POST OFFICE: NEW LONG TERM COMMERCIAL AGREEMENT WITH ROYAL MAIL

Branches are advised that Post Office and Royal Mail have today announced a
commercial agreement known as the “second Mails Distribution Agreement”,
commencing on 29 March 2021 and operating for 11 years until 28 March 2032. A
press release between the two parties has been published today and is attached.

We welcome the principle of this new agreement as it hopefully brings some stability
for our Postmasters and directly employed members. We do though have some genuine
reservations as it seems the Post Office / Royal Mail relationship is no longer “exclusive”.
This is confirmed in Post Office CEO Nick Read’s statement via a “One Update” to
employees (also attached):

“The new agreement also provides exciting opportunities to open our network
to other potential providers and online retailers, ultimately paving the way to
increased volumes and remuneration.”

Currently we only have the joint press release and internal Post Office communication
to consider and will therefore be asking for more details in relation to the agreement.
Patently we need to understand the full implications of these “exciting opportunities”
and what they could mean for our members (particularly in terms of remuneration for
Postmasters for the handling of additional parcels etc.) We intend to engage with the
Post Office at the earliest opportunity to get full disclosure of the details of the
agreement so we can determine the wider implications.

We should all remember this new commercial agreement is only necessary due to the
political sabotage which took place in April 2012 when Post Office was separated from
the privatised Royal Mail. Clearly both organisations should be one entity, as is the
case with postal services around the world.

Yours sincerely

Terry Pullinger                                Andy Furey
Deputy General Secretary (P)        Assistant Secretary

LTB 599/20 – Post Office – New Long Term Commercial Agreement with Royal Mail

Attachment 1 to LTB 599/20

Attachment 2 to LTB 599/20

York Container Shortages and Repatriation – Assistance Request:

As all Reps will know, the ‘double-whammy’ impact of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, regional restrictions and high street closures, has resulted in the public turning to the on-line internet market. This trend has been further accelerated during the Christmas peak, resulting in record levels of parcel and packet traffic, the sum total of which cannot be underestimated.

Royal Mail has put a record number – 630,000 Yorks into service, including an extra 70,000 purchased this year, all of which have been soaked up by the operation and the massive increase in parcel/packet traffic.

Royal Mail Container Control have appealed to the Union for assistance, requesting CWU Representatives across the country, at every level, help them in improving and speeding up the repatriation of Yorks to where they are needed in the network operation.

Royal Mail has deployed additional support teams including the setting up of a Tactical Container Control Room to support the movement of Yorks and pipeline leads in each service delivery area are helping co-ordinate the repatriation of York containers from Delivery Offices to Mail Centres and RDCs.

To support this further, would all local Area and Unit Safety Reps plus Delivery and Distribution Reps report any office where there is a build-up of Yorks in the Delivery Offices which are not being cleared and returned to the Mail Centres and RDCs to the Tactical Container Control Room. This information will be of great assistance in ensuring that the empty, static Yorks can be recovered back to where they are needed promptly in order to keep them moving to support the operational upstream and importantly help keep the operational offices safe.

Please share this communication with your Unit Reps.

REPORTS TO THE ROYAL MAIL NATIONAL CONTAINER CONTROL ROOM CAN BE SENT BY TEXT, E-MAIL OR TELEPHONE – PHOTOS CAN BE SENT ALSO TO:

ian.j.macdonald@royalmail.com

Mobile:- 07436560875

Thanks for your help.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 598/20 – York Container Shortages and Repatriation – Assistance Request

RM/CWU – Joint Statement Attendance on Saturday, 26th December 2020

Branches and representatives will be aware that discussions with Royal Mail on the escalating Test Kit operation have been ongoing, which has included the requirement to provide a Test Kit operation on Saturday, 26th December 2020. 

Colleagues will also be aware that Saturday, 26th December has been designated a Non USO day and that the attendance on that day would be voluntary and would attract Monday to Saturday Scheduled Attendance rates. 

Take up has been slow and discussions have continued on additional remuneration to make working on this day more attractive to volunteers. These discussions have now produced the attached Joint Statement, which has been endorsed by the Postal Executive. The document outlines the provision of additional non-pensionable lump sum payments that the company is willing to offer to improve take up by our members.

The additional lump sum payment (non-pensionable) and criteria is as follows:

• Attendances that are for four hours and beyond and up to eight hours will receive an additional lump sum payment of £38.
• Attendances that are in excess of eight hours or more will receive an additional lump sum payment of £60.

While the initial focus was on the provision of the Test Kit service, at the request of the CWU the business has agreed to extend the payments on an exceptional basis to all OPGs, OSGs, MGV Drivers, Mail Screeners, MDECs, Processing Engineers, LA’s, Network Professional Drivers and Fleet Technicians who perform and attend on Saturday, 26th December 2020 in Royal Mail. We have clarified that this will also include Royal Mail International (RMI) and Royal Mail Specialist Services/Relay (RMSS). 

We are sure this additional payment will be welcomed by our members and we hope that it will encourage additional volunteers to attend on Saturday, 26th December 2020 to support the operation. 

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be directed to the relevant Officer with responsibility for the function concerned.

Yours sincerely

Davie Robertson – Assistant Secretary

Mark Baulch – Assistant Secretary

Andy Furey – Assistant Secretary

Carl Maden – Assistant Secretary (Acting)

LTB 597/20

Attachment 1 – JS Attendance on Saturday 26 December 17.12.20

Royal Mail Group – Latest Updated Coronavirus/Covid-19 – Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Guidance Document (Version 73):

I attach for your information Version 73 of the Royal Mail Group, Managers’ Coronavirus/Covid-19 Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Guidance document, issued by the business on 10 December 2020.

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

The Coronavirus Guidance, version 73 Q&A document has been shared with the Union’s Health, Safety & Environment Department and is hereby circulated for information and reference purposes for CWU Health and Safety Reps and Branch IR Reps.

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

Please note that changes and additions from the previous version are highlighted in ‘Yellow’.

NOTE: Please also note that these Q & A documents are ‘Royal Mail Group’ advice documents and all the contents are not agreed with the CWU.

Contents List:

1. HEALTH

1. Prevention
2. Self-isolation, testing and reporting
3. Cleaning and consumables
4. Travel
5. Support and advice
6. POLICY 

1. General guidance
2. Travel/and annual holiday
3. Caring for dependants
4. Sick pay
5. Attendance process
6. Vulnerable employees
7. OPERATIONAL

4. General Ops advice
5. NHS testing kits
6. Operational processes and reporting changes
7. Delivering and collecting from customers
8. Fleet and vehicles
9. ADVICE FOR CUSTOMERS 

Any enquiries to this LTB or feedback on the RMG Q&A document should be directed to Dave Joyce CWU National Health, Safety & Environment Officer.

Attachment:

• Coronavirus Guidance Questions and Answers V73

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 596/20 – Royal Mail Group – Latest Updated Coronavirus Covid-19 – Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Guidance Document (Version 73)

Coronavirus Guidance Questions and Answers v73

Royal Mail Offices ‘Covid-Secure’ Safety Compliance & Container Equipment Inspection Programme Plus Inspection Check-List:

Ongoing discussions have been taking place between the Health, Safety & Environment Department and Royal Mail Group regarding a range of ‘Covid-Secure’ safety compliance concerns raised by the CWU and the enforcing authorities (HSE and Local Authority EHOs).

In response, Freddie Warnock RMG UK National Operations Safety Health & Environment Strategic Business Partner has initiated a national workplace ‘Covid-Secure’ Safety Compliance & Container Equipment Inspection Programme and has produced the attached simple short ‘Inspection Check-List’ document to be completed for each site with the results recorded and fed into the Royal Mail Group ‘SMAT’ (Audit) Database.

During December all RMG SHE Advisors (BPs) have been requested to engage with CWU ASRs and plan two visits per week covering RMG Offices to check on the following with either the office manager or shift manager:

• Social distancing requirements are being met.
• Face masks are being worn properly.
• Hand sanitising equipment is available and is being used.
• Cleaning schedules are being met – checking with the cleaning manager/cleaner.
• York Containers are being used and are being loaded and transported properly (taking photographs of good and bad practices).
• York Containers are not being left in the yard empty instead of being repatriated – to help address the national shortage.
• York Containers are being wrongly used for storing D2D, cardboard, cleaning materials, PPE stores or other objects – rather than the correct use for trays of mail, bags or parcels.

The findings will also be shared with the office manager and SDL for remedial action.

The proposal is that these inspections will be undertaken ‘jointly’ with RMG SHE Advisors (BPs) and CWU ASRs undertaking the health and safety Covid-Secure/Covid-Safe joint inspections and Container Inspections on a weekly basis.

Attached is a ‘Best Practice Check-List’ to be used in this joint inspection programme in order to focus on the primary important range of Coronavirus ‘Covid-Secure’ controls, plus carry out a container equipment check due to the severe shortage of York containers presently.

Would all ASRs engage with the RMG SHE Team Advisors (BPs) on this programme – which is welcomed by CWU/HQ.

This programme does not affect, alter or change in any way the CWU Area Health and Safety Reps’ normally planned and scheduled Health and Safety Inspections programme, spot check inspections or investigations etc. Likewise, the attached ‘Check List’ does not limit the reporting of any other Health and Safety inspection or investigation findings and reports by CWU ASRs during workplace visits.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 595/20 – Royal Mail Offices ‘Covid-Secure’ Safety Compliance & Container Equipment Inspection Programme Plus Inspection Check-List

Attachment – Copy of Unit Covid Equipment Inspection Sheet v1.1

POST OFFICE: HORIZON SCANDAL – SIX CONVICTIONS OVERTURNED

Branches are advised that on Friday 11th December 6 former Postmasters who were wrongfully convicted as a consequence of the Horizon scandal had their convictions quashed at Southwark Crown Court. This is obviously very good news for the 6 victims and some sense of justice has finally been achieved after many years for these innocent people. We believe those wrongfully convicted now need to receive proper compensation from the Post Office or Government for having their lives ruined by this terrible scandal. The problem is, how can these victims be meaningfully compensated for the huge personal losses they have suffered – not just financially but to the distress and damage this caused to their reputations within the communities and their livelihoods?

As these particular 6 Postmasters were originally prosecuted in magistrates’ courts, their cases were heard in the Crown Court, whereas the other 41 people (a total of 47 cases were referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission) were prosecuted in the Crown Court and therefore their appeals will be heard in the Court of Appeal on 22nd March 2021. The Post Office confirmed on 2nd October it will not oppose or contest 44 out of the 47 total cases. The CCRC tweeted the following on Friday:

“Great news from Sout[h]wark Crown Court – convictions quashed in all six of these @ccrcupdate Post Office Horizon referrals”

The following news articles were published in relation to this development:

History made as subpostmasters wrongly prosecuted in Horizon IT scandal have convictions quashed (computerweekly.com)

Post Office scandal: Postmasters have convictions quashed – BBC News

https://news.sky.com/story/former-post-office-sub-postmasters-have-convictions-over-it-scandal-quashed-12158093

https://www.postofficetrial.com/2020/12/first-subpostmaster-convictions-quashed.html

The story also gained TV coverage on ITV and BBC Friday evening.

Independent Horizon Inquiry – Chaired by Sir Wyn Williams

We continue to work with the General Secretary’s Department and our Research Department on preparing and finalising our submission to the inquiry (the closing date is 23rd February 2021). Mark Baker, Postmasters Branch Secretary will also be participating in “focus groups” to be run by Sir Wyn Williams’ office as part of the inquiry.

At the invitation of Sir Wyn Williams, we met with him and his team on 3rd November. As you will be aware, we do have some reservations about the inquiry in that it was non-statutory and therefore Sir Wyn would not be able to compel witnesses, including ex Post Office Senior Directors to give evidence. However, we felt it was important to participate in the inquiry, including providing written submissions, as we are keen that the CWU’s voice is heard and hopefully we will be able to positively influence the outcome.

Furthermore, following internal discussions we identified an area of serious concern regarding the issue of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs). Over the last few years, many Post Office Directors and senior Managers have left the business via a Settlement Agreement which contain legally binding NDAs. We felt that certain individuals could hide behind these NDAs as a convenient excuse not to give evidence to the inquiry. In addition, other key witnesses may have felt inhibited in coming forward for fear of legal action by the Post Office. We therefore wrote to Sir Wyn (letter attached) on 23rd November to raise our legitimate concerns directly with him and ask whether he could provide reassurances that those who may wish to participate in the inquiry would be fully protected legally if they were critical of the Post Office. Basically we wanted to ensure that the threat of the Post Office invoking the “gagging clause” in a NDA wouldn’t impact upon witnesses coming forward.

The response below was received from Sir Wyn on 8th December:

Dear Mr Furey,

I am writing you let you know that Post Office Limited has indicated it will waive any confidentiality obligations owed to the organisation by current or former postmasters/employees so that such individuals may engage freely with the Inquiry. The waiver is limited in purpose so it applies to any current or former postmaster or Post Office Limited employee who wants to engage with the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.

The specific words that Post Office Limited used are, “Post Office is committed to helping the Inquiry meet its objectives. Consistent with that commitment, Post Office will not seek to enforce the terms of any non-disclosure agreement it may have with a past or present Post Office employee or postmaster so as to prevent him or her from assisting the Inquiry.

The scope and operation of any waiver will need to reflect the specific agreement entered into with the individual, given that the terms, rationale for them, and extent to which it might be appropriate to maintain them for matters outside of the Inquiry and its terms of reference, will be case specific. It would however reflect the overarching principle that Post Office will enable the individual to participate in the Inquiry free from any inhibition created by an NDA. Your proposal to publish the waivers is noted, and we welcome the opportunity to discuss with you how and when this could best be done (my emphasis in bold).”

I have said from the outset that transparency and fairness are important parts of how I want the Inquiry to proceed. With this in mind, you will note that I have copied Mr Williams (Head of Legal) and Mr Salter (Director) from the Post Office Limited into this correspondence so that they may see how I am conveying the result of my engagement with them about NDAs and the potentially inhibiting effect of these on individuals’ participation in the Inquiry. I sought a waiver in good faith and having received it I expect that it will be honoured. The waiver offered by Post Office Limited has a specific purpose and on this occasion I have chosen to communicate with you and add representatives of Post Office Limited as copy recipients so they may see that I am conveying what they have communicated to me. I neither sought nor have I received a broad waiver that enables current and former postmasters/Post Office Limited employees to breach the terms of an NDA with Post Office Limited for purposes outside participation in the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry and it is important that this is understood widely.

I take this all to mean that for any former or current postmaster or employee of Post Office Limited who may have felt unable to speak to me/the Inquiry because of an NDA with Post Office Limited may now do so without risk of any action by Post Office Limited in response to co-operation with the Inquiry.

Yours sincerely,

Sir Wyn Williams FLSW

Clearly the above is a positive development and in particular will provide guarantees that there will be no victimisation of anyone who may have otherwise been reticent about participating in the inquiry.

APPG

Last week I was invited to the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Post Offices meeting chaired by Marion Fellows MP. The Horizon inquiry was discussed in detail and Marion Fellows and Lord Arbuthnot explained that they had also recently met with Sir Wyn Williams. Alan Bates from the Justice for SubPostmasters Alliance (JFSA) gave an update as to the status of their complaint of “maladministration” against BEIS and the Government which was submitted to the parliamentary ombudsman on 1st December. We will be keeping a close eye on developments in this area.

Former CEO Paula Vennells to Step Down from NHS Role

On 3rd December, just 18 months into her four year term, former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells announced she was stepping down from her role as Chairman of Imperial College Healthcare Trust in April. The statement (via the Trust) in which Paula Vennells said this was a “personal decision” is contained within the following link:

https://www.imperial.nhs.uk/about-us/news/trust-chair-to-step-down-next-april

Clearly the pressure is mounting on Paula Vennells who held the Network Director and subsequently CEO role at the Post Office. During this time, a significant number of decisions were made with regards to the prosecution of Postmasters due to discrepancies in their accounts because of the faulty Horizon system. Ms Vennells still holds non-Executive Director roles at retailer Dunelm and the supermarket Morrison.

The following media articles were published in relation to the resignation from the NHS Trust:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9028555/amp/Now-disgraced-ex-Post-Office-boss-Paula-Vennells-forced-55k-NHS-job.html?ito=amp_twitter_share-top&__twitter_impression=true

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252493199/Post-Office-IT-scandal-CEO-Paula-Vennells-jumps-NHS-ship-as-pressure-mounts

https://www.postofficetrial.com/2020/12/vennells-steps-down-from-nhs-trust.html

Petition to Strip Paula Vennells of her CBE

Branches are advised there is also a petition (signed by 749 people at the time of writing this LTB) conducted by 38 Degrees circulating on social media with regards to stripping Paula Vennells of her CBE. The link is as follows:

Strip Paula Vennells of her CBE | 38 Degrees

Former Director Angela Van Den Bogerd appointed to FAW

Another former Senior Post Office Director, Angela Van Den Bogerd who Justice Fraser said obfuscated and misled the court in 2019 has recently been appointed as the Football Association of Wales’s new Head of People. The BBC published the following story on its website on 3rd December.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-55181709

In addition, an article was published in the Western Mail on 10th December and was picked up by Jack Sargeant MS, Welsh Labour politician for Alyn and Deeside in the following Tweet. Branches will note that Jack Sargeant is expecting “an answer to question I have asked the @FAWales”

https://twitter.com/JackSargeantAM/status/1336988423157112832

A further article appeared in Computer Weekly on 14th December:

Appointment of disgraced former Post Office executive at Welsh FA questioned by MP (computerweekly.com)

All of the above demonstrates that the Horizon scandal will continue to remain in the public eye and will run into 2021. Indeed Sir Wyn Williams is planning to publish his recommendations to his inquiry next summer which means that the long road to justice for hundreds of Postmasters will continue to take time. What is clear is that the spotlight is firmly on those people who are clearly accountable and this must continue, together with political pressure on the Government. It mustn’t be forgotten, this scandal has already cost the Post Office over £100m and this will continue to rise once compensation is awarded to those who are eventually exonerated at the Court of Appeal together with the six at Southwark Crown Court.

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary

Attachment 1: LTB 594/20- Post Office – Horizon Scandal – Six Convictions Overturned

Attachment 2: 2020.11.23 Sir Wyn Williams – Non-Disclosure Agreements and Protection for Whistleblowers

An update on the Royal Mail Group talks from DGSP Terry Pullinger https://fb.watch/2nsEe-wlnf/

https://fb.watch/2nvr4w1mwh/

https://fb.watch/2nvWLqmfoM/

Please share as widely as possible.

UK Chief Medical Officers’ Announcement on the Self-Isolation Period Change From 14 Days to 10 Days From Today Monday 14 December 2020:

Last Friday a change to the self-isolation period from 14 to 10 days was announced by the UK’s 4 Chief Medical Officers.

This change will apply in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland from today, Monday 14 December. It already applies in Wales.

Self-isolation is essential for reducing the spread of COVID-19 as it breaks the chains of transmission. After reviewing the evidence, the Chief Medical Officers are now confident that the UK can reduce the number of days that contacts self-isolate for from 14 days to 10 days.

People who return from countries which are not on the travel corridor list should also self-isolate for 10 days instead of 14 days. The passenger locator form for UK arrivals will be updated from today.

People who test positive should continue to self-isolate for 10 days from onset of symptoms or 10 days from point of taking a positive test if they were asymptomatic. This will also apply to contacts and to all those who are currently self-isolating including those who commenced self-isolation before Monday. Self-isolation periods will begin on the day after exposure, a test or the start of symptoms.

The NHS Test and Trace service will tell people to self-isolate for 10 days instead of 14 days from today.

Due to the time taken to make and test technical IT changes and release updates through the App Store, the NHS COVID-19 App will tell close contacts to isolate for 10 days instead of 14 days from Thursday 17 December.

In England, people receiving a notification from the NHS COVID-19 App before 17 December to isolate because they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive:

• Must follow isolation guidance provided by contact tracers if contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
• Can leave isolation when the isolation countdown timer says 3 days, if they were advised to isolate by the App (and not by NHS Test and Trace).

The Chief Medical Officers, UK Governments and Department of Health and Social Care are urging everyone to self-isolate when appropriate as it will save lives.

The Announcement was made jointly by:

Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty

Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland, Dr. Michael McBride

Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, Dr. Gregor Smith

Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr. Frank Atherton

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

20LTB593 UK Chief Medical Officers’ Announcement on the Self-Isolation Period Change From 14 Days to 10 Days From Today Monday 14 December 2020

Update from Martin Walsh from CWU PEC

“It would not be right for me to reveal the details of the talks as they are at a crucial stage.

However I can say that the talks are about agreeing guiding principles some of which will need further detail and agreement.

This potential covers a magnitude of issues ranging from: pay, shorter working week, job security, MTSF, parcel growth now in the future including 24/7 operation, The New Parcel Hubs, legal guarantees, 4 pillars, productivity and efficiency, revisions/ frequency, scan in scan out and what it can and can’t be used for, new trial process, Dispute resolution process, culture, resource scheduler and USO debate.

So you can see it covers a range of Issues and out of each of those principles there a myriad of sub sections for example delivery revisions, you have the model week, The new FMO process, new revision process .

I won’t go into further detail until of any of the above but negotiations are not only about agreeing issues but also agreeing a form of words which both sides are happy with.

1. Any pay deal has to be put to the membership it is within the CWU Rule Book. That has to be an individual member ballot ie postal ballot.
2. Pay cannot be separated from the overall agreement as clearly Royal Mail want certain issues to resolved so they can be confident in funding a pay agreement.
3. Anyone who has been in high level talks know that it is one thing agreeing issues, it is another getting a form of words which both parties are happy with. Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. Remember each issue is important.
4. On pay some have said they want more on the overtime rate, all I would say is that if there are 200 or 250 million on the table for the pay agreement, there is only so many ways you can cut it . If you want it backdated than clearly the percentage weekly increase would be lower if you did not back date it. If you only wanted it on base pay not overtime etc than it would be higher.

However you want an higher over time rate that clearly you would be moving some away from base pay. Only 20% of members work regular overtime that is worth considering .

If part timers work extra hours up to 38 hours they receive the hourly rate plus each hours share of the delivery supplement so they won’t benefit from increasing overtime. So it is always a judgement on pay.

The union policy is to get the base pensionable rate as high as possible and recognise that this should be backdated.”

POST OFFICE: PAY NEGOTIATIONS – JOINT STATEMENT

Further to LTB 576/20 dated 30th November, the following Joint Statement regarding Post Office pay negotiations has been published:

JOINT STATEMENT POST OFFICE AND CWU
Pay Negotiations

We are pleased to be able to advise you that a constructive meeting was held between the two negotiating teams earlier today.

We are conscious that everyone has been very patient and we are obviously in extraordinary times which has hindered progress. As a consequence, we have now agreed it makes sense to extend the negotiating process to include pay for 2021/22.

Our new focus means we will be seeking to conclude a two year agreement up to 31st March 2022. We hope you will acknowledge this new emphasis is designed to provide certainty for 2021/22 pay.

Neither party is underestimating the scale and complexity of the task we have set ourselves. To facilitate these negotiations, both parties have agreed to the principle of an intensive timetable of talks and we have also agreed a cut-off date of the end of February 2021 to conclude an agreement, although we would prefer to finalise this earlier if possible.

We remain hopeful we can jointly deliver a good solution and would wish to thank everyone for their efforts during these unprecedented times. Once again your patience is appreciated.

Lee Kelly                                                                                  Andy Furey
Employee Relations and Policy Director                         Assistant Secretary, CWU

It should be noted that the principle of seeking to conclude a two year agreement was instigated by the Union given that we would normally lodge our pay claim in February each year prior to the 1st April pay date. As the next pay review date is only a few months away, it made sense to incorporate next year’s pay into these negotiations, giving our members a degree of certainty and stability in terms of their pay, terms and conditions.

Earlier today a meeting was held with our Post Office Representatives and following an extremely positive conversation, all of them confirmed they are fully supportive of seeking a two year pay agreement.

Clearly the outcome of yesterday’s meeting was positive. Both parties will now be making pay a priority and a series of meetings will be scheduled over the course of the next few weeks.

Branches and Representatives are urged to bring this LTB and associated Joint Statement to the attention of our Post Office members.

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary

LTB 592/20 -Post Office – Pay Negotiations – Joint Statement