Royal Mail Group (SHE) Safety Flash (FY21 005) – Serious and Fatal Road Traffic Accidents involving Royal Mail Group Vehicles:

Overview and Background:

Royal Mail Group Safety Health and Environment Group have issued ‘Safety Flash’, number FY21 005, (copy attached), which gives a summary report of 10 tragic, Serious and Fatal Road Traffic Accidents which have occurred over the last 12 months which is to form the basis of a Unit Briefing for ALL ROYAL MAIL DRIVERS in order to raise awareness of the potential ‘Road Risk’ of serious RTCs and the important need to always drive with utmost care at all times.

Description of the Incidents

There have been 10 serious RTCs in the last 12 months involving RMG vehicles resulting in life-changing injuries or fatalities:

• Two incidents in which a third-party pedestrian in the road was hit by a RMG vehicle;
• Two incidents in which a RMG vehicle impacted with a third-party vehicle from the rear;
• Three incidents in which a RMG vehicle and a third-party vehicle impacted in a head-on collision;
• One incident in which a third-party pedestrian was hit by a reversing RMG vehicle;
• One incident in which a RMG vehicle left the road and exited down an embankment;
• One incident where bricks were thrown from a bridge on to a RMG vehicle.

Key Learning Points, Management Activities and Messages to Staff

• Communicate and display this SHE Flash on the SHE Noticeboard.
• Brief all drivers on this SHE Flash, alerting them to the listed RTC incidents.
• Fatal and Serious RTC incidents can and do happen to RMG drivers resulting in fatalities or life-changing injuries.
• These incidents can happen and do happen on any type of road and at any time.
• Fatal and serious incidents, regardless of blame, can be life changing for all involved.
• These incidents often involve vulnerable persons – such as motorcyclists or pedestrians.
• The impact of a fatality or life-changing injury will be devastating for all those involved and can result in a long period of uncertainty and stress for drivers dealing with the police and enforcement authorities.
• Ensure driver training is completed when possible.
• Ensure the Driver SSoWs and the Highway Code is adhered to.
• Consider vulnerable persons as a particular risk.

Attachment:

• Copy of RMG SHE Safety Flash FY21 005 – Serious and Fatal Road Traffic Accidents involving Royal Mail Group Vehicles

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

21LTB123 Royal Mail Group (SHE) Safety Flash (FY21 005) – Serious and Fatal Road Traffic Accidents involving Royal Mail Group Vehicles

SHE Flash FY21 005 Serious and Fatal RTC Summary

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Royal Mail Group (SHE) Safety Flash (FY21 004) – Electric Tug & Trailer (Workplace Transport) Safe Operations in Mail Centres: (Serious Incident – Injury Accident When Moving Tug and Trailers was In Collision With a Pedestrian Worker)

Introduction and Background:

An urgent ‘Safety Flash’, number FY21 004, has been issued by the Royal Mail Group Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Team (copy attached), following a recent accident in a Mail Centre when a moving tug and trailers was in collision with a pedestrian member of staff who was working in an area too close to the designated tug route. The collision caused injury to the pedestrian.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report that every year, there are over 5000 accidents involving transport in the workplace. About 50 of these result in people being killed. The main causes of injury are people being struck or crushed by vehicles inside the workplace or falling off vehicles. Managers, operators and their safety representatives all have a role to play in avoiding and reducing accident risks. Employers have a legal duty to ensure that the health and safety of their employees are not put at risk as a result of workplace transport operations and workers also have a duty to look after their own health and safety and that of anyone who might be affected by the work they do.

Description of the Incident and Key Issues: 

A Mail Centre member of staff was working in an area of the Mail Centre, too close to the established and marked out tug route and an accident occurred when the individual inadvertently walked into the designated tug route and was hit by a moving electric tug and trailers.

The Issue, Impact, Effect:

• Lack of segregation between employees and workplace transport, mechanical handling equipment (tugs).
• Walkway obstructed.
• Unattended York Container left in the tug route.
• Employee entered into a tug route.
• Serious injury to employee.

Key Learning Points, Management Activities and Messages to Staff:

• Communicate and display this SHE Flash on the SHE noticeboard.
• Brief all employees of the dangers of entering a tug route.
• Remove any obstructions that may be blocking a tug route.
• Always keep designated walkways and tug routes free from any obstruction and clear at all times.
• Brief tug drivers on stopping and removing obstacles on their route rather than driving around them.
• A suitable and safe area must be available for all maintenance works associated with any Materials Handling Equipment.
• Always ensure there is a safe space between the stored containers and the tug route
• Ensure that equipment alongside MHE routes is not a collision risk, consider installing barriers at points of such risk along routes.
• Review tug routes and work areas, remove and relocate any equipment that may cause potential interaction between mechanical equipment and employees.
• Show the MHE film available on Content On Demand, this will be an April 21 SHE Calendar task.

Attachment:

• Copy of RMG SHE Safety Flash FY21 004 – All Mail Centres With Tug Operations

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

21LTB122 Royal Mail Group (SHE) Safety Flash (FY21 004) – Electric Tug & Trailer (Workplace Transport) Safe Operations in Mail Centres

SHE Flash FY21 004 Tug Operations

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BT REPAYMENT PROJECT ENGINEERS DISPUTE – CWU SOLIDARITY FUND

All Branches will be aware that our RPE members have been taking significant levels of strike action in a very bitter dispute with BT over jobs, grading, terms and conditions. 

The members involved in this dispute amount to around 170 workers who perform specialist roles within BT.  These members delivered a resounding yes vote and have now completed 10 days of strike action that has been solidly supported. 

Given the seriousness of the situation, we have pledged that we will not leave this small group of members isolated.  Therefore, the purpose of this LTB is to advise Branches that we have set up a Solidarity Fund that will enable the whole of the CWU to get behind our RPE members.  CWU Headquarters will launch the fund with a £15k contribution and we are asking all Branches (T&FS and Postal) to now make their own contribution.  

Branches wishing to donate can do so by either informing CWU HQ’s (sdgs@cwu.org) of how much they wish to donate and we can arrange for this to be deducted from your Branch rebate, or alternatively donations can be made by bank transfer to the CWU General Fund (CWU General Fund. A/C No. 33019822. Sort Code 60-83-01) quoting reference RPE Strike.

In the best traditions of the CWU and in keeping with our recent approach to actively encourage and promote solidarity in disputes across the whole movement, we now have the opportunity to demonstrate how the CWU stands together with our own members.

Any enquiries on the above LTB should be sent to the General Secretary at jdunn@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward

General Secretary

LTB 119/21 – BT REPAYMENT PROJECT ENGINEERS DISPUTE – CWU SOLIDARITY FUND

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RM Property & Facilities Solutions Limited (PFSL) & CWU Joint Statement – Cleaners Pay

Further to the 2019 joint agreement between PFSL and the CWU regarding pay for CWU represented grades in RM Property & Facilities Solutions Limited (PFSL), we are now pleased to confirm the arrangements for payment of the remaining elements of the pay agreement and to provide advice of the pay increases due from 1^st April 2021. Please see the following for a further breakdown:

Implementation from 1^st April 2021 to be paid in April 2021 Salaries

Cleaners

• A 3.2% consolidated base salary increase effective from 1^st April 2021, flowing through to pensionable cash allowances.
• Those Static and Multi site cleaners on starter rates, will not receive the 3.2% increase, however they will receive the government National Living Wage increase from 1^st April 2021.
• As part of the Agreement there is a joint commitment to move cleaners to the Living Wage Foundation (LWF) pay rate. To support this, we are jointly tracking progress towards this commitment.  The intention is to move cleaners to the LWF rate in 2022 (if this has not been achieved during the 3-year period of the pay agreement). Further joint review meetings will take place in advance of April 2022 in order to ensure that the above commitment is met.

As Branches will appreciate the Joint Statement and the pay agreement is a positive achievement and we are committed to continue to ensure that our cleaning members pay, terms and conditions are improved in line with the Unions policies.

Any queries to the content of the above please contact the Outdoor Department reference 120.02, email address: njones@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Mark Baulch                                                                                       

CWU Assistant Secretary

LTB 118/21 RMPFSL – J.S. – Pay

PFSL CWU Cleaners Pay Joint Statement 2021 Final

What is the Great Daffodil Appeal?

Marie Curie Cancer Care – 2021 Great Daffodil Appeal:

What is the Great Daffodil Appeal?

Every March millions of people across the UK support the Great Daffodil Appeal by simply giving a donation to wear a daffodil pin. By wearing a daffodil you’ll be helping Marie Curie Cancer Care nurse terminally ill people in their final hours.

The CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department are pleased to be able to be supporting the Marie Curie Cancer Care Great Daffodil Appeal again this year and seek your support.

A brief history of Marie Curie Cancer Care

The story begins in 1948, the same year the National Health Service was launched. Not long before the Hampstead-based Marie Curie Hospital was transferred to the NHS, a group of committee members from the hospital decided to preserve the name of Marie Curie in the charitable medical field. This was the beginning of the Marie Curie Memorial Foundation − a charity dedicated to alleviating suffering from cancer today − today known as Marie Curie Cancer Care.

The very first appeal was launched and brought in a substantial £4,000. By 1950 the ongoing appeal had raised a staggering £30,000 and two years later the Marie Curie Memorial Foundation officially became a charity – number 207994.

An extensive nationwide survey was undertaken to help identify medical, nursing and research needs in relation to cancer. The results formed the basis of the work of the Foundation and, largely, still do today.

The charity dedicated itself to:

• Providing specialist homes for the care of cancer patients.
• Providing nursing for patients at home.
• Educating the public on the symptoms and treatment of cancer.
• Providing urgent welfare needs.
• At the time these ideas were quite revolutionary and the Marie Curie Memorial Foundation quickly established itself as a leader in the field of improving facilities for cancer patients.

Today Marie Curie Cancer Care & Nine Hospices:

• is dedicated to providing more and better care for patients and their families through the Marie Curie Nursing Service and its nine hospices,
• is committed to carrying out the research and innovationnecessary to find out what the best possible care is and how best to provide it,
• will ensure measures are in place to give people the choice of place for their end of life care and death through The Marie Curie Delivering Choice Programme,
• is determined that the needs of the dying remain on the political agenda and will continue to campaign for patients to be able to die in their own homes in all four countries of the UK through its policy and public affairs work.

Much has changed since the pioneering days of 1948 but Marie Curie Cancer Care’s core values have remained constant – putting patients and families first.

Request a box of daffodils and Display a box in your workplace:

Request a box of daffodils at:- https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/  A small box can make a big difference. Displaying a daffodil box in your workplace can raise much needed funds to help Marie Curie Cancer Care continue caring for people with terminal illnesses in their place of choice. Simply follow the link and fill in the request form and Marie Curie will send you a box of daffodil pins.

Where is the Money Spent?

Marie Curie Cancer Care spent £166 million on crucial caring services, research into terminal illness, and campaigning for better end of life care, as well as spending funds on improving awareness of the charity and generating future income. The figure is overwhelming, but so is the comfort that the money can provide.

Marie Curie’s Nine Hospices 

Marie Curie Cancer Care has nine hospices and is the biggest provider of hospice beds outside the NHS.

Day services 

Marie Curie Hospice day services offer flexibility and choice. People can attend a specific clinic, or a longer session tailored to individual needs. Marie Curie’s expert staff help people manage their symptoms and enhance their feeling of wellbeing. People have the opportunity to meet other people, share experiences, find the information they need and take part in a range of activities.

Marie Curie Nursing Services

Marie Curie’s network of nurses can support people and their family at home in their own familiar surroundings. Marie Curie Nurses and Healthcare Assistants provide one-to-one nursing care in people’s homes during the day and at night for between three and nine hours. They cover 95 per cent of the UK from remote Scottish islands, through villages and towns to the biggest cities.

Marie Curie Helpers

Marie Curie’s trained volunteers provide one-to-one emotional support and practical information to help people and their family cope with a life-limiting illness.

Get in touch

Marie Curie is grateful for the support of Trade Unions supporting Marie Curie Cancer Care and if interested will keep you up to date from time to time with details of how your support can help them care for patients and their families and will email you with information on how you can support Marie Curie and help them provide vital care to terminally ill people in your local area and across the UK. If you wish to receive such information by email just let them know:

By phone

Call free phone 0800 716 146
(Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 5.00 pm)

By post

Write to:
Marie Curie Cancer Care
89 Albert Embankment
London
SE1 7TP
E-mail
supporter.relations@mariecurie.org.uk
A member of the team will be in touch.

Marie Curie vision and strategic plan

• Putting patients and families first
• Everyone with cancer and other illnesses to have the high quality care and support they need at the end of their life in the place of their choice.

Marie Curie key objectives over the next three years include:

Better care

• Delivering the right care, in the right place, at the right time
• Hospices being the hub of their communities
• Always improving quality

Wider reach

• Research and development to improve end of life care for everyone
• Being better known and understood
• Helping communities build better local care

Stronger foundations

• Increasing the money raised to fund services
• Growing volunteer support
• Improving efficiency and effectiveness, always demonstrating value for money

Please give your support.

For more information:

Marie Curie Cancer Care:- https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/ – Tel: free phone 0800 716 146

Macmillan Cancer Support:-http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Home.aspx – Tel: free phone0808 808 00 00

NHS Choices:- http://www.nhs.uk/Pages/HomePage.aspx – Tel: NHS Direct 0845 4647

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 120/21 – Marie Curie Cancer Care – 2021 Great Daffodil Appeal

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POST OFFICE: POSTMASTERS: HORIZON INQUIRY – COURT OF APPEAL AND
GOVERNMENT BAIL-OUT FOR HISTORICAL SHORTFALL SCHEME

Branches are advised that a 5 day hearing is being held from 22nd March for the main
group of 42 appellants (former Postmasters and victims of the Horizon scandal) asking for
their convictions to be overturned. There are 2 limbs to the appeal when it comes to
wrongful convictions based on an abuse of process:

• Limb 1 is the lack of disclosure of vital evidence. The Post Office have conceded
  they are guilty of Limb 1 in the majority of the cases before the Court of Appeal.
• Limb 2 is the prosecutions were an affront to the public conscience. This is much
  more serious as it means the Post Office knew they should not be bringing the
  prosecutions but chose to do so anyway. The Post Office is resisting Limb 2 in all
  but 4 of the 42 convictions before the Court.

Also it should be noted that 6 former Postmasters have already had their convictions
overturned last December at Southwark Crown Court. These cases had been referred by
the CCRC and were heard at the Crown Court rather than the Court of Appeal as the 6
Postmasters were originally convicted at magistrates Courts. Crucially the Post Office did
not contest any of the appeals. LTB 594/20 dated 14th December 2020 refers.
The Court of Appeal’s deliberations has already featured highly across mainstream
broadcasting and wider media (indeed there was a feature on yesterday’s Radio 4 Today
programme). Clearly the Post Office is under immense scrutiny once again over this
appalling scandal.

A number of journalists yesterday picked up on a damning quote from Sam Stein, QC for
some of those appealing, who said in court: “The Post Office has turned itself into the
nation’s most untrustworthy brand.”

Below are a number of relevant media links:

https://www.postofficetrial.com/2021/03/post-office-shredded-documents-and.html

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/22/former-subpostmasters-begincourt-appeal-to-clear-their-names

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9388775/Dozens-subpostmasters-begin-legalbid-clear-names-Court-Appeal.html

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/court-of-appeal-fraser-high-court-ccrc-horizonb925514.html

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/former-post-office-workers-appeal-20228482

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/finance/news/post-office-turned-itself-nation-135817227.html

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252498245/Post-Office-staff-instructed-toshred-documents-that-undermined-its-claims-Horizon-was-robust

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252498067/Subpostmasters-in-Court-of-Appeal-to-end-20-year-torment

Government to Provide Funding for Historic Horizon Shortfall Scheme

Paul Scully, BEIS Minister announced last Thursday 18th March that the Government
would be providing funding for the historic shortfall scheme in relation to problems with
the Horizon system which over 2400 Postmasters have applied for. The Minister stated
“…the cost of the Scheme is beyond what the business can afford”. Below is the
full statement from Government:

Problems with the Post Office’s Horizon IT System have affected the lives and
livelihoods of many postmasters.

Over the years, the Horizon accounting system recorded shortfalls in cash in
branches. The Post Office at the time thought that some of these were caused by
postmasters, and this led to dismissals, recovery of losses by POL and, in some
instances, criminal prosecutions.

A group of 555 of these postmasters, led by former postmaster Alan Bates, brought
a group litigation claim against the Post Office in 2016. It is clear from the findings
of Mr Justice Fraser, just how wrong Post Office was in its relationship with
postmasters and that there were clear failings with the Horizon system.

The Government pays tribute to those postmasters and colleagues across the House
who continue to shine a spotlight on such an important issue.

The Post Office reached a full and final settlement with claimants in the group
litigation in December 2019 and apologised for its past failings. That settlement was
an important step towards addressing the wrongs of the past, but it was only the
start of a long journey for the Post Office to repair and strengthen the relationship
with postmasters.

As part of the settlement the Post Office agreed to set up the Historical Shortfall
Scheme. The Scheme was open to current and former postmasters who did not
participate in the group litigation claim against Post Office and did not have a criminal
conviction, but who may have experienced and repaid Horizon shortfalls. It is
therefore an important step in making sure that all those who were affected have the
opportunity to seek resolution.

The Scheme closed in August 2020 and received over 2,400 applications. This
number was higher than the Post Office had anticipated when the Scheme was
established. All of these applications of course need to be properly assessed.

The Post Office is committed to the successful delivery and timely completion of the
Historical Shortfall Scheme. However, the cost of the Scheme is beyond what the
business can afford.

The Government will therefore provide sufficient financial support to Post Office to
ensure that the Scheme can proceed, based on current expectations of the likely
cost. The BEIS Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is
providing this support in his capacity as sole shareholder in the Post Office.

There are two reasons this is being done.

First, we must ensure that those postmasters who have applied to this scheme are
able to seek redress. By supporting the Scheme, we will make it possible for these
postmasters to be fairly compensated.

Second, we must protect the post office network. As we have seen through the
pandemic, it provides essential services to citizens across the country.

Without this support the Post Office would be unable to deliver fully the Historical
Shortfall Scheme and it would be unable to continue to operate its network as we
know it today. This is a critical intervention that benefits current and former
postmasters and the millions of customers that rely on their local post office branch.

The final cost of delivering the Historical Shortfall Scheme will be determined over
the coming months, including through the work of an Independent Panel. This
support will ensure that postmasters are appropriately compensated, however we
will not spend more of taxpayer’s money than is necessary to ensure the Scheme
meets its objectives.

The Post Office is rightly contributing what it can from its own resources to the
delivery of the Scheme.

While it is important that the Scheme remains independent of Government it is also
important that this shareholder support delivers Value for Money. The Government
is confident that the controls in place in the design of the Historical Shortfall Scheme
will make sure this is the case.

The Post Office will make the first offers to applicants shortly. However, given the
number of applications it will take time to work through all the claims that Post Office
has received. The Government would therefore like to thank postmasters in advance
for their patience and reassure them that their claims will be properly handled.

The Horizon dispute has affected the lives of too many people and supporting the
Scheme operated by Post Office will help them right the wrongs of the past.
We must also ensure that a situation like this can never be allowed to occur again.
That is why this Government has asked Sir Wyn Williams to lead the Post Office
Horizon IT Inquiry.

Sir Wyn’s Inquiry will work to fully understand what happened, gather available
evidence and ensure lessons have been learnt so that this cannot occur again. It will
also look specifically at whether the Historical Shortfall Scheme is being properly
delivered. The Government looks forward to receiving Sir Wyn’s report in the
Summer.

This announcement also attracted media attention on the day such as the following stories
in Computer Weekly and the Daily Mail:

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252498087/Government-to-bail-out-Post-Office-which-cant-afford-to-pay-compensation-to-subpostmasters

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9378827/Taxpayer-foot-bill-Post-Office-fiascopredicted-run-hundreds-millions.html

In conclusion, it is clear that the scale of this scandal is huge and, if the Post Office was a
private company, it would to all intents and purposes be bankrupt and calling in the
receivers. This is why the Government has had to step in and underwrite reparations for
the historical shortfall scheme. We can only assume that the overall compensation linked
to this scheme is enormous bearing in mind that the Post Office reached an out of court
settlement with the Justice for SubPostmasters Alliance (JFSA) of c.£58m in December
2019. It should also be noted that the Post Office has yet to publish its Annual Report &
Accounts for 2019/20 and will need to do so by the end of this month. Clearly it was
unable to do this previously, until the Government committed to the bail-out. We will of
course be scrutinising the Report & Accounts very carefully as the £58m doesn’t include
the Post Office’s legal costs.

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary

LTB 116/21 – Post Office – Postmasters – Horizon Inquiry – Court of Appeal and Government Bail-Out for Historical Shortfall Scheme

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Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 31 – March-April 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.

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. The CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department would like to thank Graham for his excellent and dedicated work and input over the years on health, safety & environmental issues and campaigning and we wish him and his successors well in the future.

A copy of the GJA Newsletter No. 31 is attached.

Newsletter 31 looks at:

• Green Jobs – the failings of the budget – the FOE Apprenticeship Report – Parliamentary inquiry and GND campaign,
• Introduction to the new TUC officers for industry and climate and a model for training on organising for just transition in workplaces from the Wales TUC,
• Debating points on Net Zero v Zero Carbon, Climate jobs vs Green jobs and airport expansion,
• Links to studies on clean air and low emissions zone regulations,
• A roadmap to the COP (annual UN climate change conference). COP stands for Conference of the Parties, and the summit will be attended by the countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – a treaty that came into force in 1994).

Contents of GJA Newsletter No 31:

1. Editorial: Budget. Where are the Green Jobs?
2. Green Jobs and Skills
3. TUC appoints Policy Officers for Industry and Climate
4. Fight the Fire Book Review
5. Challenging bad air inside and outside the workplace
6. Leeds Bradford Airport: Fight the expansion
7. New resource – Greener workplaces for a just transition
8. The Roadmap to the COP
9. GJA AGM

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 117/21 – Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No. 31 – March-April 2021

GJA-Newsletter-31-MarApril-2021

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Joint Statement between RM National Distribution and the CWU on the Deployment of the 2020/21 National Network Revision – Update

The above Joint Statement communicated to Branches in LTB 056/21 detailed the process for the progression of the National Network Review. Stage 1 of the process, Data Gathering commenced on the 15th February 2021 and concluded on the 26th February. 

The expectation when the Joint Statement was concluded was that in line with previous National Revisions, Stage 2 of the process, the National review of the first cut Paragon outputs would follow immediately, however Royal Mail have informed the department that circumstances this year have resulted in an unavoidable delay.

We are informed that the data gathering process has exposed significant data gaps in the National Road Service List (RSL) data bank, due to the amount of change in Network volume and volumetric during the last year as a result of the Covid -19 pandemic and the associated changes in customer habits. The potential base RSL is in the region of 30k hours greater than the one used in the last Network review in 2018 with substantial increases in customer collections and the number of DO Feeder runs performed by National Distribution.

Royal Mail have indicated that updating the RSL in preparation for the running of Paragon has proved difficult to the point that rebuilding the RSL is easier than updating the previous version.

Given the above the release of the first cut Paragon outputs has been delayed and is now anticipated to be completed in mid-April. The process will recommence from that point in line with the Joint Statement.

The department has reminded Royal Mail of the agreed timelines signed up to in the Pathway to Change agreement to the deployment of the revision and the delivery of the SWW, equivalent benefit and impressed on the company our concern at the delay and our aspiration to reduce any delay to a minimum.

Further updates will be provided as the revised timeline is confirmed.

For the avoidance of doubt this delay only affects the National Distribution (Network) Review. 

Data Gathering has been completed at most Area Distribution sites and arrangements are being progressed to move to PAD Revision proposals on a site by site basis, as soon as the completed RSL information is available.

The department has been receiving some enquiries in relation to the commencement of the local discussions on the Network Review. We would therefore request that Branches and Representatives use the contents of this LTB to update our Network Professional Driver members on the current status of the activity.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.orgquoting reference: 233.15

Yours sincerely

Davie Robertson

Assistant Secretary

LTB 115/21

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Online Activity & Rally – UN Anti-Racism Day

On March 20th, 2021, UN Anti-Racism Day of events will take place in cities, communities and online events around the world organised by Stand Up To Racism and supported by the TUC.

At 1PM across the country people will be Taking The Knee with a live link-up to events takingplace around the world between 1-2PM. On social media please use the following hashtags #TakeTheKnee, #WorldAgainstRacism and #KillTheBill

A National Online Rally will take place at 5PM with speakers representing communities and organisations that make up the anti-racist movement in Britain and globally. A link to the event is also on the CWU Equality Month programme of events.

The CWU has long been at the forefront of pushing a strong anti-racism message and we are encouraging our representatives to register via the eventbrite – please share and also encourage your members to do so.

Any queries on this LTB should be directed to equality&education@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development

LTB 114/21 – Online Activity & Rally – UN Anti-Racism Day

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Correspondence with UK Government Calling For Priority Covid-19 Vaccinations For CWU Members:

CWU/HQ has been lobbying the UK Government at both a number of Skype meetings and in correspondence for priority to be given to postal workers in the next phase of the vaccine rollout programme along with other essential workers such as the Police, emergency services workers and teachers.

The Government and government agencies have been asked to recognise that CWU members/postal workers, POL and BT workers have come through a really tough time over the last year.

As ‘essential workers’ the Royal Mail, Parcelforce, plus POL and BT workforce have worked non-stop throughout the pandemic and lockdowns with no furlough paid time off arrangements, keeping the population in touch, providing a lifeline to communities across the UK, delivering record high levels of mail, parcels, essential goods, medications, Christmas gifts etc., providing access to the new on-line market place as the high street locked down and the population turned to e-commerce and the internet market. Additionally, the Royal Mail workforce has been called upon and indeed depended on by the Government, NHS, DHSC etc., to collect and deliver millions of Covid-19 test kits.

Sadly, a number of postmen and women have died of the Covid-19 virus and tens of thousands have been infected and made very ill in many cases, some have had to fight for their lives – but still this great CWU member workforce has coped and delivered for the Government and the nation.

Attached is the Union’s latest letter to Ministers and the recently received response from the Minister’s assistant which in summary:

• Thanks the Union for the letter to Health Minister Matt Hancock.
• Understands the Union’s concerns.
• Confirms that the Government is being guided by the advice of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), the Chief Scientific Adviser, Chief Medical Officer and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) about which groups of people should be prioritised for COVID-19 vaccines.
• The collective conclusion of these experts is that the most effective way to minimise hospitalisations and deaths is to prioritise vaccinations of people by age.
• The experts have additionally concluded that targeted vaccination priority to occupational groups at higher risk of exposure would not be as effective in reducing deaths and hospitalisations as direct protection of those at higher risk of serious disease and an age-based programme.
• Delivery of a programme targeting occupations such as postal workers, Police, emergency services etc., would be operationally very complex and would risk slowing down the pace of the vaccination programme.
• An age-based programme will still protect individuals (such as postal workers) working in jobs with a potentially higher risk of exposure to the virus, with the most vulnerable in those occupations vaccinated first.
• Finally, the Government is making excellent progress with over 24million first dose vaccinations given to the most vulnerable and those who care for them, and the programme is on track to meet vaccination of all adults by the end of July.

Attachments: 

Copies of most recent letter to Health Minister and Reply.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

21LTB113 Correspondence with UK Government Calling For Priority Covid-19 Vaccinations For CWU Members

Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP

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