVICE TO ALL MEMBERS WORKING OUTSIDE:

• Cover Up – minimise skin exposure – avoid sunburn.
• Protect Your Head – wear a hat with a broad rim.
• Take regular breaks in the shade.
• Use sunscreen/sunblock.
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Royal Mail Group – ‘Protect Yourself In The Sun’ Materials 

See attached RMG ‘Protect Yourself in The Sun’ – ‘Plasma Screen Shot’ currently being displayed, the joint Royal Mail Group/CWU/IOSH poster and staff pocket card/leaflet which are to be briefed to staff, displayed and distributed by PiCs and Managers to all staff.

‘Mandatory’ Severe Weather Risk Assessment Process

Royal Mail Group have issued RMG SHE Huddle message “Sun Safety FY22 022” and used ‘Workplace- Social Media’ to send out sun safety messages,.  RMG have also issued articles on the RMG intranet home page on Sun Safety reminding managers of their responsibilities.  Yesterday RMG issued the attached (July Sun Safety Message) on the “My Royal Mail” website. A series of plasma screen slides have been displayed on all the screens in all Units around RMG and the subject has been posted on the weekly “RMG SHE News.” The topic has also been covered in Q&A video clips released by CEO Simon Thompson and more recently by Zareena Brown Chief People Officer.

See attached RMG SHE Huddle/Staff Briefing FY22 022 (Sun Safety) and Royal Mail Managers Briefing July 2022 (Supporting colleagues to stay safe in the sun).

Importantly – both documents instruct that; Managers must complete a Severe Weather Risk Assessment when temperatures reach the high 20s to record the controls that have been implemented. This includes additional advice and support for managing the operation in the hot weather.

PiCs/Managers must complete a Severe Weather Risk Assessment daily in hot, sunny weather and must record the controls that have been implemented to protect the workforce. All PiCs/managers were instructed to familiarise themselves with the Severe Weather Risk Assessment in order to ensure that they are prepared for the current high summer temperatures which the country is currently experiencing.

A supporting pack of sun safety information, including the attached z-cards and posters to display and distribute in units, has been made available to PiCs on the RMG ‘Sharepoint’ site for downloading and printing, under severe weather so they should have been arranging for the information to be shared and displayed. Any enquiries should be directed to the local RMG Safety Health and Environment (SHE) Advisor.

Under The Severe Weather Risk Assessment (SWRA) Managers Must:

• Carry out a SWRA daily and consult/involve the ASR.
• Suspend deliveries and collections if appropriate to do so.
• Communicate the SWRA results to all staff.
• Must not manipulate the SWRA to justify sending out deliveries or collections where it is clearly unsafe to do so.
• Managers must take whatever action is necessary to safeguard employees by removing risks and reducing risks to a tolerable level.

See attached SWRA Extracts for actions in the case of a ‘Yellow Warning’, ‘Amber Warning’ and ‘Red Warning’ 

Attachments: 

• RM/PFWW/CWU/Unite/IOSH ‘Protect Yourself and Stay Safe In The Sun’ Poster
• RMG ‘Protect Yourself and Stay Safe in The Sun’ Plasma Screen Shot
• RMG/CWU/IOSH ‘Stay Safe in The Sun’ Pocket Card/Leaflet

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 306-22 – Royal Mail Group Sun Safety and Severe Weather Risk Assessment Process

Royal Mail Managers Sun Safety Briefing July 2022

SHE Huddle FY22 022 Sun Safety

Sun Safety AUG17

Stay Safe in the Sun Cards

RM PLASMAS Sun safety

SWRA Red Warning

SWRA Red Warning – Action

SWRA Amber Warning

SWRA Amber Warning – Action

SWRA Yellow Warning 

SWRA Yellow Warning – Action

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CWU ‘Be Sun Smart & Skin Safe’ Campaign – Skin Cancer & Dehydration Risks:

Temperatures have now risen to the highest of the year and record levels bring dangers with sunlight exposure and dehydration. We want Reps and members to be aware of those risks!

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the UK, and rates continue to rise.

100,000 new cases are now diagnosed each year, and the disease kills over 2,500 people each year in the UK – that’s seven people every day.

Whilst we are getting better at understanding how skin cancer works, we still have a long way to go. On average, someone who dies from skin cancer typically loses 20 years of their life, and rates of malignant melanoma are rising faster than any other type of common cancer.

Types Of Skin Cancer

There are three types of skin cancer: malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Details are as follows;

• Malignant Melanoma

Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma is a cancer of the pigment cells of the skin.  If it is treated early, the outlook is usually good.  It is not contagious.

Melanomas can come up in or near to a mole, but can also appear on skin that looks quite normal. They develop when the skin pigment cells (melanocytes) become cancerous and multiply in an uncontrolled way.

• Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is one of the non-melanoma skin cancers. It is the second most common type of skin cancer in the UK.

Squamous Cell Carcinomas can occur on any part of your body, but are most common on areas that are exposed to the sun, such as your head and neck (including the lips and ears) and the backs of your hands. Squamous Cell Carcinomas can also crop up where the skin has been damaged by X-rays, and also on old scars, ulcers, burns and persistent chronic wounds. Squamous Cell Carcinomas are not contagious.

• Basal Cell Carcinoma

A Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) is a type of skin cancer. There are two main types of skin cancer: melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. BCC is a non-melanoma skin cancer, and is the most common type (> 80%) of all skin cancer (skin cancer incidence is < 1%) in the UK. BCC are sometimes referred to as ‘rodent ulcers’.

Basal Cell Carcinomas mainly affect fair skinned adults and are more common in men than women. Apart from a rare familial condition called Gorlin’s Syndrome, Basal Cell Carcinomas are not hereditary. However, some of the things that increase the risk of getting one (e.g., a fair skin, a tendency to burn rather than tan, and freckling) do run in families.

UV Ray Exposure

UV exposure is the main preventable cause of skin cancer, so here are a few tips on how to stay safe in the sun:

Clothing 

Clothing should always be the first line of defence against damage from the sun, with sunscreen being used in addition to clothes, including a hat, t-shirt and UV protective sunglasses. Clothing provided by RM and BT has a high UV ray protective rating.

Find The Right Sunscreen

Use a sunscreen of SPF30 (SPF stands for ‘Sun Protection Factor’) and refers to the level of protection against UVB radiation, linked to skin cancer. Look for a four or ideally five star UVA rating on the bottle which will help protect from UVA radiation, associated with skin ageing. You may also find that the UVA rating is represented by the letters ‘UVA’ inside a circle. (BT provides sunscreen free – Royal Mail does not – The Union has a long standing claim for Royal Mail to provide it to all outdoor staff free and a fresh claim has been submitted to the CEO and COO).

Reactions to sunscreen are rare and can be a result of a sensitivity or allergy to any of the many ingredients used in these products. The GP surgery can advise on alternatives.

For those with sun allergy-prone skin, they can keep safe and protected in the sun with various sun allergy protect sunblock creams and gels, sunscreens for the face and body with broad-spectrum SPF 50 protection. Sun allergy protect sunscreen has been specially formulated to meet the needs of sun-allergic skin, including the likes of Polymorphous Light Eruption.

Get Your Timing Right

Skin needs time to absorb sunscreen, so apply generously about 20 to 30 minutes before going out. Reapply frequently at least every two hours, as it can come off when sweating or through rubbing.

Seek Shelter/Shade

The sun tends to be strongest in the middle of the day, so find some shade typically between 11am and 3pm, especially if you are very fair skinned. Just 10 minutes of strong sunshine is all it takes to burn pale skin. Take breaks in the shade.

Water

Drink plenty of water and avoid dehydration. Obtain and use a red Royal Mail refillable water bottle and use it regularly.

CWU ‘Sun Smart & Skin Safe’ Posters And Leaflets

See attached CWU leaflet and poster. Branches, Regions and Health and Safety Committees can purchase additional posters and pocket fact cards/leaflets from the CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department Tel: 0208 971 7365.

IMPORTANT ADVICE TO ALL MEMBERS WORKING OUTSIDE:

• Cover Up – minimise skin exposure – avoid sunburn.
• Protect Your Head – wear a hat with a broad rim.
• Take regular breaks in the shade.
• Use sunscreen/sunblock.
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Royal Mail Group – ‘Protect Yourself In The Sun’ Materials and ‘Mandatory’ Severe Weather Risk Assessment Process

See attached RMG ‘Protect Yourself in The Sun’ – ‘Plasma Screen Shot’ currently being displayed, plus the joint Royal Mail Group/CWU/IOSH poster and staff pocket card/leaflet to be displayed and distributed by PiCs to all staff.

Managers must complete a Severe Weather Risk Assessment daily in hot, sunny weather and must record the controls that have been implemented to protect the workforce. All PiCs/managers were instructed to familiarise themselves with the Severe Weather Risk Assessment in order to ensure that they are prepared for the current high summer temperatures which the country is currently experiencing.

A supporting pack of sun safety information, including the attached z-cards and posters to display and distribute in units, has been made available to PiCs on the RMG ‘Sharepoint’ site for downloading and printing, under severe weather so they should have been arranging for the information to be shared and displayed. Any enquiries should be directed to the local RMG Safety Health and Environment (SHE) Advisor.

Under The Severe Weather Risk Assessment (SWRA) Managers Must:

• Carry out a SWRA daily and consult/involve the ASR.
• Suspend deliveries and collections if appropriate to do so.
• Communicate the SWRA results to all staff.
• Must not manipulate the SWRA to justify sending out deliveries or collections where it is clearly unsafe to do so.
• Managers must take whatever action is necessary to safeguard employees by removing risks and reducing risks to a tolerable level.

Attachments: 

• CWU ‘Sun Smart-Skin Safe’ Leaflet
• CWU ‘Sun Smart-Skin Safe’ Poster
• RM/PFWW/CWU/Unite/IOSH ‘Protect Yourself and Stay Safe In The Sun’ Poster
• RMG ‘Protect Yourself and Stay Safe in The Sun’ Plasma Screen Shot
• RMG/CWU/IOSH ‘Stay Safe in The Sun’ Pocket Card/Leaflet

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

22LTB305 CWU ‘Be Sun Smart & Skin Safe’ Campaign – Skin Cancer & Dehydration Risks

04131 Sun Smart leaflet 3up

04724 Sun Smart poster

Sun Safety AUG17

RM PLASMA SCREEN Sun Safety 2022

Stay Safe in the Sun Cards

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There is one week left of the ballot. One week left to smash the anti-union thresholds.

Here is a final get the vote out message from our DGSP Terry Pullinger.

Twitter https://twitter.com/cwunews/status/1546779754438729728?s=21&t=ElIEAdeL3sweAruCFYzSaw

Facebook https://fb.watch/ed7U6lIV8x/

JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN PARCELFORCE WORLDWIDE AND THE CWU IN RELATION TO THE PILOT INTRODUCTION OF DELIVERY OF PERISHABLE ITEMS FOR ACCOUNT CUSTOMERS

Branches and representatives will be aware that our agreed Table of Success processes with Parcelforce have established a structure that strengthens the partnership approach and involves the CWU in the widest set of business issues.

Recently, the business approached the department to advise that it was their intention to re-introduce the delivery of perishable items due to the potential for growth and indications that customer demand exists.  The product offering had been available previously, but was ceased in 2019 due to operational challenges.

The business proposal for the reintroduction of the product offering was to allow drivers to leave items in the ‘safest place’ in order to ensure first time delivery, minimise waste and items being returned to the depot, which created some concerns for the department due to the potential for members to be held responsible for missing or damaged items.

In the view of the department, the proposal for drivers to be given the autonomy to select a ‘safest place’, differed significantly from the use of ‘safe place’, where a customer designates where they wish the item to be left.

Therefore, extensive discussions have taken place with the business in relation to the product offering, delivery specifications, what is considered a ‘safest place’ and, most importantly, ensuring that our members are protected. A Joint Statement has now been concluded and endorsed by the Postal Executive, a copy of which is attached for your information.

The department believes that the protections achieved in the Joint Statement are both crucial and far-reaching. It was only on the basis of the words below that the document was concluded:

Both parties accept there is a mutual obligation of confidence and trust applied to every contract of employment.  In line with this principle it is accepted that where a driver has made an informed decision on a safest place this has been done in good faith and that no responsibility will be placed on the driver for damaged or missing items.

It is accepted that a driver could unintentionally make an incorrect assessment of a safest place, and it is therefore agreed that in such circumstances the driver will not be held responsible but will, where necessary, be offered further training.

Colleagues will note that the Joint Statement also outlines that the delivery specification will be dependent on the posting customer either designating a nominated safe place or accepting a level of risk and liability where a driver will have authority to select a ‘safest place’, should the customer choose not to nominate. This will be a contractual commitment that the customer will be required to sign up to.

The product offering will be available from July 2022 to account customers only, who have been given operational concurrence and a process has been developed to ensure the following:

• that the customer is using appropriate packaging;
• that there is still the option to select a ‘safe place’;
• that customers will be notified by text that their item(s) are being delivered;
• that a new delivery option will be introduced giving Drivers the authority to leave item(s) in the ‘safest place’;
• that new labels will be used to identify that the item is perishable and a new report will be used to ensure that these items can be identified;
• a new process for managing waste that will include items being sent through to the National Hub.

The Joint Statement also contains an agreed process that will seek to maximise first time delivery through the application of Delivery Options that are included in the document.

For absolute clarity, the Joint Statement confirms that the use of ‘safest place’ is allowed for this perishable product offering only and will not be used in relation to any other item for delivery.

Operating procedures and Guidelines will be jointly developed and training will be supported by the Depot Trainer. 

The normal commitment in terms of H&S involvement has also been included in the Joint Statement.

The Table of Success Working Group will continue to monitor the deployment of the product offering and provide advice and support where necessary.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org quoting reference: 114.23

Yours sincerely,

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

304-22 PFW JS Perishable Items – 11.07.22

PFW JS Delivery of Perishable Items – 11.07.22

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RMG Driver/Road Safety – ‘Vulnerable Road Users’ Campaign (RMG SHE Huddle/Briefing FY22 041):

The Royal Mail Group SHE Team are launching a ‘Vulnerable Road Users’ driver and road safety communications campaign and staff briefing during the week commencing 11 July with the issue of RMG SHE Huddle/Briefing FY22 041 (copy attached). Campaign slides/screen shots will also go out on the RMG plasma screens and on the RMG intranet.

Overview Message

Summer Driving – drive carefully around vulnerable road users.

What is a Vulnerable Road User?

Essentially, a vulnerable road user means anyone who isn’t protected inside a car, van, bus, lorry etc.

Cyclists, motorcyclists, horse riders and pedestrians are vulnerable road users. E-Scooters are rapidly growing in number and present both a familiar sight and present a new, growing hazard on UK roads, many of them illegal and not adequately policed. Currently, it is effectively illegal to use e-scooters on public roads, on pavements, in cycle lanes and in pedestrian-only areas. However, the use of electric scooters on public roads is set to be made legal under a new Transport Bill due to go through the Houses of Parliament and become law.

Important Highway Code Changes and Tougher Rules 

Significant Highway Code changes came into force on 28 January 2022 reinforcing the need to protect vulnerable road users. There is now a ‘hierarchy of responsibility’ for anybody using the roads, including motorists, cyclists, horse riders and walkers. This is a big change, especially when it comes to anybody driving a vehicle, as they will now have a greater overall responsibility for road safety than anyone walking, cycling or riding a horse because those driving a vehicle are capable of causing more damage. In effect, greater priority must be given to pedestrians at junctions and when crossing roads (instead of only giving way on a zebra crossing as in the past) and greater priority must be given to cyclists and horse riders.

Those drivers not following the Highway Code changes can face prosecution, heavy fines and prison. Sadly, many, many drivers are completely unaware of the Highway Code changes and their effect. A CWU Warning Poster was issued in January and sent out to the regions and branches (copy attached).

How to Keep People Safe

The SHE Huddle/Briefing FY22 041 gives advice to help avoid incidents and keep people safe (copy attached) and the following points are covered:

• Anticipate seeing vulnerable road users on and around the roads and take particular care.
• Be patient and don’t pass vulnerable road users until you can do so safely.
• Give space when passing and provide as much space as possible, minimum of 2m for horses and pedestrians, 1.5m for cyclists at 30mph and more above this speed.
• Pass slowly.
• Use the ‘Dutch-Reach’ method when getting out of the vehicle.
• Electric Vehicles – ensure that the Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) is always activated.

(Further details are in the attached SHE Huddle/Briefing FY22 041).

Actions:

• Keep a look out for vulnerable road users, be patient, pass wide and slowly, and use the ‘Dutch-Reach’ method.
• Always drive in accordance with the Highway Code and Royal Mail Driving SSOW.

The Aims and Benefits of the Campaign are:

• To increase awareness amongst drivers and managers and improve driving standards and highway code compliance.

CWU ASRs/WSRs

This campaign is supported by the CWU HQ Health, Safety & Environment Department. CWU ASR/WSR full support and participation is much appreciated by Royal Mail, Parcelforce Worldwide, RMSS, RMP&FS and CWU HQ.

ASRs/WSRs should ensure that the Briefing is delivered to drivers and ensure drivers are aware of the new Highway Code rules.

Attachments:

• SHE Huddle FY22 041 – Vulnerable Road Users
• TV Screenshots Materials
• CWU – New Highway Code Rules Warning Poster

Thanks for your support and assistance.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

22LTB303 RMG Driver Road Safety – ‘Vulnerable Road Users’ Campaign (RMG SHE Huddle Briefing FY22 041)

SHE Huddle FY22 041 Vulnerable Road Users

TV screen template Wk13 Summer VRUs

TV screen template Wkx Highway Code

CWU-2022-Highway-Code-Changes-Poster

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New Report Published Finds Personal Safety is a Major Concern for Employees and that Employers Are Underestimating The Personal Safety Fears of Nearly 7 Million Workers:

A study into the perceptions of personal safety at work, published by ‘Peoplesafe’ has found that 6.8 million workers worry about their personal safety each week, while the majority of employers underestimate this level of concern.

The study, which was conducted with 2,100 non-vulnerable and potentially vulnerable workers, found that one in five employees worry about their safety at least once a week and that negative experiences involving safety issues often contribute to both their decisions to leave their job and their willingness to take on a similar job in the future.

22% of employees surveyed cited safety concerns as a reason they chose to leave their job and over a quarter would not take on a public facing role due to personal safety concerns.

The research report found that employees who feel unsafe at work are less satisfied in all aspects of their role and are more likely to leave their current position compared to workers who have not experienced a negative event. Whilst action is being taken to support other motivating factors for leaving a role, less has been done to address personal safety concerns.

Additionally, the study found that many businesses want to do more to protect their employees, but many struggle to know how they can help.

The report explores the issue of workplace safety and presents solutions for how employers and Government can work together to address these challenges. The report recommends that in order to better protect employees, regulators must give clearer guidance and Government should work with all parties to set out a standard of protection that employees can easily understand and access.

The overall message is that employers are not currently doing enough and 51% of the people surveyed agree that employers have a duty of care towards them outside of working hours and nearly a third believe their employer could be doing more to protect them. Most employees surveyed also supported the introduction of solutions that alerted people or called for help when they were at risk.

The study found that:

• Nearly 7 million workers worry about their safety each week.
• 57% of employers underestimate the level of concern felt by their staff.
• 57% of employees are concerned about facing aggression from the public.
• 22% of lone workers and frontline staff said safety concerns were among the reasons they chose to leave their job.
• One in four people do not want to take a role that involves face-to-face contact with the public, with 62% citing safety concerns among the reasons for that.

Attached:

• Copy of the Peoplesafe Report ‘Overcoming The Employee Safety Gap’.

Peoplesafe

Peoplesafe (formerly Skyguard and Guardian24) is a UK-based technology business, focused on providing and monitoring GPS personal safety alarms and applications for more than 150,000 at-risk and lone workers across both the public and private sectors. In addition to serving the NHS and police forces, the company has partnerships with government bodies including DEFRA, HMRC and The Forestry Commission, local authorities and housing associations across the UK, Yorkshire Water, Taylor Wimpey and Engie.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

22LTB302 New Report Published Finds Personal Safety is a Major Concern for Nearly 7 Million Workers

Overcoming_The_Employee_Safety_Gap

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Royal Mail Group National Briefing, Tuesday 19^th July 2022 – Dispute Update and Pay Ballot Result

On Tuesday 19^th July 2022, a National Briefing/Press Conference will be held to provide Branches with an update on the latest position in regards to our dispute with Royal Mail Group and to announce the result of the ballot on pay.

The Briefing will be held at York Barbican, Paragon Street, York YO10 4AH beginning at 13:00 and concluding at 18:00.

To clarify, the following Representatives are invited to attend the Briefing:

• Postal Branch Secretaries and Branch Chairs (or their substitutes)
• Divisional Representatives (Including Technical Services)
• Parcelforce Regional Organisers
• Fleet Territorial Representatives
• Regional Secretaries
• Area Delivery Representatives
• Area Processing Representatives
• Area Distribution Representatives
• Area Safety Representatives
• Area Admin Representatives
• Customer Experience Representatives

From 16:00 the Briefing will become a Press Conference as we prepare to announce the pay ballot result.  At this point, we would encourage our local Representatives and members living in the surrounding areas to join us for the announcement.  We will liaise with the relevant Divisional Representatives on this matter.

Branches should note that in line with our proportionality requirements and previous attendance arrangements at National Briefings, it is requested that in addition to the above each Branch send two Unit Reps to the Briefing, one of which must be a woman.

All Branches are requested to make this a priority engagement.  If Branches wish, they may bring banners to decorate the hall.

Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department or General Secretary’s Office.

Yours sincerely,                                                   Yours sincerely,

Terry Pullinger                                                           Dave Ward

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)              General Secretary  

22LTB301 – Royal Mail Group National Briefing – Ballot Results Tuesday 19th July 2022 (00000002)

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