ROYAL MAIL: PATHWAY TO CHANGE AGREEMENT – DELIVERING THE SHORTER WORKING WEEK IN CORPORATE FUNCTIONS

Branches are advised that following discussions with Corporate Functions management, we have reached agreement on the implementation of the Shorter Working Week which enables a reduction of one hour for 28 LA grades working in Corporate Functions from Monday 31^st May.  The following Joint Statement has been published:

JOINT STATEMENT – PATHWAY TO CHANGE (REDUCTION IN THE WORKING WEEK FOR CORPORATE FUNCTIONS ADMIN GRADES)

 Dear Colleague,

Both Royal Mail and the Communications Workers Union acknowledge the superb way in which colleagues across admin teams have responded to the unprecedented challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic. The uninterrupted delivery of services is a testament to the professionalism and determination of everyone; and both parties wish to put this on record.

Moving forward, both parties recognise the criticality of the Pathways to Change Agreement to the future of Royal Mail Group and all our people. To this end, we are committed to ensuring the smooth implementation of the Shorter Working Week. We have agreed to make the changes necessary to enable a reduction of the working week by one hour for CWU represented colleagues across the following corporate teams:

•  Legal
• Technology
• Compliance and Sustainability
• HR – IR Mediators

 All administrative graded employees within the above teams will have their working week reduced by one hour, with the majority having the reduction evenly across five days for all full-time employees e.g. 5 x 12 minutes. We believe that this is both the simplest and most advantageous way of applying the reduction within these individual teams.

It is however important to emphasise that part time employees will benefit from a commensurate increase in their hourly pay rate.

Both parties have agreed to implement the changes on for all the areas listed above on 31 May 2021 and individuals will be engaged on the changes to ways of working in the next few weeks.

Kind regards,

Hannah Padfield                                                              Andy Furey

Head of HR                                                                       CWU Assistant Secretary

Corporate Centre

We are pleased with the positive outcome to these negotiations.  We have also recently made progress in respect of delivering the SWW in the various other Admin functions such as HR Strategy & Services although there are also some areas where more work needs to be done.  It is hoped we will reach agreement on all Admin functions in the near future and further developments in this regard will be reported.

Any queries in relation to this LTB should be sent to Lea Sheridan lsheridan@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 231/21 – Royal Mail – Pathway to Change Agreement – Delivering the SWW in Corporate Functions

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ROYAL MAIL: PATHWAY TO CHANGE AGREEMENT: DELIVERING THE SHORTER WORKING WEEK IN HR STRATEGY & SERVICES (HRS&S)

Further to our interim Joint Statement published on 17^th March(attached) I am pleased to advise Branches and our members in HRS&S that following a number of negotiating meetings with HRS&S management, an agreement has now been reached with regards to delivering the Shorter Working Week.  The following JS which outlines our final position has been agreed today:

Both HRS&S and CWU recognise the criticality of the Pathway to Change Agreement to the future of Royal Mail Group and all our people; and acknowledge the key role that HRS&S have in delivering these changes for all CWU represented colleagues across the Company. 

Constructive dialogue between both parties has continued in recent weeks; and our previous agreed position that the changes needed to deliver this reduction will be achieved through a mix of multi-skilling and productivity improvements remains unchanged. 

Our agreement that the Shorter Working Week, will be implemented across HRS&S for all teams at the same time remains the cornerstone of our agreed way forward. Having reviewed the flight paths to implementation for each of the process areas across HRS&S, we can now confirm that we have agreed to implement the hour’s reduction with effect from Monday 27 September 2021.

Simon Haben                                                                Andy Furey

HR Director Strategy & Services                                  CWU Assistant Secretary

In closing, this has been a constructive set of negotiations and I’m sure our members working in HRS&S will welcome the implementation of the hour off the working week in September.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 230/21 – Royal Mail Pathway to Change Agreement – Delivering the Shorter Working Week in (HRS&S)

Attachment 1 – Shorter Working Week in HR Services Joint Statement March 2021 – FINAL

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NATIONAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AND THE CWU COVERING THE REVIEW OF LETTERS MACHINES

Branches and representatives are informed that for some considerable time the departments have been involved in discussions with Royal Mail in an attempt to conclude a clearly defined agreed process for machine moves.

During the Pathway to Change discussions it was agreed that a joint review would be undertaken in relation to the utilisation of Letters Machines, including CSS, iLSM, IMP and CFC machines in line with Section 14 Strategic Review of the Operational Pipeline.

The intention of the activity is to review the letter machine capacity based on the continuing underlying decline in addressed letter volumes and the introduction of the DtS product, discounting the immediate extreme impact of COVID-19. Both parties recognise the importance of optimising the letter machine estate to improve the efficiency of the letter operation and ensure sufficient capacity remains to process and deliver all letter products in line with current service level and quality standards, ensuring reductions in automation do not set operational parameters which exacerbate letter decline.

Therefore, cross-functional discussions have been taking place with the business in relation to an agreement for the review activity. An agreement has now been concluded and endorsed by the Postal Executive, a copy of which is attached for your information.

In summary the attached agreement creates a clear process for the review of the Letter Automation Estate, covering CSS, IMP, iLSM and CFC machines both at National level and on a Mail Centre Catchment Area (MCCA) basis. At National level, due to the cross functional impacts of the program, it has been agreed that a new National Automation Group will be created. This Group will have initial oversight of the plan, which will be reviewed on a 3 monthly basis. This plan will determine the phased activity in each MCCA.

In reviewing local proposals, all functions affected by the potential machine removal or change are fully represented at the negotiating table through the creation of Local Joint Working Groups (LJWG) and can influence and agree the outcome of any proposed change. The process ensures that Engineering issues and concerns are fully considered as part of the process.

Annex A to the agreement provides an agreed process for machine moves that ensures that full consultation takes place on a MCCA basis, which we hope will be of assistance to our representatives across all functions in dealing with machine removal proposals.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to:

Processing: Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org quoting reference: 715.17.

Deliveries/Collections: Mark Baulch, Assistant Secretary, email: njones@cwu.org quoting reference: 540.

Engineering: Carl Maden, Assistant Secretary (Acting), email: khay@cwu.org quoting reference: 420.

Yours sincerely

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

Mark Baulch   
Assistant Secretary

Carl Maden
Assistant Secretary (Acting)

LTB 227/21

National Agreement Letter Automation Review 04.06.21

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Product Recall For ‘Black Gated’ Mk4 York Containers:

One of the Safety issues identified with the Mk4 York Containers was the failure of the ‘clear’ polycarbonate gates (see LTB No. 536/2020 dated 11 November 2020 and the associated RMG SHE Safety Flash).

The Mk4 York Containers in general are safe to use and those with damaged gates should be withdrawn for repair as normal.

However, since introduction, a problem with the ‘clear’ polycarbonate gates has been identified, as the gates are prone to cracking and splitting. To resolve this issue Royal Mail has been working with the Union and the manufacturer ‘K.Hartwall’ who proposed a solution which entails replacing the materials from which the gates are made with a revised material called ‘Curve’ which is a tough, malleable, polycarbonate weave type material, similar to carbon fibre. The weave construction is strong but flexible and less prone to cracking, splitting and breaking.

50 Mk4 York Containers were fitted with the new material gates as a trial and these have been in circulation within Royal Mail’s network for 18 months. Royal Mail and the manufacturer now wish to recall the 50 units for inspection and subject to the new type gates being in a satisfactory wear and tear condition and Royal Mail being satisfied with the performance of the gates, ‘K.Hartwall’, the manufacturer, will replace the gates on all 10,000 Mk4 Yorks at their expense, under warranty.

The Mk4 Yorks with the trial gates are easily identifiable as the gates are solid black in colour as opposed to the standard clear gates.

All CWU Reps are requested to assist with the recall by identifying where the Mk4’s concerned are located – in order to channel them back to Royal Mail’s Milton Keynes repair centre where the evaluation will take place at the end of June.

Your support and assistance would be much appreciated. The end result being an improved, safer and more efficient container type.

See attached poster for the attention of all offices and members.

This is an ‘Urgent Container Appeal’. If any of the ‘black gated’ Mk4 York Containers are located in any of your Branch area offices, they should be retained and reported immediately to: container.reporting@royalmail.com. The RM Containers Team will then assist in moving these Containers to the Milton Keynes Yorks Repair Centre for evaluation.

Any Management Enquiries only to Ian McDonald, National Containers & Asset Supply Chain Manager: 07436560875.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 228/21 – Product Recall For Black Gated Mk4 York Containers

Mk4 black gate poster – Recall

Mk4 Black Gate York RM Comm. 07.06.21

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POST OFFICE: SERVICE & SUPPORT RESTRUCTURE AND PREFERENCING OUTCOME

Branches are advised that the Post Office has been undergoing a restructuring of the Service & Support Optimisation Team which included regrading, reorganising and a reduction in headcount.

In LTB 155/21 we communicated that as part of the organisational change, we had reached an agreement with the Post Office to harmonise the Customer Advisor grade within the Service & Support Team in Chesterfield to Postal Officer.  This gave many of our members a substantial uplift in pay.

On 3^rd March 2021, Post Office and CWU formally began a collective consultation process which included a preference exercise asking members to indicate which Support Team they wished to work in or whether they were interested in taking voluntary redundancy.  We are pleased to advise that 93% were able to get their first preference in terms of job allocation.

Audit Team members were also preferenced as to whether they wished to remain in the field or take an admin role in Service and Support. As this was a many to few situation, seniority and geography was taken into account when allocating roles (please refer to the Joint Statement dated 13^th May attached to this LTB).

The exercise was complex but we were able to secure roles for all that wanted to remain working for the Post Office with the head count reduction achieved by voluntary redundancy in accordance with MTSF.

Please see below the associated Joint Statement explaining the outcome of the preference exercise.

JOINT STATEMENT POST OFFICE AND CWU

Consultation update

 Further to the announcements on 3^rd Marchregarding organisational changes to structures across the business, Post Office and CWU have been working collaboratively on the proposals throughout the consultation period. As a consequence, we are pleased to announce the headcount reduction has been achieved through voluntary means.

 We have worked hard throughout the consultation process to meet the preferences of impacted colleagues as much as possible, which has been complex to achieve. Where we were unable to do this, we have been able to find suitable and acceptable alternatives.

 Post Office and CWU would like to thank everyone for their cooperation and patience during this time. If you have any further questions, please contact your line manager or CWU Representative.

 Lee Kelly                                                   Andy Furey

Employee Relations and Policy Director         Assistant Secretary Postal

Finally, I would like to thank Lynn Simpson, Postal Executive member, for her assistance in these negotiations including the direct engagement with members impacted by the changes and for helping to deliver the positive outcome.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 229/21 – Post Office – Service & Support Restructure and Preferencing Outcome

Attachment 1 to LTB 229/21

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AGREEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL FLEET AND CWU ON THE CRITERIA FOR DECIDING TECHNICAL STAFFING LEVELS IN ROYAL MAIL FLEET WORKSHOPS

Further to LTB 040/21 issued on the 16th February 2021, the nationally agreed guidelines committed Royal Mail Fleet and the CWU to incorporate the shorter working week in line with the Pathway to Change Agreement.

The agreement requires a one hour reduction in the working week from 35.5 to 34.5 hours which is triggered by a revision and includes bringing back in-house elements of work currently being performed by external contractors.

During the negotiation it became clear the reason so much work was being contracted out was due to there being no method within Fleet for calculating workload and therefore the headcount numbers required. Our agreement ensures we resolve the issue of workload / headcount calculation and this will serve as a platform for revision activity across the garage network to incorporate the work we perform in house, the work brought in from external contractors and the shorter working week.

Royal Mail Fleet and the CWU will now jointly roll this out to all RM Fleet Territorial Reps and AFMMs via a joint training session scheduled to take place on the 9th June 2021following which, both parties will ensure full understanding of the calculations at local level for commencement of revision activity. Thereafter the process of revisions and receiving the benefits of the shorter working week will commence with immediate effect.

All enquiries regarding the content of this LTB should be addressed to the PTCS
Department, quoting reference 220 Email address: khay@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely
Carl Maden
Acting Assistant Secretary
PTCS Department

LTB 224/21

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UK to Change Eligibility to Give Blood, Meaning More People From LGBT+ Communities Can Donate

As reported in previous Letters to Branches, it is long established CWU Conference policy to support the promotion of organ and blood donation. Following which the Union has become a registered partner of the NHS Blood & Transplant (NHSBT) organisation, promoting donation, supporting annual organ and blood donation weeks and supporting campaigns for positive changes.

We previously reported in LTB 262/20 the good news around the law change regarding organ donation in England and Scotland, similar to the change previously made in Wales which means that all adults would hence forth be considered to have agreed to be an organ donor when they die unless they have ‘opted-out’ rather than the previous requirement to ‘opt-in’ to being a donor. This change is warmly welcomed by NHS Blood & Transplant (NHSBT) who said that the change will lead to more lives being saved through organ donation.

NHS Blood & Transplant (NHSBT) have contacted the Union and other supporters today to inform us that from 14 June all blood, plasma and platelet donors will be asked about recent sexual behaviours using the newly re-named Donation Safety Check form, currently known as the Donor Health Check.  All donors regardless of gender will be asked the same sexual behaviour questions, meaning more people from LGBT+ communities will be eligible to donate, marking a historic move to make blood donation more inclusive without affecting safety.

NHSBT say that changes will mean that eligibility to donate will be based on a more individualised assessment rather than on a risk assigned to a group or population, and deferrals will be based on behaviours evidenced to be at a higher risk of sexual infection. The process of giving blood will not change. Donors will no longer be asked if they are a man who has had sex with another man. Instead, any individual who attends to give blood – regardless of gender – will be asked if they have had sex and, if so, about recent sexual behaviours.

The ‘Terrence Higgins Trust’ has strongly welcomed the change in a statement issued today, stating that “It’s great to see these changes to blood donation eligibility being brought in from June. THT have always been clear that the safety of the blood supply is the priority here. This change to a more individualised risk assessment is in line with the latest scientific evidence while also allowing as many people as possible to safely donate blood”.

(NOTE: Terrence Higgins Trust is a British charity that campaigns about and provides services relating to HIV and sexual health).

Whilst NHSBT have had to reduce the intensity of their public information campaign during the Covid-19 pandemic, they remain firmly committed to publicising the donation rule change. They inform us that they are in the process of planning the next phase of the campaign and publicity.

NHSBT have thanked supporters including the CWU and requested that supporting organisations including the CWU help in communicating the message to ensure as many people as possible are aware of the change and understand the vitally important need for life-saving organ and blood donation.

At the same time NHSBT seek to reassure people that it is still their choice whether or not to be a blood and/or organ donor. People’s faith, beliefs and culture will always continue to be respected by NHSBT and CWU.

To read further information on the 14 June changes visit: https://www.blood.co.uk/news-and-campaigns/news-and-statements/fair-steering-group/

To obtain further general information, go to the NHSBT Website at:  www.nhsbt.nhs.uk

Information Telephone Line. Any member wishing to speak to somebody about their choices can call a dedicated line:0300 303 2094

Previous LTBs issued on Blood and Organ Donation:  LTB 262/20, 561/19, 387/19, 358/19, 269/19, 178/19, 084/19, 475/18, 454/18, 503/17.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 226/21 – UK to Change Eligibility to Give Blood, Meaning More People From LGBT+ Communities Can Donate

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ROYAL MAIL: MDEC TRANSFORMATION – PATHWAY TO CHANGE AGREEMENT

Further to LTB 156/21 dated 9^th April.

Following the National Agreement reached with MDEC management with regards to The Pathway to Change Agreement, we have continued our discussions in relation to the preference exercise for the MDEC units at Farnworth, Plymouth and Stoke.  As a result, three Joint Statements have been agreed for each of these units on Preference Exercise Outcomes and Next Steps which are attached to this LTB for your reference.

The preference exercise has been conducted fully in line with MTSF principles and every effort will be made to explore reasonable opportunities to find alternative roles for our members within Royal Mail that require redeployment.

For our members who have elected to take voluntary redundancy, they have been provided with an indicative estimate of their lump sum and a formal offer is expected to be made within the next week.  I am also pleased to report we have received confirmation from Kevin Thompson, Head of Pipeline Performance and CI, that for those members who wish to take a redundancy package in accordance with MTSF, they will see the value of their compensation monies improved to fully take account of the planned bonus consolidation of £60 per month due to be included with July’s salaries (backdated to 1st April 2021).  The reassurance provided by Kevin Thompson will no doubt be welcomed by our members who are considering VR as an option.  Accordingly, Branches and MDEC Representatives are encouraged to bring this development to the attention of the members concerned.

Any queries in relation to this LTB should be sent to Lea Sheridan lsheridan@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 225/21 – Royal Mail – MDEC Transformation – Pathway To Change Agreement

Attachment 1 to 21LTB225 – Joint Statement Farnworth

Attachment 2 to 21LTB225 – Joint Statement Plymouth

Attachment 3 to 21LTB225 – Joint Statement Stoke

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POST OFFICE: DEFINED BENEFIT PENSION SCHEME (RMPP) – HISTORICAL ERRORS MADE BY POST OFFICE

Branches and our Post Office members are advised of a serious matter that has been brought to our attention by Post Office.  This issue is specifically in regards to the Defined Benefit Pension Scheme (Royal Mail Pension Plan – RMPP) which closed in March 2017 and there is absolutely no impact on the Defined Contribution pension scheme administered by Scottish Widows.

Overview

Post Office has, for a number of years, incorrectly calculated how some pay and/or allowances should count towards the pension members have built up in the RMPP.  Therefore, Post Office has provided some incorrect pay information to the Pensions Service Centre (PSC) where the pension scheme is administered.  We understand that extensive work has been undertaken over the course of the last year by Post Office to analyse the cause of these errors, for what duration this has occurred for and exactly who is impacted (as this does not affect all members of the RMPP).  This analysis is still ongoing and we are advised it is not completed as the errors potentially go back a number of years.

It is essential that no RMPP scheme member panics or worries about this unfortunate situation as we have absolute commitments from Post Office and the RMPP Trustee that ultimately nobody will receive a pension less than they are entitled to.  However, both CWU and Unite have pressed Post Office into being open and transparent with scheme members about these mistakes they have made and consequently they are communicating on the basis of letting members know what has happened and crucially what they are doing to rectify these problems.  In this regard, the following communications (attached to this LTB for your information) are being sent to RMPP scheme members over the coming days:

• Post Office communication via a “One Update” from Angela Williams, Interim Group Chief People Officer
• RMPP Trustee communication (to home addresses)
• Joint CWU/Unite letter

To understand this position better, it is imperative that our members in the RMPP read all three of these letters together.

Who is Going to Pay for These Errors?

In our opinion the answer is simple – Post Office has made these errors and is culpable and therefore should pay to rectify the problem by using its own money to pay for the mistakes.

Hands off our Members’ Pension Surplus

Post Office is currently putting forward the position that it needs to find out exactly how much it is going to cost to put right these mistakes before making any decisions.  We believe this is completely irrelevant.  This is money the company should have paid in contributions to the scheme for our members over the years and hasn’t.  Both CWU and Unite have made it clear to Post Office that under no circumstances should the pension “surplus” be used to rectify these errors as in our view the surplus is the members’ money, ring-fenced for distribution to the members at a time and via a method agreed by the Trustee.

As outlined in the attached Joint letter to members, CWU and Unite are calling upon Nick Read to face up to his responsibilities by committing Post Office to augment the scheme to pay for the errors it made.  I’m certain that anything less would be unacceptable to our members.

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

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 223/21 – Post Office – Defined Benefit Pension Scheme (RMPP) – Historical Errors Made By Post Office

Attachment 1: to 21LTB223

Attachment 2: to 21LTB223

Attachment 3: to 21LTB223

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Post Office Ltd – Coronavirus / Covid-19 – ‘LFD’ Rapid Workforce Testing Programme:

Background

Further to LTBs 102, 183, 188, 190 and 197/21 reporting on the agreed introduction of Workforce Covid-19/Coronavirus testing in Royal Mail Group (Royal Mail, Parcelforce, RMSS, RMPFS, RMF, RME, RMI, RMCE etc) to help reduce the spread of virus, I’m pleased to report that Post Office Ltd (POL) are also joining the government backed scheme.

Introduction

Post Office Ltd have now also made a successful application and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has sanctioned POL joining the ‘workplace collect Lateral Flow Device (LFD) Test Kit/testing initiative. This will provide members not displaying any symptoms (either asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic), who are unable to work from home and especially in areas where infection rates, connected to new variants, are increasing, with an opportunity to collect free LFD Test Kits at the workplace or from the POL Swindon Stock Centre, enabling members to self-test conveniently, in the privacy of their own home.

POL are jointly with CWU and Unite/CMA supporting the government drive to increase workforce testing as part of the overall government drive to detect Coronavirus (Covid-19) in workers who are not showing symptoms.

POL Pilot

To ensure the process works and the controls are met, POL have conducted a brief trial/pilot in six POL Directly Managed Branch Offices and three POL Supply Chain Centres as well as with 270 field operations employees who are visiting multi sites as part of the job. Early feedback suggests the trial/pilot has been successful and POL are now rolling out the offer of free LFD Test Kits to all employees who are unable to work from home, especially in areas of the country where there are concerns regarding an increasing rate of infection.

Roll Out 

POL is now going to offer to provide test kits to all employees who are unable to work from home, so that will include all DMBs and Supply Chain sites and all field colleagues who are visiting branches. Line managers will now offer members the opportunity to be participate in the scheme and will be providing members with free test kits.

DHSC Testing Process and Controls

Prior to distributing LFD Test Kits to members who opt to participate in this initiative, there are a number of controls that need to be put in place due to governance terms and conditions of the scheme. These include training of the managers involved in the process and a requirement to capture data and serial numbers of test kits that are provided for use at home. Once employees have read the privacy notice and provided consent, they will be supplied with a guide on how to use the LFD Test Kits and also details on how to register so as to log test results through the self-test LFD Test portal www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result.

CWU strongly supports the scheme and encourages members to opt in to testing and to register their results as this will help the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to assess infection and testing trends across the UK and enable decisions to be made regarding future Covid controls and restrictions.

Getting a Lateral Flow Device (LFD) Rapid Test

In the meantime all members can still order kits for home use through the Universal scheme for the general public at: https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests

Everyone is now able to access these free, regular, rapid coronavirus LFD test kits for themselves and their families to use twice a week, following the government announcement. Now free rapid testing is on offer, people are encouraged to take regular tests to help prevent outbreaks and reclaim a more normal way of life.

Getting a rapid test is quick and convenient. Over 100,000 employers (including Royal Mail Group and POL) have registered their interest to provide rapid tests to their employees, and the offer of free testing is being expanded to companies with over 10 workers. LFD Test Kits can be obtained through:

• Workplace testing programmes (as with RMG and POL)
• An on-line home ordering service, which allows people to order LFD test kits to be delivered to their home
• Community testing, offered by all local authorities
• Collection from PCR Test Centres (during specific test collection times)
• Testing on-site at Schools and Colleges
• ‘Pharmacy Collect’ service through which People can collect a box of 7 rapid tests to use twice a week at home.

1 in 3 People Show No Symptoms

One in three people with COVID-19 do not experience or show any symptoms and may be spreading the virus unwittingly. Rapid testing detects cases quickly, meaning positive cases can isolate immediately and avoid spreading the virus and infecting others.

Lateral Flow Device (LFD) Rapid Test Accuracy

Since rapid LFD testing was introduced, over 120,000 positive Covid-19 cases that would not have been found otherwise have already been identified by LFDs. By making rapid tests available to everyone, more cases will be detected, breaking chains of transmission, avoiding infections and saving lives.

Recent analysis from NHS Test and Trace shows that for every 1,000 lateral flow tests carried out, there is less than 1 false positive result. LFDs detect cases with high levels of virus and are very effective in finding people who don’t have symptoms but are very likely to transmit the disease.

The rapid Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test is a very simple process which is undertaken in the privacy of your own home and provides a result in half an hour.

In Summary

Alongside the rollout of the vaccine, regular testing is going to be an essential part of cutting infection rates and easing lockdown restrictions as it will help us quickly suppress the spread of variants. Through new testing technology, positive cases of virus variants of concern are being detected faster than ever before. More people getting a test will increase the ability to identify and control the threat of Covid-19 variants.

Rapid testing helps us find COVID-19 cases that wouldn’t otherwise be known about, helping to break chains of transmission. LFD Rapid tests are effective in detecting people that are infectious and therefore most likely to transmit infection to others. They are another tool to help maintain lower infection rates.

Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 should not wait for an LFD test – They should, without delay, either book a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on-line at: https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or simply call 119.

Symptoms are:

• a high temperature
• a new, continuous cough
• loss of the sense of smell or taste – or it’s changed

The Health, Safety & Environment Department along with POL is encouraging everyone in Post Office Ltd, as in Royal Mail Group and other employers, if you are not already testing yourself, to take up the offer of these free rapid tests, to test twice a week from now to the end of June (if unable to work from home).  They are quick and easy to carry out in people’s own home.

Don’t be the one that’s unknowingly spreading the virus, infecting others, in the workplace and elsewhere.

Testing helps detect those who are infected but have no symptoms. Individuals may feel well BUT they could be infected. Therefore, being able to identify positive cases of Coronavirus/ Covid-19 within our workplaces is important. It allows people to immediately and safely self-isolate, ensuring they are no longer working amongst other workers – and so stopping further people from becoming infected and ill. Let’s all help each other and avoid that.

Testing is key to breaking the chain of transmission, safeguarding the workforce, family, friends and population, so helping prevent the spread of the virus. 

We know where we currently are with the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown and hopefully we’re moving towards a situation – all being well – when we can see the removal of constraints and restrictions currently in place to keep the virus under control. ‘But we’re not out of the woods yet’. We can’t be complacent. The virus hasn’t gone away. The country is making great progress in relation to rolling out the vaccine but new variants of the Virus are still a problem and testing is an essential part of the strategy to beat this virus.

The CWU is urging members to take part by testing – twice a week at home to keep this virus under control.

The CWU message is – Please support the drive to beat the virus by taking part in the workforce testing.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 210/21 – Post Office Ltd – Coronavirus Covid-19 LFD Rapid Workforce Testing Programme