Coronavirus Update – Covid-19 Face Covering Rules Ended in Wales – Scotland Announcement Imminent:

Further to earlier LTBs, this is a summary update following last week’s announcements by the Welsh and Scottish First Ministers. Communications have been issued to all Royal Mail Group managers yesterday 28 March 2022.

Following the Friday afternoon, 25 March announcement by Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford, from Monday 28 March 2022 the legal requirement to wear a face covering in indoor settings with the exception of hospitals and health care settings was removed and in line with that announcement the ‘mandatory face coverings/masks’ rule in Royal Mail Group indoor settings is changed in Wales Units from ‘mandatory’ to strongly recommended.

In Scotland the requirement to wear a face covering in Royal Mail Group indoor settings remains ‘mandatory’ – awaiting an expected review announcement from the Scottish Government which should follow within the next week or so and a further update will follow in due course.

In England the ‘mandatory masks’ rule was removed on 27 January 2022.

In Northern Ireland the ‘mandatory’ face coverings/masks requirement was ended on 16 February 2022.

Royal Mail will continue to supply face masks, gloves, wipes and sanitiser gel to those employees wishing to continue wearing/using these items. Both the disposable masks and three-ply antimicrobial layer, cotton, washable types are available.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

22LTB149 Coronavirus Update – Covid-19 Face Covering Rules Ended in Wales – Scotland Announcement Imminent

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Workers’ Memorial Day – 28^th April 2022 – Theme “Make Safe And Healthy Work A Fundamental Right”

Background:

The purpose behind Workers’ Memorial Day has always been to “remember the dead: fight for the living” and Unions are asked by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), European Trade Union Confederation, TUC, STUC, WTUC, ICTU, the Hazards Campaign, FACK (Families Against Corporate Killers) to focus on both areas, by considering events or memorials to remember all those killed and injured through work but at the same time ensuring that such tragedies are not repeated. International Workers’ Memorial Day remembers those who have been killed, injured or who have contracted an industrial disease at or because of work but at the same time ensuring that we continue to do all we can to make sure such tragedies are not repeated.

The message is that the best way of protecting workers is by building trade union organisation, recruiting members, pressing employers to invoke better health and safety standards and risk controls and campaigning for stricter enforcement by the HSE and Local Authorities with higher court penalties for those employers and bosses breaching health and safety laws.

Workers’ Memorial Day is commemorated throughout the world.  International Workers’ Memorial Day is held on 28 Aprileach year to remember workers who have died, been injured or made ill due to hazards at work. It was formally recognised by the Labour Government led by Gordon Brown in 2010 following a consultation in 2009. The Conservative Government led by Theresa May confirmed continued recognition of Workers’ Memorial Day in October 2017.

Theme

In 2022 the theme for the day is “Make Safe And Healthy Work A Fundamental Right”.

The CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department has promoted Workers’ Memorial Day amongst our Health and Safety Representatives, Branches and Regions via regular reports and LTBs.

Post ‘Brexit’ Health and Safety Deregulation Threat

The UK saw major change in the 70’s with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the formation of the HSE, followed by the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977, followed by a plethora of European Health and Safety Directives transposed into UK Health and Safety Regulations through the 80’s and 90’s. But what’s going to happen after Brexit? Which UK health and safety legislation will be affected and how? And when? Brexit presents the Tory right-wing opportunists with a new rationale for undermining health and safety law and enforcement through de-regulation, a drift towards an extreme form of self-regulation, further HSE budget cuts, enforcement and inspection cuts and post-Brexit now raises an imminent threat of the UK entering a ‘race to the bottom’. Both Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Michael Gove Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government have called for the removal of the Health and Safety Regulations and Jacob Rees-Mogg Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency of the United Kingdom has said that the UK could slash safety standards “a very long way” after Brexit! The 2021 EU/UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement may enable the UK to evade its formal health and safety responsibilities under the treaty because of the lack of the prospect of significant retaliatory ‘rebalancing’ measures. Should minimal health and safety requirements cease to apply in the post-EU era, then the UK Government will be free to pursue a system of self-regulation that will allow health and safety standards to fall even further behind those of other developed economies. Add this to the UK’s appalling record in observing ILO workplace health and safety instruments – in total, the UK Government has ratified only 6 of a total of 35 ILO ‘up-to-date’ health and safety protocols and conventions. There are a total of 74 countries that have ratified more ILO health and safety conventions than the UK. This is scarcely what should be expected of a supposedly world leading economy currently engaged in negotiating trade deals with the world beyond the EU 27. It does not appear anything is going to change on this front and the Trade Unions may have some major battles ahead in defending and protecting health and safety!

Poster

A CWU Workers’ Memorial Day poster has been produced and 100 A3 size colour posters will be distributed to all 10 Regional CWU Health and Safety Sub Committees for onward distribution and these can be put up in workplaces to promote the day. Branches and Regions can order further copies from the Health, Safety and Environment department if required or alternatively print them off locally. Attached to this LTB is a pdf of the poster.

CWU Conference

This year as we return to Conference after a two-year gap due to the Pandemic, we will remember those members who became victims of the Covid pandemic with each and every one of them in our thoughts and minds on the day.

As Branches, Health and Safety Reps and Regional Health and Safety Committees will know, the Union has, on five previous occasions, commemorated Workers’ Memorial Day (WMD) at ‎ Annual Conference as WMD fell during Conference Week after the move of Conference to the end of April. This will occur again this year.

This year WMD occurs on the Thursday of the Conference week, during the Industry Conferences and arrangements have been made with the General Secretary, Deputy General Secretaries and SOCs to commemorate WMD at Conference by observing a minute’s silence on the day, distributing WMD purple ribbons, WMD purple pens plus CWU WMD posters.

What Safety Reps and Branches and Regions Can Do:

Those Branch Reps and Officers not attending CWU Conference will be able to participate and support WMD events around the UK and will need to note this and make local arrangements to attend the many events taking place across the UK.

Once again the CWU will continue its support of this important commemorative day in the calendar and would urge CWU Branches, Reps and Regions to give their support to local and regional WMD events as above.

• Find out what is happening in your area on 28 April. The website below will list all the local activities the TUC knows about, but you can also check with the Union Branch, local trades council, local council and other Union contacts in the area;
• If nothing is happening locally then consider organising a local event. It can be a commemorative rally, a workplace meeting or just a small get-together;
• Organise a minute’s silence in the workplace on the day;
• Ask the local council, or any other public body, to fly official flags at half-mast on the day. Remember that the day is officially recognised by the Government;
• Arrange an event such as planting a memorial tree in a public place, putting up a plaque, dedicating a sculpture, a piece of art, or a bench, to remember workers who have been killed at their workplace or in the community;
• If you are planning any events for the day, or you want to raise awareness about Workers’ Memorial Day on 28 April, then it is important you consider how you can best use local media both before and on the Day to promote it;
• Ask local religious centres to include Workers’ Memorial Day in their worship on the day;
• Distribute purple ‘forget-me-not’ ribbons, the symbol of Workers’ Memorial Day;
• Let people know about anything that happened in your area on the day.

Resources (Ribbons and Stickers)

For resources on Workers’ Memorial Day including ribbons and car stickers please contact the ‘Greater Manchester Hazards Centre’ at: mail@gmhazards.org.uk.

TUC List of Events and Resources

The TUC is compiling a list of WMD events taking place across the country and the list will be updated over the coming weeks. Some of these events will also feature a minute’s silence at noon, or a suitable time. The events will either be on Thursday 28th April and some will take place on the weekend of 30^thApril/1^st May. More details are available from TUC HQ at: https://www.tuc.org.uk/workers-memorial-day-0

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

“Make Safe And Healthy Work A Fundamental Right”

Every worker should know they have the right to expect that everything is done to keep them safe at work – 

and CWU says NO to a Tory post-Brexit bonfire of EU Safety Laws through the
“Brexit Freedoms Bill”.

22LTB148 Workers Memorial Day – 28th April 2022 – Theme Make Safe And Healthy Work A Fundamental Right

FINAL 06110 Workers Memorial Day Poster 2022

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Serious Dog Attack on Sheffield Postwoman:

The Health, Safety & Environment Department has received a number of enquiries regarding reports circulating on social media regarding the above.

In summary; on Wednesday afternoon 23 March a female delivery Postwoman/OPG employed at the Halfway Delivery Office in Holbrook, Sheffield S20 was subjected to a savage dog attack in the street when a highly aggressive dog burst out of a property, breaking through the gate and launching a terrifying and devastating attack in which very serious injuries were sustained.

The Police and Ambulance emergency services attended the scene and the victim was initially treated at the scene before being taken to hospital where she remains in a stable condition.

A Police investigation and internal Royal Mail investigation are both underway and the CWU Area Health and Safety Representative is fully involved in the investigation locally.

The CWU Health, Safety and Environment Department is both in close contact with our Branch ASR and is in regular contact with the Royal Mail Security Investigation team and Legal Department, receiving regular updates.

The CWU will give every support to our member the victim and we will also be endeavouring to ensure the responsible person and dog owner is dealt with under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

The dog involved in the attack has been destroyed.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 147/22 – Serious Dog Attack on Sheffield Postwoman

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CWU Annual Conference 2022 – Standing Order Report

 Please find attached the following:

• General Conference SOC Report Supplementary No.1

Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to Angela Niven or sent to

conferences@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 146/22 – CWU Annual Conference 2022 – Standing Orders Report

Att:GC SOR1 22

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POST OFFICE: PAY 2021/22 – INDUSTRIAL ACTION BALLOT RESULT

The industrial action ballot of all Post Office members in relation to the pay freeze dispute for 2021/22 closed today and the result is as follows: Yes Votes92397.3%No Votes262.7%Turnout70.2%

Spoilt ballot papers – 1

Attached is a copy of the ballot result from the Independent Scrutineer – Civica Election Services

Our Post Office members have returned a good “Yes” vote and we have also comfortably surpassed the legal threshold for turnout.  As a consequence, I have written to Nick Read, CEO (attached) seeking an urgent meeting with the aim of establishing a way forward to avoid conflict.  Hopefully Nick Read will respect the strong views of his employees and will adopt a significantly less dogmatic attitude.  Additionally, we have written to Dave Prince, Chief Conciliator, Acas, to apprise him of the ballot result.  We will of course involve Acas in the absence of any material progress with Post Office.

We plan to convene a Special Postal Executive meeting shortly in order to consider next steps.  Further developments in this regard will be reported.

Branches are urged to bring this LTB to the attention of our Post Office members.

Yours sincerely,

Andy Furey                   
Assistant Secretary 

Terry Pullinger
Deputy General Secretary (P)   

Dave Ward
General Secretary

LTB 145/22 – Post Office – Pay 2021-22 – Industrial Action Ballot Result

Attachment: Attachment

Attachment: Attachment

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Scottish Government Appoints CWU’s Health and Safety Officer Dave Joyce to their Dog Control and Dangerous Dogs Law Review Group

CWU National Health and Safety Officer Dave Joyce has been appointed to the Scottish Government led dog control and dangerous dogs law review working group to advise and assist with taking forward the Scottish Government commitment to review the Dangerous Dogs Act.

The Scottish First Minister announced in the ‘Programme for Government’ that the Scottish Government will review the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act to help inform future Government policy and legislative changes to tackle irresponsible dog ownership in Scotland. This review is taking place with a view to introducing new legislation within this parliamentary session.

The Scottish Government led dangerous dogs review working group will look at the Legislation, enforcement, dog owner ‘strict liability’, statutory guidance a joint enforcement protocol involving Local Authorities and Police Scotland.

Other members of the working group include representatives from Scottish Government Criminal Law, Practice and Licensing Unit, Police Scotland, Local Authorities, The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS), Society of Chief Environmental Officers (SCEO), Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service(COPFS), Faculty of Advocates (Lawyers), Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA), Scottish Community Safety Network (SCSN) and other key stakeholders including victim’s.

The Scottish Government will lead the enhanced review working group to support and inform policy thinking on prospective changes to the 1991 DDA Act which is the main criminal law legislation that operates in Scotland and across the UK in relation to dogs. The 1991 Act provides for criminal law measures for dog owners and persons in charge of dogs, where a dog is ‘dangerously out of control’.

The Review Working Group will commence work this month March 2022.

Dave Joyce led the highly successful CWU ‘Bite-Back’ campaign from 2007 to 2014 which achieved significant changes to the UK’s Dangerous Dogs Laws – in Scotland in 2010, Northern Ireland in 2011 and in England and Wales in 2014. This resulted in extension of the law to ‘private property’ where 82% of dog attacks on postal workers occur and where previously dog owners were immune from prosecution. Also sentences were significantly increased, Police powers extended and dog ownership bans and destruction orders became available to courts as additional penalties. Since then the number of prosecutions have increased significantly.

The Legal system in Scotland however differs from the rest of the UK and that system has presented a barrier to successful enforcement of the dog control law.

The number of dog attacks in Scotland rose by 80% over a decade but prosecutions have remained comparatively low.

Dave re-launched the ‘Bite-Back’ campaign in Scotland in 2018 and this resulted in a Motion carried unanimously, with all party support, in the Scottish Parliament calling for the Dog Laws to be reviewed.

A post-implementation review was carried out by a Committee of Scottish MSPs in 2019, concluding in support of the CWU campaign, that the Dangerous Dogs Act was not fit for purpose and 35 recommendations were made to the Government.

A public consultation agreed by a clear majority with the call for strengthening the Dog Law in Scotland and although the pandemic held up progress over the last two years, the Review Working Group will now complete the work on examining the detailed law and enforcement changes with the aim of producing a report before the end of the year.

There are 2,500 – 3000 Dog Attacks on postal workers across the UK every year – many suffering serious injury, some attacks result in permanent, life changing injuries. 1000 postal workers have been attacked through the letter box in the last 5 years, many having fingers bitten off.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

22LTB143 Scottish Government Appoints CWU’s Dave Joyce to their Dog Control and Dangerous Dogs Law Review Group

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CWU Wins Two Major Mental Health Work Awards:

The CWU has won two major national awards for its work in the field of Mental Health with the presentation event taking place last night in central London at the ‘InsideOut Mental Health 2022 Awards’ evening.

The award that the CWU won collectively, which was presented last night, was made in recognition of the union’s Mental Health Strategy and achievements, the significant work the union does in the field of mental health and workplace stress, the CWU Reps’ training programme, the support given to members and the CWU’s raising of the profile of the issue of mental health – as well as the various landmark agreements with major employers.

The CWU was successful in the following two categories:

• Mental Health First Aid Award – Winner CWU

Awarded to the organisation who has the best strategy in relation to Mental Health First Aid.

• Behind The Scenes Champion – Winner Jamie McGovern CWU Area Health and Safety Representative and CWU MHFA Trainer

Awarded to an individual who has worked behind the scenes to create the biggest     impact on the mental health agenda and has made a difference.

Quotes:

Chris Cummings and Rob Stephenson ‘InsideOut’ Mental Health Co-Founders said “The pandemic has elevated mental health and wellbeing up the priority list for most organisations and we are seeing true excellence from organisations like CWU and individuals like Jamie McGovern, all contributing to creating mentally healthier workplaces. The CWU have inspired positive change, true commitment and courageousness to enable real change within their field towards creating mentally healthier workplaces.”

Dave Joyce CWU National Health and Safety Officer said “I‘m delighted and honoured to have received this prestigious award for the CWU and to be the first Trade Union to win it plus the fact that the award was sponsored and presented by ‘Mental Health First Aid (England)’ the organisation that sets the standards for training and guidance in this country. The award recognises the huge amount of work and achievement the Health and Safety Department has done at HQ but additionally this is an award recognising the great work of our CWU Mental Health Network across all our regions and an award for every single CWU representative and Mental Health First Aider throughout our Union at every level who has made a contribution to this great Union’s work in taking action to prioritise and address better mental health in the workplace and continually raising awareness of how important mental health is by getting involved with the membership, making every effort to support, engage and connect, promote wellbeing and highlight the importance of maintaining good mental health. Jamie McGovern winning the individual award also was the icing on the cake. He’s done nothing but great work for this Union and is a great flag bearer for others.”

Steve Jones, NEC and Chair of the CWU’s ‘Mental Health Project Team’ said: “In the week that I commemorated the 10th anniversary of the loss of my son to suicide, I am immensely proud that this Union has won 2 awards. I am particularly pleased that Jamie McGovern’s immensely inspirational work has been recognised. I know Jamie will want to share his award with Reps up and down the country who are supporting countless members. I am not exaggerating when I say lives have been saved.”

Jamie McGovern CWU Greater Mersey Amal Branch ASR and Mental Health First Aid Trainer said: “The CWU as a whole are lauded for ongoing efforts to care for members and it’s great to see our union being recognised for this and, hopefully, this will inspire others to take a similar approach in their organisations. Mental health support is a team game. The CWU mental health first aiders and our mental health support reps network are changing lives by supporting members and ensuring stress risk assessments are carried out in the workplace. The network has helped hundreds of people to improve their working experience and to be able to continue in their workplace and to help them to feel better in their everyday lives. I’m proud of every one of those CWU Reps and of my union who, in my opinion, set the benchmark for other unions to follow. These two awards give recognition to what we do and what we’ve achieved.”

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

22LTB142 CWU Wins Two Major Mental Health Work Awards

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TERMS OF REFERENCE BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AND THE COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION COVERING THE CHANGE OF SORTING ARCHITECTURE IN RDC/PARCEL HUBS

Branches and representatives will be aware that Royal Mail has made various announcements with regard to aspirations on parcel automation and PSM utilisation levels across the Processing function. From a CWU perspective, the objective in supporting initiatives to improve automation levels must be based on a measured approach that balances workload across both automated and non-automated sites.

Key to the above objective of maximising the utilisation on the Mail Centre based Parcel Sorting Machines (PSM’s) while retaining current workload across the RDC network, discussions have focused on changes to the sort architecture in RDC/Parcel Hubs, to ensure that machinable traffic for PSM equipped Mail Centres is presented in dedicated Yorks.

A Terms of Reference for trial activity has now been concluded and endorsed by the Postal Executive, a copy of which is attached for information.

The trial activity will entail changes to the sort architecture within the RDC’s to enable the segregation and presentation of machinable parcels to PSM equipped Mail Centres, to ensure that machinable traffic can be better aligned to the PSM’s.

The agreed trial approach will test the concept of a revised sort architecture over a 6-week period at the following sites:

• PRDC
• SWDC
• NDC
• NWRDC
• SDC
• Atherstone

Branches will note that YDC is not included in the initial activity although it has been agreed that should the trial be deemed successful that YDC will be introduced to the trial during the 6-week period. Representatives at YDC will be updated in this regard, should it be proposed to introduce the revised arrangements at the site.

As the business have indicated that they wish to commence the trial activity with immediate effect, the department has written under separate cover to the representatives at the above listed sites and provided them with a copy of the TOR in advance of this LTB being issued in order that they may engage from an informed position.

The usual safeguards have been secured within the TOR with regard to duty structures, job numbers earning packages etc., although in the view of the business the change will have no impact on these issues going forward.

No workload will be diverted as part of this trial and the basic layouts are largely the same as at present with only the selections changing.

The trial will be monitored by the Joint RDC Working Group and a joint review will take place at the end of the trial period against the agreed success criteria.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org quoting reference: 231.07

Yours sincerely,

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

LTB 141/22

Att: TOR Changes to Sort Architecture in RDC’s 23.03.22

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CWU ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2022– REMINDER – ONLINE REGISTRATION

Further to LTB 058/22 this is a reminder that branches need to register their delegates attending the conferences that are taking place in Bournemouth.    Branches are asked to do this in advance so that the credentials can be printed and conference packs prepared.

Please note that all Field Officials will be registered by HQ.

Branches should be familiar with the process but if you have difficulty with your login details or passwords please do not hesitate to contact eventsregistration@cwu.org and we will deal with this as quickly as possible.   This also applies if you need to make any changes once the applications have been submitted.

The log in website is https://conference.cwu.org    

Please note that all online registrations have to be completed by Friday 8^th April 2022.   After this date you will be unable to use the website to register

Any enquiries on this LTB should be directed to Angela Niven on 020 8971 7256 or email eventsregistration@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary

22LTB140- CWU Annual Conference – Reminder – Online Registration

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