Royal Mail Group (Royal Mail & Parcelforce) – Lifting of Covid-19 Secure Restrictions and Re-Introduction of Standard Operating Procedures/Business As Usual (SOP/BAU):

Further to LTB No. 420/21 and the RMG/CWU Joint Statement/Communication of 5 October 2021, this is to update Branches and provide clarification to assist local discussions commencing as of today, facilitating progression back to standard operating procedure and business as usual, through the agreed, cautious lifting of Covid-secure restrictions.

On Friday evening Royal Mail Group issued definitive guidance to Managers to confirming the following:

Firstly;

• All private cars on delivery must cease from Monday 11 October
• Shared van duties can commence across the country in line with the Shared Van SWI (Safe Working Instruction)

Secondly;

In the following work areas/activities, social distancing measures can be removed and working practices returned to normal:

Operational

• Bull ring operations
• Incline conveyor operations
• Drop bag fitting operations
• Loading and unloading of aircraft operations
• Delivery preparation frames/IPS fittings activity
• Two person loading and unloading in trailers
• Use of minibuses (in the event of these still being used, ventilation is key – as is wiping down the touch points)
• Staggered start times can be relaxed if they are in place for social distancing reasons

Non-Operational

• WTLL and In Class Training Courses (rooms must be well ventilated and clean)
• Administration areas (rooms must be well ventilated and clean)

Thirdly;

In The Following Areas Social Distancing Measures will remain unchanged until further notice and kept under review nationally:

• All controls in place for Test kits collection (over-bagging) will continue
• Contactless delivery will continue, no signatures are required for signed for items
• In-cab driver training will continue with current agreed controls

Discussions regarding these topics continue and further communications will follow in due course. 

Face Coverings

Indoors – face coverings are highly recommended in England.

Indoors – face coverings are mandatory in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

Risk Assessments/Safe Systems of Work/Safe Working Instructions

Risk assessments and Safe Working Instructions (SWIs) associated with socially distanced activities will be archived and available for later use if required. Standard working procedures will be included within the generic task risk assessments and safe systems of work (SSOW).

Future Outbreaks 

In the event of any future local Covid-19 outbreaks, the Coronavirus Unit Risk Assessments can be reviewed in line with local discussion on how the outbreak needs to be managed. Refer to the guidance issued previously with the Joint Communication on 5 October.

Other Important Issues For Members To Remember 

Wash hands/sanitise regularly, face coverings, clean vehicles before and after use, ventilate work areas – increased ventilation reduces the virus concentration in the air.

Coronavirus Testing and Vaccination

CWU/HQ encourages all members to participate in the workplace testing scheme which has so far detected a number of members carrying the virus with no symptoms and as such has avoided outbreaks in 45 Offices – LFD Test Kits are available on request from the Office Manager and both Royal Mail HQ, Parcelforce HQ and CWU HQ encourage all members to get tested regularly. If a member has symptoms, then book a PCR test either at a Test Centre or by post and self-isolate as necessary. Finally, get vaccinated for Covid-19 and for Flu – using the new RMG ‘free Flu Jab Voucher Scheme’.

Attachment: Royal Mail Group Communication ‘Removal of social distancing controls across the UK – from Monday 11 October’

Yours Sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

Mark Baulch
Assistant Secretary
Outdoor Department

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary
Processing, Logistics, Parcelforce, International, Quadrant Department

LTB 436/21 – Royal Mail & Parcelforce Lifting of Covid-19 Secure Restrictions and Re-Introduction of Standard Operating Procedures Business As Usual

Att: 8th October 2021

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Royal Mail Group – Provision of Personal Attack Alarms (140db) To Postal Workers:

This is a short update further to LTB No. 422/2021 issued on 6 October 2021.

Discussions with Royal Mail Group and ‘Dimensions’ the company’s work-wear suppliers have continued today and it has been agreed that the new Personal Attack Alarms (PAAs) will be made available on the Royal Mail Group website this week, (date to be confirmed) where members can pre-order the item.

There will be a clear message on the portal advising the workforce that this is a ‘pre-order’ item and it will be dispatched to them as soon as the stock is received into the warehouse.

In terms of lead-times, ‘Dimensions’ have been in contact with the manufacturer of the PAAs to see if the alarms can be delivered sooner than mid-November and a response is awaited.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

21LTB435 Royal Mail Group – Provision of Personal Attack Alarms (140db) To Postal Workers

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Royal Mail & CWU National Joint Statement – Parcel Collect Enhancement – Bring My Label

As branches will be aware the CWU have been working with the company to introduce various initiatives that will enhance the products offered to the customer and this particular one is no different.

Having jointly launched the Parcel Collect product with CWU in October 2020, Royal Mail is seeking to grow the product through service improvements. One of the areas that Royal Mail want to consider is the provision of pre-printed, adhesive labels to customer purchasing Parcel Collect so that it is accessible for customers who do not have a home printer. Parcelforce already offers this service, although it isn’t widely available in the market, so will be an attractive proposition.

Royal Mail & the CWU are currently jointly conducting a trial in 4 Delivery Offices (Bath, Cheltenham, Doncaster and Newton Mearns) which commenced on the 2^nd August, during which feedback and lessons learned have been captured from OPGs and Managers. This trial was supported by a joint statement, to then be reviewed.

To date 14.7% of these units Parcel Collect volume has converted to “Bring My Label”. This equated to approximately 4 items per site per day requiring a label to be taken to the address. Due to the success so far of this trial, the positive customer feedback received and without any adverse reported feedback from OPG’s within the trial, the business wishes to extend “Bring My Label” to allow all customers to benefit from having the label brought to them.

Process and Rollout

The full process is detailed in the Joint Statement for your consideration, together with the timetable for rollout. Also covered off in the Joint Statement are the following:

• Phase 1 – Pre-peak
• Phase 2 – Jan-April 2022
• Health & Safety Issues & Safe Systems of Work
• Summary and Review Process and Timetable

In addition, CWU have posed some questions in terms of operational issues to the company and to hopefully be helpful, we have reproduced them below for your information and consideration:

If a Delivery Route ends up with multiple labels for their route, how are they kept separately from each other?  Labels will be sorted to the collection address in the walk frame and bundled up with other items for that address, and so will be in delivery point order.  This also serves as a reminder to the OPG that the next address has a “bring my label” collection

In addition, if a Customer has multiple items to be collected and requested for example 3 labels, is there any way to know which are for which item and whose responsibility to do that at the doorstep?  For a doorstep collection, it will be the responsibility of the customer to attach labels. The OPG will hand the labels to the customer and it is the customer’s responsibility to ensure the correct label is on the corresponding item. The label has the delivery address, item format and weight (e.g. Small Parcel, 300g) which will help the customer know which label is for which item.

In summary, we are satisfied that this initiative pitches the company at the forefront of customer service levels and deals with the threats of losing market share to Royal Mail’s competitors who also offer this service.  We have also covered off all the operational concerns that we foresee at this point, whilst also capturing the time in terms of additional workload and incorporating this in to the planning tools and systems.

Any queries to the content of the above please contact the Outdoor Department reference 230.03, email address: njones@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Mark Baulch

CWU Assistant Secretary

LTB 432-21 Parcel Collect Enhancement – Bring My Label

Bring my label CWU and RM Joint statement – October 2021 final

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Stoptober’ Campaign 2021 – Helping Smokers Quit!

We are reminding Branches of the national ‘Stoptober Campaign’ promoted by the National Health Service, Public Health England and UK Government as well as being supported by many UK Health Charities and Professional Health Organisations.

The British Lung Foundation (BLF) is one such important charity and one of many supporting the ‘Stoptober Campaign’. BLF is the only UK charity looking after the nation’s lungs. With people’s support, they aim to make sure that one day everyone breathes clean air with healthy lungs.

Stoptober runs throughout the month of October and there’s never been a better time to quit! Stopping smoking is the best thing smokers can do for their own health – and the health of people around them. It’s never too late to quit. Smokers start seeing the benefits immediately, not just for their own health but also their finances.

There are a number of ways the NHS can support people to quit smoking in Stoptober. The Stoptober App (available on the App Store and Google Play) shows how much money smokers save by stopping, and people can subscribe to get a daily email to boost their motivation. People can also join the stop smoking community or receive more personal support.

Don’t forget the local NHS Stop Smoking Services are free, friendly and can massively boost the chances of quitting for good. GPs, asthma nurses and pharmacists can advise anyone how to get started, talk to people about treatments like nicotine patches, and check individuals’ current medication.

Giving up smoking is not easy, but the benefits are huge:

• Save Money – You’ll have much more cash in your pocket. If you smoke a packet a day, you could save around £250 each month!
• Boost your health – No matter how long you’ve smoked for, quitting can help improve your health straight away.
• Quit for your family – You’re more likely to live longer and have more energy for quality time with your children, family and friends.

What happens when you quit Smoking?

• The sooner you quit, the sooner you’ll notice changes to your body and health. Look at what happens when you quit for good. If you can make it to 28 days smoke-free, you’re 5 times more likely to quit for good.
• After 20 minutes, check your pulse rate, it will already be starting to return to normal.
• After 8 hours your oxygen levels are recovering, and the harmful carbon monoxide level in your blood will have reduced by half.
• After 48 hours all carbon monoxide is flushed out. Your lungs are clearing out mucus and your senses of taste and smell are improving.
• After 72 hours if you notice that breathing feels easier, it’s because your bronchial tubes have started to relax. Also your energy will be increasing.
• After 2 to 12 weeks blood will be pumping through to your heart and muscles much better because your circulation will have improved.
• After 3 to 9 months any coughs, wheezing or breathing problems will be improving as your lung function increases by up to 10%.
• After 1 year great news! Your risk of heart attack will have halved compared with a smoker’s.
• After 10 years more great news! Your risk of death from lung cancer will have halved compared with a smoker’s.

Smoking and Mental Health

Did you know? 

Stopping smoking not only improves your physical health but also is proven to boost your mental health and wellbeing.  Quitting can improve mood, and help relieve stress, anxiety and depression.

Non-Smokers

If you don’t smoke, why not try and support and reassure someone who does, remind them of the benefits of giving up.

Stoptober Website

If you need support to stop smoking there is lots of guidance on the ‘Stoptober’ Website at: www.nhs.uk/OneYou/Stoptober and the RMG ‘Feeling First Class’ Website at: www.feelingfirstclass.co.uk

Royal Mail Group

For more information on how to stop smoking and general wellbeing why not take a look at the Royal Mail Group ‘Feeling First Class’ Website at; www.feelingfirstclass.co.uk (Use the code FFC1 to sign up). The smoking guidance includes advice on how to suppress the triggers that make you want to smoke. The CWU Health Safety and Environment Department is encouraging RMG employees/CWU members to ‘Sign-Up’ as a ‘FFC’ Website member in order to utilise all the on-line health tools and the full benefits available.

Download The Free NHS Quit Smoking App

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/nhs-smokefree/id687298065

Get a free NHS Personal Quit Plan

Quitting smoking is easier with the right support. Give up for 28 days, and you’re 5 times more likely to quit for good – get your plan now!

https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/personal-quit-plan/

Find your local NHS Stop Smoking Service

There’s a free local Stop Smoking Service (LSSS) near you. With their professional help, you’re 3 times as likely to quit for good.

https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/find-your-local-stop-smoking-service/

Resources

There are also lots of excellent resources, materials and ideas for ways to support giving up smoking on the NHS and PHE Stoptober web sites.  Visit the following Links:

NHS Website: Quit Smoking This Stoptober

PHE Website: https://campaignresources.phe.gov.uk/resources/campaigns/126-stoptober-2021

British Lung Foundation:https://www.blf.org.uk/take-action/campaign-with-us/stoptober

Attachments:

• Stoptober Give Quitting a Go Poster
• Stoptober Smoking and Mental Health Poster
• NHS Stop Smoking Treatments Guide

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

21LTB431 ‘Stoptober’ Campaign 2021 – Helping Smokers Quit

Stoptober – Give Quitting A Go Poster

Smoking Mental Health Poster

NHS Stop smoking treatments Guide

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World Mental Health Day Sunday 10 October 2021 – Theme ‘Mental Health In An Unequal World’:

The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) 

The WFMH has announced World Mental Health Day 2021 will take place on Sunday 10 October. The theme for this year is: ’Mental Health in an Unequal World’.

Each year, on 10 October, World Mental Health Day aims to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilise efforts in support of mental health. Please give it your full support across the CWU.

Greater Investment – Greater Access

At a time when the world has been confronted by the unprecedented mental health consequences and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on billions of people, the WFMH is using the day as a focal point to call for the urgent redress and investment in mental health and to rebalance the mental health inequalities that exist – a call which they say can no longer be ignored. Now more than ever greater investment in mental health is needed to ensure that everyone, everywhere has access to mental health care. The under investment in mental health has left large treatment gaps globally. Mental health is an investment and not an expense and should be prioritised to avert a further catastrophe.

The worldwide pandemic arose against an already dire mental health landscape that saw mental health conditions on the rise across the globe. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) about 450 million people live with mental disorders that are among the leading causes of ill-health and disability worldwide.

According to the WFMH, the treatment gap remains large with 50% of people with mental disorders in high income countries and 85% of persons in low-and middle income countries having no access to treatment (WHO Report). Fragile health systems have not been able to address or cope with the large inequalities and treatment gaps and need for mental health care. Nations’ stretched health systems are further stretched and challenged by the increase in demand for mental health interventions as a result of the Covid-19 virus pandemic.

Hard and drastic lockdown measures implemented to reduce COVID-19 transmissions and deaths saw the enforcement of physical isolation and distancing become a new reality disrupting natural social interactions.

Parallel to emotional and health implications, large scale socio-economic fallout was witnessed as markets and economies were destabilised. The overwhelming impact of the virus has revealed and exposed the deep inequalities and levels of poverty experienced by many causing further mental distress and vulnerability.

According to WHO’s ‘Mental Health Atlas’ survey, governments spend on average 3% of their health budgets on mental health, ranging from less than 1% in low-income countries to 5% in high-income countries. The value of investment needed over the period 2016–30 for scaling up treatment, primarily psychosocial counselling and antidepressant medication, amounted to US $147 billion.

Yet the returns far outweigh the costs. The WHO states that for every US$1 put into scaled up treatment for common mental disorders, there is a return of US$4 in improved health and productivity. Despite hundreds of millions of people around the world living with mental disorders, mental health has remained in the shadows. Despite a growth in mental health awareness, mental health investment has been stagnant across the globe. It is clear that greater movement and action needs to be seen within countries to increase access to mental health for all.

The WFMH state that while COVID-19 has increased the spotlight on mental health, the stocktaking of how greater access to mental healthcare can be improved must always be a continuous process. We can always do more to strengthen mental health response and support in our communities. These investments are not purely the government’s responsibility, nor should doctors be the only answer for those suffering. These investments are the responsibility of all. More importantly, they indicate that we ourselves are an untapped resource in mental healthcare.

World Mental Health Day is simply not a one-day event however it provides the opportunity to maintain a focus on Mental Health and maintain the attention of governments, policy-makers and all stakeholders to ensure action for greater investment in mental health – making good mental health a reality for all – everyone, everywhere.

World Mental Health Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders involved and working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.

To help raise awareness and get people involved in the workplace, the Mental Health Foundation has produced a series of World Mental Health Day Posters which are free to download (Link: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/world-mental-health-day-2021-posters).

‘Mental Health in an Unequal World’

The theme for 2021 was chosen in a global vote by the ‘World Federation for Mental Health’ (WFMH) members, stakeholders and supporters. The thought behind the decision is that the world is becoming increasing polarised in terms of the gap between the wealthiest and those living in poverty, which shows no sign of decreasing.

The WFMH says that access to mental health services remains unequal, with between 75% to 95% of people with mental disorders in low and middle-income countries unable to access mental health services at all, and access in high income countries is not much better. Lack of investment in mental health is disproportionate to the overall health budget and contributes to the mental health treatment gap.

The WFMH adds that many people with a mental illness do not receive the treatment that they are entitled to and together with their families and carers continue to experience stigma and discrimination. The gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ grows ever wider and there is continuing unmet need in the care of people with a mental health problem.

The WFMH state that the Covid-19 pandemic has further highlighted the effects of inequality on health outcomes and no nation, however rich, has been fully prepared for this. The pandemic has and will continue to affect people, of all ages, in many ways: through infection and illness, sometimes resulting in death bringing bereavement to surviving family members; through the economic impact, with job losses and continued job insecurity; and with the physical distancing that can lead to social isolation.

Senior Psychologists at the Health and Safety Executive have stated that there are ‘three parallel pandemics going on’; one is a global recession, which is a pandemic in its own right with loss of jobs, which we know impacts people’s mental health. There is the Covid-19 pandemic, with people going through physical illness and then we have a tidal wave of mental health issues happening, where people are experiencing significant levels of mental distress.

The World Federation for Mental Health has put together educational material to support this year’s World Mental Health Day theme and this is available for download from the WFMH website on this link: https://wfmh.global/world-mental-health-day-2021-theme/

MIND

Mental health problems can affect anyone, any day of the year, but 10 October is a great day to show your support for better mental health and to start looking after your own wellbeing.

UK Mental Health Charity ‘MIND’ say that World Mental Health Day 2021 is the most important one yet. The months of lockdown and loss have had a huge impact on us all, and prioritising mental health has never been more important than it is now. That’s why this year MIND wants to bring everyone together to mark the day with their better Mental Health campaigning. Making positive change can seem hard, especially during uncertain times, and sometimes, it can be hard to know where to start. MIND urges people to take the opportunity this World Mental Health Day to find out more about the MIND initiative and how you can start with one thing.

Our mental health is just like our physical health: everybody has it and we need to take care of it.

The MIND World Mental Health Day campaign information can be found at: https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/world-mental-health-day/

Mental health problems affect around one in four people in any given year. We all need to take care of our mental health and wellbeing whether we have a mental health problem or not. Mental wellbeing describes how you are feeling and how well you can cope with day-to-day life. It can change from moment to moment, day to day, month to month or year to year.

MIND has produced a range of information, guidance and some tips and practical steps people can take to improve and maintain their wellbeing, including making time for yourself, building positive relationships and getting active. MIND has information on both common and rarer problems such as:

• MIND – ‘What is Mental Health?’ video https://youtu.be/AUWhdmKyOE8
• depression- https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/depression/about-depression/
• anxiety and panic attacks – https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/anxiety-and-panic-attacks/about-anxiety/
• schizophrenia- https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/schizophrenia/about-schizophrenia/
• bipolar disorder – https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/bipolar-disorder/about-bipolar-disorder/

Living with a mental health problem can often have an impact on day to day life, making things that others might not think about a bit more difficult. MIND has put together some tips and guides to help people cope with everyday things like money, work, university and more. Work can have a significant impact on our mental health and wellbeing, but there are steps we can take to be mentally healthy at work. Read their information on dealing with stress, managing difficult relationships, asking for support and advice on returning to work if you’ve had time off with a mental health problem.

• Wellbeing tips – https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/wellbeing/wellbeing/
• Tips for everyday living – https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/
• Tips for staying well at work – https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/workplace-mental-health/work-and-mental-health/

Mental Health Foundation (MHF)

The MHF produce a range of excellent guide books to order:

• How to look after your mental health
• How to support mental health at work
• How to manage and reduce stress
• How to overcome fear and anxiety
• How to look after your mental health using mindfulness
• How to look after your mental health using exercise
• How to sleep better
• How to look after your mental health in later life
• The truth about self-harm

You can find out about prices and how to order any of their publications at this link: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-to-order

You can order any of the mental health publications listed above at the following link: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications

or browse their full publications listing here: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/listing

Time To Change

Led by MIND and ReThink Mental Health, ‘Time to Change’ is a growing social movement working to change the way people think and act about mental health problems. They’ve already reached millions of people and begun to improve attitudes and behaviour. Time to Change are preparing for World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2021, and are calling on everyone to open up to mental health, to talk and to listen. Time to Change are spreading the word that everyone deserves to feel safe and supported when talking about our mental health. But too often, mental health stigma leaves people feeling isolated and ashamed. At worst, it prevents people getting support, finding employment or having open conversations. They have a range of excellent resources for employers, workers, universities and the general public to help change attitudes this World Mental Health Day. More information and resources are available at:- https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/

Website Links:

HSE Guide to Work-Related Stress – https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/

NHS Every Mind Matters – Dealing With Stress At Work – https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/stress/

World Health Organisation (WHO) – https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/09-09-2019-suicide-one-person-dies-every-40-seconds

International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) – https://www.iasp.info/

World Federation For Mental Health (WFMH) – https://wfmh.global/

United For Global Mental Health (UFGMH) – https://www.unitedgmh.org/

MIND – https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/world-mental-health-day/

SAMARITANS – https://www.samaritans.org/

Mental Health Foundation (MHF) – https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/

Time To Change – https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/

Rethink Mental Illness – https://www.rethink.org/get-involved/awareness-days-and-events/world-mental-health-day/

Samaritans 24 Hour Helpline

Whatever you’re going through, a Samaritan will face it with you, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Call 116 123 for free

Attachments:

• MIND – ‘Do One Thing’ Poster
• SAMARITANS – ‘SHUSH’ Listening Tips Poster – Top Tips For Becoming A Better Listener
• ‘Time to Change’ Poster
• World Mental Health Day Poster 2021

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

21LTB430 World Mental Health Day Sunday 10 October 2021 – Theme ‘Mental Health In An Unequal World’

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Doc2

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MHF_WMHDay2021_A3_POSTER_TEAL

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POST OFFICE: CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS – JOINT STATEMENT

Branches are advised that the following Joint Statement regarding Crown Office opening hours for Christmas and New Year has been agreed:

JOINT STATEMENT POST OFFICE AND CWU

Opening hours for Christmas 2021

We have now confirmed the opening hours for the DMB network for this Christmas and wanted to take this opportunity to communicate this.

 Opening Hours

Date

Opening time

24^thDecember

4PMClosing time

25^ththrough to 28^thDecember

Closed

29^th & 30^thDecember

Normal opening times

31^stDecember

4PMClosing time

1^stthrough to the 3^rdJanuary 

Closed

4^thJanuary

Normal opening times except for branches in Scotland.

Work Time Learning Sessions

 To help maintain customer service during the Christmas period, sales meetings on Mondays and WTLL sessions on Tuesdays will be cancelled from 7th December until the New Year. This will allow you to open at 8.30am, but you should still hold a session to brief your team incorporating key Teamtalk messages and prepare your branch for trading.

 The only possible exceptions are Tuesday 7th December for branches in Northern Ireland and Tuesday 14th December for England, Wales and Scotland branches when December’s trading period end accounts need to be completed.

Christmas Eve

•  With the primary aim to ensure good customer service, resourcing on Christmas Eve will be organised based on minimal staffing levels. Consequently, Branch Managers will have discretion to determine a reduced level of colleague attendance where operationally possible. 

We agree to work on the key principle of having no more colleagues in branch than the manager believes necessary to service our customers, whilst taking account of the necessary security required including keys.

•  Work will take place at a local level to match colleague attendance to the optimum cover required using opportunities to pay back hours owed and set duty patterns requiring a minimal number of colleagues to work after 12:30.

•  Managers will work locally with colleagues to determine who will work in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, utilising as a first priority volunteers where that is possible. Where there are insufficient volunteers, those colleagues scheduled to work Christmas Eve and/or New Years Eve will be required to work their duty pattern to meet customer requirements up to 16:00.

 

Steve Blampied

Head of Directly Managed Branch Network  

Andy Furey

CWU Assistant Secretary

Branches and Representatives are urged to bring this LTB and associated Joint Statement to the attention of our members working in Crown Offices.  Representatives are encouraged to engage with Area Managers to ensure Christmas Eve arrangements described in the Joint Statement are applied in all Crowns.  If difficulties are encountered these should be escalated.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

21LTB428 Post Office – Christmas Opening Hours – Joint Statement

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Royal Mail Group – Latest Updated Coronavirus/Covid-19 – Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Guidance Document (Version 10)

This LTB and attachment updates LTB 386/21 issued on 13 September 2021.

I attach for your information Version 10 of the Royal Mail Group, Managers’ Coronavirus/ Covid-19 Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Guidance document, issued by the business today.

At the commencement of the Coronavirus/Covid-19 outbreak, Royal Mail Group established a ‘Business Pandemic Team’ which includes all national heads of department and this team meets regularly to review the situation across Royal Mail Group and to issue update Questions and Answers information communications to all managers, which is cascaded throughout the business.

The Coronavirus Guidance, Version 10 Q&A document has been shared with the Union’s Health, Safety & Environment Department and is hereby circulated for information and reference purposes for CWU Regions, Health and Safety Reps, Branch Reps, Divisional IR Reps and members.

Changes made since the previous version have been highlighted in yellow.  The changes involve:

Changes to Covid controls and easing of restrictions announced by the Northern Ireland Assembly,

• Shared vans risk assessment and safe working instructions,
• RMG/CWU Joint Statement on the removal of social distancing restrictions,
• Process for re-introduction of Covid-Secure Controls,
• Ending of Private Cars on Delivery,
• Removal of social distancing controls.

The Q&A documents are circulated to all RMG managers and are also available to access through a link on the Royal Mail Group ‘Intranet’, in the ‘Managers Update Messages’ section on the RMG Coronavirus portal.

Contents List: 

1. Shared Vans
2. Social Distancing
3. Face Coverings
4. Self-Isolation, Testing, Vulnerable Colleagues and Enforcement Visits
5. Cleaning, Facilities & CSP Cash Handling
6. Operations

Any enquiries regarding this LTB or feedback on the RMG Q&A document should be directed to Dave Joyce CWU National Health, Safety & Environment Officer. Issues received in connection with the attached which are appropriate to other CWU/HQ Departments will be passed on the appropriate National Officer.

Attachment:

• RMG Coronavirus Guidance Questions and Answers V10

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

21LTB429 RMG Covid-19 – Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Guidance Document (Version 10)

Coronavirus Guidance Questions v10

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POST OFFICE: DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION SCHEME (RMPP) –

HISTORICAL ERRORS MADE BY POST OFFICE

Further to LTB 223 dated 1^stJune.  I would like to provide Branches and our Post Office members with an update with regards to the historic errors in the Defined Benefit Pension Scheme (Royal Mail Pension Plan – RMPP) which closed in March 2017.  It should be noted there is no impact on the Defined Contribution pension scheme administered by Scottish Widows.

Background

As previously reported, Post Office historically (over a number of years) provided some incorrect pay information to the Pensions Service Centre (PSC) where the pension scheme is administered.  This is obviously very unfortunate; however, Post Office and the RMPP Trustee gave a commitment that ultimately nobody will receive a pension less than they are entitled to.  After the errors were uncovered, an action plan was put in place by Post Office to fully understand these mistakes and provide the correct information to the Trustee to rectify accordingly.

Communications to Post Office RMPP Members

Members received an initial communication (via a One Update) from Angela Williams, Interim Group Chief People Officer, a RMPP Trustee communication (to home addresses) and a Joint CWU/Unite letter back in June.  The Post Office communication committed to addressing these problems in conjunction with the Trustee.

In the intervening time, further analysis has been undertaken by Post Office in order to provide accurate data to the Trustee and Post Office has recently confirmed this has now been completed.  The salary data has also been independently reviewed by Post Office’s external advisers.  This data has now been provided to the PSC who will need to run it through the pension administration system in order to determine what the effect is on each member’s benefits on an individual basis.

To keep members apprised of these developments, a further communication via a One Update, again from Angela Williams (attached) has been emailed to members today.  There will also be a communication to home addresses shortly from the Trustee which will include details regarding the timetable they are working through to complete the review.

Contact for Queries

If members have an urgent requirement for corrected pension numbers, for example those members going through divorces or those who have pensions that are just about to come into payment, they should contact the RMPP Trustee on 0345 603 0043 or via email – Pensions.helpline@royalmail.com.

Our View is Post Office Should Pay for its Mistakes

Post Office has obviously picked up the admin costs associated with extra resource required to make good its failings thus far.  In pursuance of our policy to ensure no member is disadvantaged, we will continue to meet with both Post Office and the Trustee on a regular basis to understand the total costs involved as the ongoing activities progress.  Further developments in this regard will be reported.

Crucially, both CWU and Unite have made it clear to Post Office from the outset that our members should not be paying for any costs associated with these historical errors, and this includes not using the “surplus” to subsidise the cost of making good.

If Branches receive enquires from Post Office members in relation to this LTB, please redirect these to lsheridan@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 427/21 – Post Office – Defined Benefit Pension Scheme (RMPP) – Historical Errors Made By Post Office

Attachment to LTB 427/21

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Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 34 – September/October 2021

The Greener Jobs Alliance was launched to promote skills training and job creation to meet the needs of Britain’s rapidly growing low carbon sectors and to green the whole economy. The transition to a low carbon and resource efficient economy can drive sustainable economic recovery and job creation in every part of the country as well as making existing jobs more secure. But this requires a more strategic national and local approach to deliver the workforce skills needed and to stimulate demand for clean energy and energy efficiency services.

The Greener Jobs Alliance liaises at a national and local level to build the broadest possible support for the policies, investment, partnerships and commitments needed to drive the transition to a low carbon economy.

The Greener Jobs Alliance liaises with training bodies, colleges, universities, employers, local and national Government, trade unions, housing associations, campaign and community groups – to build the policies, investment and partnerships needed to drive the transition to a low carbon economy.

The GJA runs a number of ‘free’ courses on the environment for Trade Union Reps in different parts of the UK which have been attended by a number of CWU Reps. See details below.

The GJA came into existence as a result of funding from Battersea and Wandsworth TUC.

The founder GJA Secretary and Newsletter editor was Graham Petersen who is well known to the CWU and has a long standing working relationship with the Union. He is a former TUC tutor and course designer who created safety reps training courses and the successful TUC Occupational Health & Safety Diploma Course. He was the head of the Trade Union Studies Centre at South Thames College before retirement from the post and has been a visitor and guest speaker at CWU events and meetings. After 30 editions, Graham stood down at the GJA AGM on 2 February and has handed over to Paul Atkin as newsletter editor and Tahir Latif as GJA Secretary. Graham remains a GJA Steering Group member and is now working part time for the Wales TUC having recently written a publication for them ‘Greener workplaces for a just transition – a Wales TUC toolkit for trade unionists’.

See attached copy of the GJA Newsletter No.34 for September/October 2021.

In this Newsletter the GJA editor is calling on the UK Government to put its money where its mouth is after a summer of wildly turbulent weather.  Concerns have doubled regarding climate breakdown being a serious issue, and it is now second only to dealing with COVID in the front of people’s minds. As real climate impacts multiply, so will the concern. This isn’t going away. And the COP (UN Climate Change Conference 31 Oct – 12 Nov in Glasgow) won’t put a lid on it. This decade requires urgent action, which will require and generate increasingly urgent activism. Decisions on the Cambo Oil field and Cumbria coal mine have been postponed until after the COP. This does not bode well, as if they were going to block them, they would want to boast about it there.

The IPCC (Intergovernmental Climate Change) Report 2021 was a wake-up call that Conservative back benchers – and the Treasury – want to put on the back burner. Their problem is that the argument that we “can’t afford” to save ourselves from climate breakdown presumes that we can somehow afford not to. That the price of inaction is not social breakdown. The Government strategy for Net Zero 2050 is due out later this month prior to the COP and will be examined closely, not least to compare the claims to world leadership to the actual level of investment committed and the solidity of the plans. So far they have been long on aspirations and short on investment. Part of the problem is their view that the transition has to be driven by the private sector; which, at most, might be nudged or ‘persuaded’ to invest. Waiting for this could be like waiting for Godot. The Observer reported that Climate Secretary Alok Sharma “used his first major interview as the clock ticks down to COP26 to paint a picture of a healthier world within reach, if businesses and investors could be convinced to grasp the opportunities”. What if they can’t be convinced and don’t invest, and we keep pootling on to disaster much as we are now? Do we just shrug our shoulders and leave the work undone, the transition not made, the jobs not created? And do we fail to train people for the skills we need; as the same approach applies to the new skills agenda, which will be led by demand from private business. At the webinar introducing this, the GJA asked “What if they don’t lead?” Answer came there none. The private sector will only be persuaded to invest if they think they can make a lot of money. Which is why banks still invest in fossil fuels. The time for urgent Government investment and direction is now.

In the meantime, the need for the whole of society to mobilise to make this happen requires a new legislative framework to put duties on employers and give rights to workers.

(NOTE: IPCC Report findings summary – Warming of the Earth’s surface is attributed to human activities and the report projected increases in future global mean temperature, rising sea levels, and increased frequency of heat waves.)

Contents:

1. Editorial
2. GKN Strike Ballot
3. Debate: Energy options and supply chains
4. Graphics of the Month
5. Government Reports and Task Forces
5. Green Jobs Task Force
6. Transport
7. Tooling up
8. Climate Crisis Advisory Group
8. UNITE Environment Conference
9. TUC Guide to motions and amendments
10. Fringe Meetings
11. Campaign updates
11. CEPOW
12. COP26 events
13. Climate themed learning month
14. Stats of the month

Further details at:www.greenerjobsalliance.co.uk

Attachment: GJA-Newsletter-34-September/October 2021

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 426/21 – Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 34 – September October 2021

Att: GJA-Newsletter-34-SeptOct-2021

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Asbestos Inquiry – House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee of MPs Inquiry into the Health and Safety Executive’s Approach to Asbestos Management – CWU Response:

The Department for Work and Pensions House of Commons Select Committee of MPs has launched an inquiry into how the Health and Safety Executive manages the continued presence of asbestos in UK buildings.

Despite the importation, supply and use of asbestos being banned in the UK since 24th of November 1999, twenty-two years later this toxic mineral still plagues public health, being linked to multiple diseases. Asbestos remains the largest single cause of work-related fatalities, with more than 5,000 deaths each year from diseases including Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer and Asbestosis.

Vast quantities of asbestos remain inside public and private buildings throughout the UK because asbestos was used heavily in construction up until the 1980’s where it remains in-situ. The UK today remains a storehouse of asbestos. There are six million tonnes of asbestos in the UK, most of which can be found in over 1.5 million buildings across our public estate, including our hospitals and schools. This means that many people are still exposed to the potential dangers of asbestos on a daily basis. While workers are no longer manufacturing or installing asbestos, the substance continues to be the UK’s number one occupational killer, causing more than 5,000 deaths a year.

The Select Committee raised concerns last year with the Government about the UK’s policy on managing asbestos in buildings, following the publication of a report by ‘think tank Respublica’. In response, the Minister for Employment confirmed that the HSE would be reviewing the effectiveness of the regulations for managing asbestos.

This inquiry will examine the current risks posed by asbestos in the workplace, the actions taken by HSE to mitigate them and how its approach compares to those taken in other countries. The results of the inquiry will feed into the Health and Safety Executive’s asbestos regulations review.

The inquiry has been welcomed by the CWU, TUC and all UK trade unions who collectively have adopted a policy of seeking ultimate removal of asbestos.

Despite being banned for more than 20 years, the impact of asbestos is still devastating lives. Thousands of people die from asbestos-related illness every year. With the UK death rate from asbestos-related illness the highest in the world, there are serious concerns about how the material is being dealt with compared with how it is managed in other countries, such as Germany, the Netherlands and France. The HSE is rightly looking into how asbestos can be handled more safely and the House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee’s inquiry aims to help to make sure monitoring and regulations are as effective and safe as they can possibly be.

Evidence has pointed to there being widespread non-compliance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 in the UK and a lack of information on the full extent of how much harm asbestos is causing. The UK has some of the weakest standards in Europe, while also having some of the highest Mesothelioma rates and there is widespread non-compliance with asbestos control law.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) requires a ‘duty holder’ to ‘manage the risk of asbestos exposure in public buildings’. These ‘duty holders’ are responsible for identifying the location and condition of asbestos. When it is disturbed or removed, air monitoring takes place to ensure the concentration of airborne asbestos fibres are at a ‘safe’ level, before the building is repopulated. Concerns about the risk, and cost, of removing asbestos has led the HSE to affirm that it is generally safer to leave asbestos in-situ than to remove it, provided it is in a ‘good condition’. However, perpetually maintaining asbestos, which degrades over time becomes more of a threat.

Shockingly UK nurses and teachers are 3 and 5 times more likely to develop Mesothelioma because of the asbestos in the buildings in which they work.

The Government should firstly, bring the UK Health & Safety regime for the management of asbestos up to the highest international standards, as currently practiced in Germany, the Netherlands and France. Secondly, strengthen compliance, ensuring buildings are safe through sensitive air monitoring when the buildings are in use. Thirdly, establish a central register of all asbestos currently in place in buildings across the UK identifying location, type and condition. Finally, initiate a planned, phased, controlled removal of all asbestos containing materials.

Asbestos, far from being yesterday’s problem, is a real and present threat to potentially thousands of lives for many generations to come. The European Parliament has called for the removal of asbestos from all European public buildings by 2028 but the UK has made no such commitment. The goal of the CWU, TUC and UK trade unions is to seek the total eradication of asbestos from UK buildings rather than the current approach of managing asbestos ‘in-situ.’ The CWU has submitted evidence in line with Union policy. The TUC, many other trade unions, the Asbestos Victims Support Forum, and charities like ‘ActionMeso’ and ‘Mesothelioma UK’ will be submitting evidence and share the Unions aims of raising awareness and seeking the eradication of asbestos and asbestos-related diseases. A copy of the CWU submission is attached.

Further information on the inquiry is available at:- https://www.btog.org/news/work-and-pension-select-committees-inquiry-into-the-hses-management-of-asbestos/

The Inquiry Terms of Reference – The Select Committee has invited views on the following questions:

• What are the current risks posed by asbestos in the workplace? Which groups of workers are most at risk?
• How effective is the current legislative and regulatory framework for the management of asbestos?
• How does HSE’s approach to managing asbestos compare to the approach taken in other countries? Are there lessons that the UK could learn from best practice elsewhere?
• How does HSE measure and report its progress in mitigating the risks of asbestos?
• Does HSE keep adequate records of asbestos in public buildings?
• Is HSE making best use of available technology and systems to monitor the safety of asbestos which remains in buildings?
• Does HSE commit adequate resources to asbestos management in line with the level of risk?
• How robust is the available data about the risks and impact of asbestos in the workplace? What gaps in evidence need to be filled?
• Is HSE drawing on a wide body of international and national regulatory and industry expertise to inform its approach to the management of asbestos safety in buildings?
• How effectively does HSE engage with external stakeholders and experts about its approach to the regulation of asbestos?

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 425/21 – House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee Inquiry into the HSE’s Approach to Asbestos Management – CWU Response

Work and Pensions Select Committee Inquiry – HSE’s Management of Asbestos

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