WELCOME TO ROYAL MAIL (WtRM) – INTRODUCTION OF THE DAY 1 ONLINE INDUCTION PROGRAM – CWU RECRUITMENT SESSION

Branches will be aware that an email was sent from Learning Services on 29^th March 2021 regarding the move to an online platform on 6^th April 2021 for delivery of the Welcome to Royal Mail Sessions (WtRM).  I can confirm that the CWU have been in dialogue with the business on this issue and am pleased to report that the Postal Executive endorsed the introduction of the online program when it met yesterday.

Background

For some time, Royal Mail have been looking at how they deliver the Welcome to Royal Mail Sessions.  In July 2018 they contacted the CWU with a proposal to change the format of the course due to a number of findings:

• Around 20% of candidates who received a job offer from Royal Mail dropped out before they even started, this amounted to around 1600 individuals who had been through recruitment, testing, interviews and vetting.
• One of the reasons identified for the high candidate drop out was the Welcome to Royal Mail experience.  New entrants were required to attend an 8-hour classroom-based course on day 1 of employment.  Due to the fact these were held in Mail Centres meant that the geographical spread was large and in some cases resulted in new entrants travelling long distances in excess of 2 hours in order to attend.
• As a result of the WtRM Sessions being held predominantly in Mail Centres, new entrants frequently had to wait weeks to get on the course as there needed to be sufficient numbers to run the session.

The Changes

In 2020, all direct recruitment was suspended due to the pandemic.  As we were coming out of the Covid lockdown, Royal Mail approached the Union with a proposal to move the WtRM Session onto an online portal.  The new entrants would go through the course in their own homes and would now be paid for doing so.

Although we were slightly sceptical of the concept, we agreed to a number of meetings with the business to discuss our mutual requirements in order to make sure that we had a product which was fit for purpose.  Following negotiations, we have agreed to a test of online Welcome to Royal Mail Day 1 Sessions.  The CWU section of the online portal can be viewed via the links below along with the material from Royal Mail.

In terms of our CWU Section, the candidates must go through our information before they can move onto the next section, which is something we insisted upon.

In the past we have been reliant on Branches turning up at the Day 1 Session to explain the benefits of joining.  In one 9-month period there were 810 WtRM sessions with 169 having no CWU Representative attend during our slot, which equates to 20% of sessions not attended.  Clearly, we have no way of checking who attended the course and where they were going to work therefore there was no way of tracking them.

The output from the online programme will be shared with the CWU on a regular basis and adjustments made accordingly.  One of the questions which new entrants will be asked following day 1 will be “have you been contacted by the CWU Representative in your office/Branch”.  Once again, this information is invaluable to us in monitoring the number of new members we recruit.

In order to apply for a position within Royal Mail, candidates need to do so online therefore it is assumed that they have access to the necessary technology to complete the online WtRM Session.  Royal Mail are advising the new entrants that the course will ideally be accessed via a PC/Laptop/Tablet.  If however, the new entrant does not have access to these devises, they will be asked in advance of the session to make arrangements with family/friends/public library (obviously after lockdown) however in the worst case scenario they can access the session via a smartphone.  If all else fails, arrangements can be made for them to attend their unit and use the IT equipment on site.

The online session can be viewed via the following links:

Part 1 – https://rise.articulate.com/share/lMcbcOntlnPW5Wt32A6I9ly9KcwH1O2I

Part 2 – https://rise.articulate.com/share/va5j79b-IvlSg86p2yUf4hJ0BJ7aAmaK

Part 3 – https://rise.articulate.com/share/IqXzwmt0Nzo3bN-INE61h_DGZR9pChmE

This is a very new approach to welcoming new employees into Royal Mail and the CWU have been involved at every step.  The new employee, as you will see from the links above, is given a wealth of information about the CWU and the link to the website for them to join.  If membership is not taken up at that point there is still the opportunity to engage with them when they are introduced to the CWU Representative in their office as per the National Induction Training with Coaching Support Agreement.  The advantage of the online set up is that should there be no Representative in an office or if for some reason the introduction doesn’t take place, then we will be able to track the employee’s membership status with the additional information we will get from Royal Mail.  In turn, anyone who has not taken up membership will be flagged up to the Branch for them to follow up.

I have no doubt that colleagues will recognise the opportunity the online CWU session gives the Union to increase the number of new entrants joining on day 1 as well as providing additional time to recruit them in their workplace.  Furthermore, this initiative should be viewed as a major step in delivering the Postal Department/Executive’s agenda of increased CWU membership in the core Royal Mail business.  I can also confirm that with the Covid restrictions beginning to be relaxed, the DGS(P) Department will be looking to reinvigorate the activity that has been developed by Lynn Browne (Postal Senior Organiser) and her team to deliver both our organising agenda and focused recruitment activity in order to capture long-term non-members within the Postal Constituency as detailed in conference policy.

Regardless of whether RM will use this method of Welcome to Royal Mail on a permanent basis or not, we have established some key principles in respect of the Union’s involvement in the recruitment process going forward.

As this LTB relates to Postal Organising within Royal Mail, any enquiries on its content should be directed in the first instance to Lynn Browne, Senior Organiser Postal lbrowne@cwu.organd copied to acorbett@cwu.org or subsequently to the DGSP Department.

Yours sincerely,

Terry Pullinger

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)                            

LTB 153/21   

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Election of: Parcelforce Worldwide Substitute Area Health & Safety Representative – North Region

Further to LTB 108/21 dated 16^th March 2021, the position for Substitute Area Health & Safety Representative North Region became vacant due to Paul Devlin being appointed as the Area Health & Safety representative North Region.

Nominations are now invited from members in the respective Parcelforce Worldwide Region (including RMSS) for the following position:-

• Substitute Area Health & Safety Representative – North Region

A nomination form is attached to this LTB, completed forms must be signed by the Branch Secretary and Branch Chair or accredited deputies and the nominee, should be returned to Tony Kearns, Senior Deputy General Secretary on the following email elections@cwu.org by 26^th April 2021

The timetable for nominations is as follows:-

Nominations Open :  12^th April  2021

Nominations Close :  26^th April 2021 (2.00pm)

Should a ballot be required the timetable will be advised to branches in due course.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department, telephone number 020 8971 7237 or email address sdgs@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 152/21 – Election of Parcelforce Worldwide Substitute Area Health & Safety Representative North Region

Election Guidelines 2021

Candidates Consent Form

Nomination Form

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POST OFFICE: PRODUCT SPECIALIST BONUS SCHEME – QUARTER 4 PAYMENT

Branches are advised that we have reached an agreement with the Post Office for bonus payments for Travel and Mails Product Specialists for Quarter 4 – January to March 2021.

The agreement provides for a maximum possible £250 bonus for both the Mails Product Specialists and the Travel Product Specialists. As per the arrangements described in LTB 019/2021, these payments have been agreed despite the absence of targets as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Below is a Joint Statement explaining that this will be the final payment for the quarterly bonus scheme as both bonus payments and the inpay allowance have now been consolidated in basic pay as part of the 2020/21 pay award.

Joint Statement – Product Specialist (PS):

Quarter 4 Bonus Payment

We are pleased to announce that following payments for Quarter 4 (the period between January and March) as the final payment for the Product Specialist Bonus scheme

·       Travel Product Specialists – £250

·       Express Mails Specialists – £250

Payments will be made in April salaries.

This will be the final payment for the quarterly bonus scheme as both bonus payments and the inpay allowance have been replaced by the consolidation of the scheme into basic pay, which was agreed as part of the 2020/21 pay award.

Although the bonus scheme has now finished, you will need to continue to give the focus and dedication to building capability across the team in Mails and Travel related products and ensuring that our customers receive the very best service.

We would like to thank you all for your hard work through a challenging year.

Steve Blampied

Head of Directly Managed &

WHS Branch Network

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

CWU

I’m sure our Product Specialist members, who are doing their very best in these challenging circumstances, will welcome this final payment for Quarter 4 and enjoy the benefits of the consolidated payment in their basic pay going forward.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 150/21 – Post Office – Product Specialist Bonus Scheme – Quarter 4 Payment

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Union Warns Dog-Owner “Got Off Lightly” After £2,000 Compensation Bill For Attack On Northamptonshire Postie – Finger Tip Bitten Off Through The Letter Box (Northampton Chronicle & Echo): Plus Fatal Dog Attack On 85 Year Old Pensioner In Rowley Regis/Near Birmingham:

For your information and interests, please see attached press cutting which appeared in the Northampton Chronicle & Echo regional press over the Easter break. This reports on the successful conviction of a dog owner who allowed her dog to attack the mail as it was posted through the letterbox, biting off the tip of the postwoman’s finger (an all too common occurrence). The dog owner received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay the victim £2000 compensation.

In response to the press enquiry and interview we welcome the sentence but made the point that the dog owner got off lightly and the injuries could have been much worse (dog owners can face up to five years in prison and unlimited fines for allowing their dogs to injure a person).

Through the press, we also strongly advised dog owners that have an animal that attacks the mail when it comes through the letter box that the simple solution is to buy a letterbox cage for around £15 and fit it to the front door which will protect both the customer’s mail and the postal worker’s fingers. Alternatively, an outside mail box can be fitted to the home or perimeter fence as indeed many more responsible people with dogs now do.

You will also have heard the very sad news regarding an 85-year-old pensioner mauled to death in the back garden of her home in Rowley Regis just outside Birmingham on Friday when a neighbour’s two dogs escaped by bursting through a fence into the garden, launching a sustained attack, following which she tragically died at the scene.

The worry always is that these irresponsible owners with powerful, vicious dogs of this kind will allow them to escape and attack the postman/woman – our members – whilst they are delivering mail and parcels.

In respect of these two cases – would ASRs/WSRs please remind all members:

• Don’t put your fingers through the letter box (dogs don’t always bark and make a lot of noise – some stay deadly silent just waiting for the opportunity to attack).
• Stay alert and be aware of dogs on premises at all times! If in doubt always err on the side of caution. ‘If In Doubt – Stay Out!’

Top Tips for Royal Mail and Parcelforce Outdoor Delivery and Collection Members:

Remember “AVOID:”

A–Avoid interacting with all dogs

V–Value yourself and don’t take risks

O–Observe; keep your walk log/WRAP up to date

I–Inform workmates of potential dog risks to stop them being attacked

D–Defend yourself if necessary, using your delivery equipment

• Never put your fingers through a letterbox.
• 83% of attacks happen at a customer’s door or on the garden path – so take no risks.
• Listen and look for signs of a dog’s presence.
• Never accept a dog owner’s assurances that the dog is OK – ask the owner to restrain their dogs and put them safe.
• Use your pouch or trolley as a barrier between you and a dog, if approached unexpectedly.
• Report all dogs on your duty via the WRAP system and check Walk Logs.
• Reports all dog attacks and near misses no matter how minor – it could be serious next time!
• Report incidents to your manager and then to the police. You could help stop future attacks happening.

Royal Mail Group and the CWU are committed to driving dog attack numbers down. We now have the law in place to do it but we need to get messages across to members:

• Firstly, don’t take risks! – ‘If In Doubt – Stay Out!’
• Secondly, don’t ignore minor incidents! – report it! It may be far worse next time!
• Thirdly, under the Dangerous Dogs Act, postal workers have legal protection from dog attacks on private property. Support investigations and prosecutions. Too many injured members refuse to support prosecutions and give evidence, leaving bad dog owners who are guilty of criminal offences to get away scot-free!

Attachments: 

• Press Report on Rushden, Northamptonshire Dog Attack – Postal Worker Finger Tip Bitten Off.
• Police/Press Report On Rowley Regis/Birmingham Area Fatal Dog Attack On Pensioner In Her Back Garden.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

21LTB149 Union Warns Dog-Owner Got Off Lightly After £2,000 Compensation Bill For Attack On Northamptonshire Postie

Postwoman Dog Attack Case – 2000 Compensation Order Conditional Discharge

Rowley Regis Dog Attack

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CWU 2022 Diary

We are now taking orders for CWU 2022 diaries.  Please find attached an electronic diary order form for your branch use.

We continue to offer branches personalised diaries at no additional cost.  Branches can personalise an area on the front cover of the CWU pocket diary and also have the option to have a personalised page (printed on one side only) which will be inserted near the front of the pocket diary.

The CWU pocket diary is priced at £1.75 and the A5 desk diary is priced at £2.65.

We also continue to offer branches bulk discount on pocket diaries only on orders of 1,000 or more for £1.40 per diary.

Branches ordering unaltered diaries should return their completed order form by no later than Friday 17^th September.

Personalised branch diary orders only

Branch personalised diary orders must be returned by no later than Friday 21^st May. On receipt of your order form you will be emailed the appropriate template(s), please ensure to include your email address as this is where your template(s) will be sent together with further instructions.

Please complete your template(s) as soon as possible and note the return deadline is Friday 11^th June. Due to strict deadlines any orders or proofs received after the dates provided may not be processed.

If you would like to use your 2021 diary template(s) and there are no changes, please advise Marcia Murray.

Orders will be based on the following:

Minimum order to personalise front cover: 250 units

Minimum order to insert page: 500 units

Minimum order to personalise front cover and insert page: 500 units

All completed order forms and enquiries on this LTB should be sent to Marcia Murray by email to mmurray@cwu.org

The diaries will be dispatched from Monday 27^th September 2021.

Kind regards,

Chris Webb
Head of Communications, Engagement and Media

21LTB147 – CWU 2022 Diary

Diary Order Form

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EUREST (QUADRANT) REBRANDING – THE PLACE

Branches will recall that on the 1^st October 2020, Royal Mail and Compass Group ended the Quadrant Joint Venture and RMG entered a commercial contract with the Eurest section of Compass Group for the ongoing provision of catering services to our members in Royal Mail Group.  This involved the transfer of our Quadrant members to Compass Group (Eurest).

As part of the new commercial contract, Eurest intended a rebranding of the restaurant facilities and an update of the food offering. However, the Covid -19 pandemic and the necessary social distancing arrangements, including the introduction of a take away only service, affected the timing of this activity.

Given the above during the Covid-19 period utilisation of the restaurants and Breakfast Bar facilities has markedly reduced, exacerbating downward trends in usage over many years.  The department has therefore been discussing with Royal Mail and Eurest measures to make the catering offering more attractive to our Royal Mail members as lockdown measures ease.

Eurest have now informed the department that the relaunch and rebranding activity will commence from Monday 12^th April 2021.   This will involve:

• New signage & branding for Restaurants – The Place
• New uniforms for all Eurest Employees
• The Place – The Movie (for Eurest employees who will receive 30 minutes O/T to watch)
• New Menu Launch and introductory Special Offers for Customers.

The above activity is designed to attract customers who do not currently choose to use the restaurant facilities and encourage existing customers to use the facilities more often.

While it is not the role of the union to advertise on behalf of Eurest, in discussions with Royal Mail the department have impressed our view that the provision of subsidised catering services to our members remains an obligation on behalf of the company.  Equally, the retention of current facilities is of key importance to our Eurest members working in restaurants and breakfast bars across the RMG estate.

As such we would ask Branches and Representatives to promote the use of Eurest services with our Royal Mail Group members to assist in protecting the provision of service into the future and in support of our Eurest members.

Attached for the information of Branches and Representatives is the material associated with the launch, which the business has shared with the department.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org quoting reference: 311.02

Yours sincerely

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

21LTB145 – Eurest (Quadrant) Rebranding – The Place

The Place Launch

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DAVE EMBERSON – FORMER BRANCH SECRETARY OF WESTERN MT

It is with great sadness that we write to inform you of the recent passing of Dave Emberson former National Executive member and Branch Secretary of the Western MT Branch.

Dave was originally a member of the POEU from 1962 and served at every level of the union, including the National Executive, Regional and Branch positions.

Dave was a BT Fleet Technician who joined what was then the GPO back in 1960 and he retired from BT in 1994.

He was awarded the union’s Gold Badge in recognition of his services to our members and he continued to contribute as a retired member of the Western MT Branch until his recent passing.

The union has been in contact with Dave’s daughter Julie, who is keen to ensure that her father’s contribution to the Trade Union movement is not forgotten and has asked that if anyone wishes to mark his passing, they can do so by contributing to his preferred charity the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Service.

We are advised that such donations can be sent either to Lesley Shand Funeral Service, 184 Wareham Road, Corfe Mullen, Wimborne BH21 3LL or be paid online at www.funeraldirector.co.uk/david-emberson

Finally, I know I speak on behalf of all of Dave’s longstanding friends and colleagues in the union, in offering our sincere condolences to Dave’s daughter Julie and their family and in saying that he will be greatly missed.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward
General Secretary

21LTB148 DAVE EMBERSON – FORMER BRANCH SECRETARY OF WESTERN MT

Errata – Election of CWU Regional Secretaries 2021 – Ballot Timetable

Further to LTB 143/21 dated 1^st April 2021 there was a typographical error in the wording and it should have read “ballot papers for the Regional Secretary Elections in Northern Ireland, South East and London Regions will now be dispatched from 8^th April 2021”.

As previously advised ballot papers will be sent to members by 1^stclass post.

Please note that the closing date for the ballots remains 27^th April 2021.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 0208 971 7237 or email address sdgs@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary

21LTB146 – Errata – Election of CWU Regional Secretaries – Ballot Timetable

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CWU Special Rules Revision Conference Agenda Pad

Branches would wish to know that the agenda pad for the Special Rules Revision Conference taking place on Saturday 24^th April 2021 has now been published on the website and can be accessed using the following link:

https://www.cwu.org/conference/virtual-special-rules-revision-conference-2021/

A Pdf. copy has also been attached for your information.

Any enquiries to this Letter to Branches should be addressed to conferences@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

A P Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 144/21 – Special Rules Revision Conference Agenda Pad

VIRTUAL SPECIAL RULES REVISION AGENDA 2021

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Election of CWU Regional Secretaries 2021 – Ballot Timetable

Further to LTB 142/21 dated 31^st March 2021, we have been advised by the Independent Scrutineer that the ballot papers for the Regional Secretary Elections in London, South East and London Regions will now be despatched from 8^th April 2021.

Ballot papers will be sent to members by 1^st class post.

Please note that the closing date for the ballots remains 27^thApril 2021.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 0208 971 7237 or email address sdgs@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 143/21 – Election of CWU Regional Secretaries – Ballot Timetable

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