National Agreement Between Parcelforce Worldwide and the CWU for the Implementation of Depot Revisions
 

Branches and representatives will be aware that the issue of the Parcelforce revision process has been an issue which has been subject of discussions between the business and the department for some time. In the 2012 pay agreement a commitment was made to redesign the process and in 2013 the following motion was carried at Annual Conference:

 

“Motion 16 (Category A): ​        

 

This conference recognises and applauds Parcelforce Worldwide’s success and on-going expansion programme resulting in an increase in parcel traffic and revenue. Therefore it is imperative that a revised Depot Route Revision Procedure is negotiated to ensure that Parcelforce Worldwide quality of service is maintained”.

 

In September of 2013 the department issued LTB 640/2013 which publicised a Joint Statement that had been agreed which detailed the process of developing the potential for a new approach to depot route revision procedures. Unfortunately progress was interrupted with the event of the Agenda for Growth, Stability & Long Term Success discussions. However, the commitment to conclude a position in relation to the revision process was reinforced in those discussions and is included in the Parcelforce Programme of Works section of the agreement.

 

We are all aware that the difficult and exceptional period of growth and traffic fluctuation we have been experiencing in Parcelforce has left many unbalanced routes, bad resourcing practices and genuine threats to our trade mark excellent QofS.

 

Against that backdrop the department believes that the attached agreement that has been concluded with the business represents a continuing pragmatic ‘Proof of Concept’ response, which builds upon the three trials conducted at London Central, Nottingham and Plymouth Depots.

 

 

 

The process involves Nationally agreed data that informs the ‘Route Builder’ programme to produce a balanced route plan for each depot. However, as the agreement makes clear the data produced is the start point for local negotiations which should also factor in local knowledge, circumstances and human factors to ensure a robust route design. These talks will be conducted in line with the IR Framework and it’s reaching agreement principles.

 

It is important to note that this is a quick response approach which enables each individual depot to call for adjustments to the National data should they gain or lose sufficient amounts of traffic to destabilise their balanced route structure. Additional locally specific data would then be factored in and a new balanced route start point would be produced so that local negotiations could be concluded at pace and adjustments made to facilitate changing circumstances.

 

The department consider this ‘Proof of Concept’ type of approach as the best response to the current circumstances given the success of the trials and the fact that it maintains the spirit and intent of our current agreements.

 

Discussions will of course continue with the business in relation to this issue and you will be kept updated as to progress.

 

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Terry Pullinger, Assistant Secretary, e-mail: dwyatt@cwu.org or shayman@cwu.org quoting reference number 132.05.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Terry Pullinger

Assistant Secretary

          NATIONAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN PARCELFORCE WORLDWIDE AND THE CWU FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DEPOT REVISIONS

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

This agreement has been reached following a Joint Statement and commitment made in the 2012 pay agreement to review our depot revision processes. It ensures that depot revisions are fit for purpose in providing a transparent and fair revision process which organises balanced routes/duties with a fair and manageable workload. This agreement is considered a pragmatic response to the need for a ‘quick response process’ whilst maintaining our mutual interest values as detailed in our ‘Depot Blue Print’ and other recovery and growth agreements. Therefore this document should be considered as an annex to those agreements and not a replacement to them.

 

 

BACKDROP

 

Using the well-established “Table of Success” approach, lengthy discussions have identified the need for a new revisions process, which ensures that a depot’s duty design is always fit for purpose in regard to the commitments made to customers and employees. Both parties accept that there are sufficient grounds to update our existing revisions arrangements whilst maintaining their spirit and intent, made as part of the 2004 Blueprint Agreement.

 

 

KEY PRINCIPLES

 

The aim of this agreement is to produce a jointly designed, clearly understood and easily applied revisions process which will enable an audit adjustment approach on a regular basis. This process will replace the existing approach but not the philosophy contained within the Blueprint Agreement.

 

To ensure that the new revisions process is universally supported, easily understood, and responsive enough to cope with the pace of change the market is demanding, the following key principles will be applied:

 

➢ The source data for any Depot revision process is the ‘Paragon’ information data base. This information is owned by PFW and a joint review of this National information will take place annually and updated accordingly.

➢ The new revisions process replaces the current methodology for revisions as detailed in the Blueprint Agreement, to one based upon the peak week (excluding Christmas pressure, exams, other agreed anomalies and weekend deliveries) divided by 5, to give an average day and with an annually determined percentage for planned adjustments e.g. growth.

➢ The Paragon software will populate the agreed “Route-Builder” programme annually. This will be used locally by managers and unit representatives, who will be fully trained in the process and best positioned to apply local knowledge to ensure that the depot duty design meets our mutual interest objectives. It is important to note that the outputs from the ‘Route Builder’ programme are sterile and are a start point for negotiations and that local knowledge, circumstances and human factors should be taken into account to ensure a robust route design. These talks will be conducted in line with the IR Framework and its reaching agreement principles.

➢ The new process will ensure revisions will be implemented to at least maintain existing productivity levels and route clearance in a manner consistent with our mutual interest objectives

➢ The post-summer and pre-winter Peak periods will be used for analysis to determine the volume of deliveries for the following year. This will return the maximum benefit in operational & budget planning. To ensure that performance is measured in a mutual interest and genuine way it is understood that budgets will be set with tolerances that recognise matters such as differing utilisation, resourcing implications and traffic growth.

➢ Extra flexibility will be achieved through working collectively in line with the ‘Depot Blue Print’ principles of core duty structures doing what is necessary together to get the job done.  

 

➢ An annual update, including appropriate deployment will provide a long term sustainable approach that ensures a seamless, progressive and corrective revision process, which anticipates change and maintains all mutual interest priorities. This will replace the existing principle and avoid unnecessary large scale disruption.         

The above process clearly establishes “Route-builder” as the primary tool for C&D modelling. Non C&D staff modelling will continue to be revised in line with that detailed in the ‘Depot Blue Print’ Agreement for Admin and Warehouse models respectively and will be maintained by Parcelforce Worldwide and the CWU Industrial Engineer.

 

Parcelforce Worldwide are committed to train CWU HQ nominated Representatives on the “Route-builder” software package and the spirit and intent of its application. These individuals along with managerial expertise will then be available to jointly train and support Depot Managers and Representatives in deploying the revision process.

 

Because this approach represents a pragmatic proof of concept response to an exceptional era of growth and traffic fluctuation, it will be kept under review. Both parties accept that technology in this area is developing rapidly as a response to changing customer demands. Therefore it is incumbent upon us to continually seek improvement opportunities. The purpose of this agreement is to ensure that we have the ability to continue to improve and deploy revision requirements, whilst we work towards achieving a final revised approach that will utilise the best technology which potentially combines into an updated blue print type document in line with our Table of Success approach.

Any questions of interpretation, implementation or application of this agreement shall be referred to the signatories of this agreement as a matter of urgency and will be dealt with inside the provisions of the appropriate industrial relations framework.

​
 

Terry Pullinger​ ​Peter Fuller

Assistant Secretary ​Operations Director

CWU​PFW

 

 

Date:​8 July 2015​

Parcelforce Worldwide Summit Talks Update

Please find attached for your information a Joint Statement in relation to the above subject which will provide you with an update in respect of discussions that have been taking place between the business and the CWU at National level.

It has been a very testing time for the business and our members as Parcelforce tries to find the right levels of adjustment to deal with both increasing growth and competition.

It is envisaged that this statement along with other published activity will demonstrate to the members/employees that both the CWU and Parcelforce are determined to resolve these challenges and strengthen both Parcelforce as a business and our member’s employment experience and security.

Branches and representatives are requested to ensure that the attached Joint Statement is brought to the attention of our Parcelforce members.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Terry Pullinger, Assistant Secretary, e-mail: dwyatt@cwu.org or shayman@cwu.org quoting reference number: 111.01

Yours sincerely

Terry Pullinger

Assistant Secretary

JOINT STATEMENT

Summit Talks Update

Both Parcelforce and the CWU are acutely aware of the strain that can be experienced by everybody involved when dealing with capacity issues and fluctuating workloads. Many of the issues involved are complex and management and the CWU are trying exceedingly hard to restore balance whilst also ensuring the business remains strong and your jobs secure. This Joint Statement has therefore been produced to provide you with an update in regard to discussions that have been taking place.

Over the past few months PFW and the CWU have been meeting at the highest level to discuss the changing marketplace, business performance and future challenges. The meetings have been far reaching and challenging for all parties.

The courier and express parcel market, in which PFW operate, is very competitive and although there is significant volume growth (especially in B2C), and City Link have exited the market, competitors continue to invest and add capacity to their networks and prices remain very tight. The experience of City Link and the emergence of Amazon as a parcel delivery company has demonstrated how highly volatile this market is and it is essential and in all of our interests that we remain calm and keep working together, especially during the high pressure times, to develop our mutual interest solutions.

The international and retail sectors in particular are very competitive with many new entrants introducing low cost service options in our traditionally most profitable traffic streams.

All this means that PFW has to continually focus, innovate and respond to customer demands, the convenience agenda, quality of service and efficiency in order to compete effectively and maintain and/or grow its market stare.

Topics at our talks have included the requirement to address volume growth, depot resourcing arrangements and the positive impact on depot employed numbers, PFW commercial response to the market challenges and technology enhancements to help us compete effectively.

The employee opinion survey results for 2014/15 have been released and it is pleasing to note that engagement in PFW has remained high when compared to internal and external benchmarks. This result is very welcome given the significant challenges posed by the market and volume growth and demonstrates how well the business and unions are working together to deliver a successful business.

Another challenging aspect of PFW results over the last year has been the safety performance. The level of accidents in PFW have reduced despite the increase in traffic volumes, however those accidents resulting in absence have increased.   Lost

time accident rates in PFW are considerably higher than our competitors and RM Group Operations. Customers are interested in our people performance. PFW have not always been able to provide alternatives for our people who cannot perform their normal duty, we need to change that and put in more support to enable them to attend work. We are also working with our safety colleagues to ensure we are doing all we can on prevention and identifying when accidents could have been avoided. We will be reinvigorating our current processes and agreements and using them consistently and effectively.

Employee Health and Wellbeing has always been an area of joint focus which is why we developed the employee reward package to include free eye tests and prescription glasses, free dental care up to the cost of National Health rates and the benefit of Benenden Health. However general attendance at work has also worsened by over 0.5% in the year, which represents a significant additional cost to the business and also concerns us as to why such a trend should develop in a culture where enabling good health is a joint aspiration. Both parties recognise that it is important to understand and deal with the underlying issues that are causing levels of sick absence to rise and are jointly sponsoring activity via the Table of Success Evaluation Group.

Progress has been slow on the national refresh of our revisions agreement, mainly due to the rapid volume growth that has been experienced over the last six months. However, we now have three depot trials agreed and implementation will commence soon. Work on other depot revisions will take place concurrently with a view to completing all necessary revision activity prior to this year’s peak period and a new agreement will be finalised. Both parties are totally committed to this activity and look forward to the increased efficiency that this will bring to our operation.

Against that backdrop a national Table of Success forum is being arranged to discuss and understand all the issues above and agree joint priorities with our Area Management, Hubs and Regional Organiser teams.

Both parties recognise that the efforts of Parcelforce employees has been outstanding through this difficult period and that we are totally committed to building mutual interest solutions that continue Parcelforce’s success and your employment security.

As this key activity continues we will continue to keep you updated.

Terry Pullinger                                                            Peter Fuller

Assistant Secretary                                                     Operations Director

CWU                                                                           Parcelforce Worldwide

Date: 8 July 2015

 
RE: AGREEMENT for a trial TO PROVIDE ROUTINE SERVICE, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR FOR EXTERNAL COMPANIES IN FLEET AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES (F&MS)

 
We have been working with Royal Mail Maintenance Network (RMMN) to look at opportunities for growth in line with the progressive agenda for Fleet and Maintenance services (F&MS) in the Agenda for Growth Agreement. We have been pressing Royal Mail to look at new opportunities to use the skills of our members externally as well as looking for further opportunities within Royal Mail.

 
Royal Mail and the CWU share a joint vision to create a market leading network of fleet workshops which will deliver significant opportunities to improve profits, create a more efficient fleet operation and provide secure jobs now and in the future

 
I am pleased to report we have agreed a trial with Royal Mail Fleet Services to provide routine service, maintenance and repair for external fleet(s), to be carried out in six trial sites. The trial will run for six months with a review in March 2016.  

 
The six sites are Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Leicester, North London and Nottingham. These units have been selected on the basis they offer the appropriate environment including; car parking, co-location with security, available capacity, accessibility, safety and a large reception area.

 
The potential new workload, for which at least 10 partners have been identified, will be planned servicing, maintenance and repair for commercial fleet(s) similar to our own vehicles. The external workload will be maintained in line with a Service Level Agreement (SLA) that will sit alongside our own internal commitment, however, should not impact upon vehicle availability to our main customer Royal Mail.

 
The trial will operate under all existing pay, terms and conditions in line with the continued recognition for the existing CWU Industrial Relations Partnership and Consultation Agreement 2003.  

 
If the trial is successful, we will be looking to roll out to further sites. Alan Tate, Postal Executive member will be overseeing the trial on behalf of the department.

 
A copy of the terms of reference for the trial is attached.

 
Any enquiries should be addressed to PTCS department, quoting reference PTC/CM/dj/202. 

Email address: djeffery@cwu.org  

Yours sincerely

Carl Maden, 

A/Assistant Secretary

Re: Changes to Royal Mail Leadership Teams – East & West Territories

The union has been advised of a reduction in the number of delivery directorates in the East and West Territories with effect from Monday 13th July.

In the East, the number of delivery directorates from nine to seven.

East and South Midlands will be combined to form an enlarged East Midlands directorate.

The Home Counties West directorate will be realigned as follows:

• BR, CR, DA and SM postcodes will be moved to the Kent and Sussex directorate.

• SL postcode area will be moved to the Home Counties North directorate.

• KT postcode area will move to the GU/TW directorate.

In the West, the number of delivery directorates will be reduced from seven to six.

The HR/WR/North Wales directorate will be realigned as follows:

• SY, LL and CH postcode areas will be moved to an enlarged Cheshire and Merseyside directorate.

• HR, WR, TF and ST postcode areas will be moved to an enlarged West Midlands directorate.

•

Any enquiries on the above LTB should be addressed to the DGS (P) Department.

 

Yours sincerely

     

Ray Ellis

A/ Deputy General Secretary (P)

BAME Officers 

As from 1st June 2015 we have registered on our database 21 BAME Officers. Could you please make sure, if your Branch has a BAME Officer, that you let Matt Edwards in the General Secretary’s dept know the BAME Officer’s details.

 

If you have not yet filled the BAME Officer’s position, please make every effort to do so.

 

As you know, this is a new position in the Branches and it is very important that you try to fill this position.

 

Thank you for assisting us with this issue.

 

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be referred to the Equal Opportunities Department.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Dave Ward​Linda Roy​

General Secretary​National Equality Officer​

What is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs)?

 

Please find attached the latest factsheet produced by the Equal Opportunities Department.  

 

We would be grateful if you would cascade this information accordingly within your Branch.

 

Further copies can be downloaded from the Equal Opportunities section of the CWU website using the following link: http://www.cwu.org/factsheets.html​

 

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be referred to the Equal Opportunities Department.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Linda Roy​

National Equality Officer
 Click on the link below to view the factsheet 

Click to access cwu__1435918131_Fetal_Alcohol_Spectrum_Disorde.pdf

ADHD in Children/Teenagers

 

Please find attached the latest factsheet produced by the Equal Opportunities Department.  

 

We would be grateful if you would cascade this information accordingly within your Branch.

 

Further copies can be downloaded from the Equal Opportunities section of the CWU website using the following link: http://www.cwu.org/factsheets.html​

 

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be referred to the Equal Opportunities Department.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Linda Roy​

National Equality Officer​

 

Click on link below to view the factsheet 

Click to access cwu__1435918214_ADHD_in_children_teens.pdf

The People’s Post Rally – CWU Westminster Event 9th July 

Please see below the agenda for our Rally and activities on the 9th July, commencing at 11.00 hrs in Central Hall Westminster.

 

AGENDA

Session 1 – The People’s Post Rally Guest Speakers

 

Introduction – CWU President and General Secretary

• Kevin Maguire – Associate Editor Daily Mirror

• Katy Clark – Former Labour MP

• Sadiq Khan – Labour MP Tooting

• Jo Stevens – Labour MP Cardiff North

• Matt Wrack – FBU General Secretary

• Paul Nowak – TUC Assistant General Secretary

• Owen Jones – Political Commentator, Guardian Columnist and author

 

This session will be followed by a short comfort break.

 

Session 2 – The People’s Post Campaign

• An outline of our Campaign Approach and Objectives – CWU General Secretary and Chris Webb

• Q&A / Engagement Session

 

Session 3 – CWU People’s Post Speakers

• Ray Ellis Acting Deputy General Secretary – Postal

• Andy Kerr Deputy General Secretary – Telecoms and Financial Services

• Tony Kearns CWU Senior Deputy General Secretary

• General Secretary – concluding remarks leading to CWU Delegates Event

 

As previously stated it is important that all CWU Branches have a presence at this Rally. Please allow extra time for travel and to show our support for other union comrades involved in potential rail disputes taking place in London on the same day.  

 

Yours sincerely

​​​

Dave Ward​​​​​Ray Ellis

General Secretary ​​​​Acting Deputy General Secretary (P)

GENERAL CONFERENCE 2015 – MOTION 1: HOUSING 

Branches will recall that Conference unanimously adopted Motion 1 on the subject housing in the following terms:

 

“The NEC is instructed to start an affordable housing campaign, working with CWU Youth, the equality sections and other trade unions where possible. This should focus on affordable housing that families, as well as workers on low incomes and wages can afford.

 

Additionally the following must be pursued –

 

• Increasing investment in genuinely affordable housing including from government, pension funds and ethical investors.

• Affordable housing for families and workers on low income.

• Bringing down the costs of renting from private landlords, increasing security of tenancy and quality.

• Lifting the restrictions on local government preventing council house building and working with other social landlords to increase the stock of affordable housing available.

• Maintain existing social/council housing stock by limiting the right to buy

 

The campaign is not limited to these points and the NEC could use other relevant issues that supplement the points above. Bringing down housing costs would in effect be one of the best pay rises we could deliver for members.”

 

This paper seeks to bring branches up-to-date on developments since the adoption of that motion.

 

Branches will recall that prior to Motion 1 being adopted, CWU Youth had already adopted housing as a key priority area (indeed Motion 1 was one of the two motions from the 2015 Youth Conference forwarded to General Conference).

 

This led to the launch to an internet-based campaign designed to highlight the lack of regulation and generally low standards in the private rented sector under the header of Unscrupulous Landlords. The campaign also sought to encourage members to give details of their particular “bad stories” which could be used to pursue the campaign’s objectives.

 

As part of this campaigning work, CWU Youth had established a good working relationship with campaign group Generation Rent. Generation Rent and CWU Youth representatives have shared platforms on a number of occasions over the last 6 months.

 

Shortly after Annual Conference, Generation Rent approached CWU Youth to see what support might be possible for a publication they had compiled entitled “A Queen’s Speech for Housing”. This was designed to pull together the various strands of the housing debate into one overarching document that could be presented as a programme for resolving the current housing crisis.

 

When drafted, the document anticipated a hung parliament in which advancing a constructive policy towards housing would become a key element in the post-electoral horse-trading.

 

CWU Youth provided an introduction to the publication and it was distributed on the basis that it had been supported by CWU Youth. This was useful in consolidating the widespread view of the CWU’s support for and leadership in this policy area. The Queen’s Speech for Housing document is attached to this letter to the NEC for ease of reference.

 

Following the General Election, further informal discussions took place with Generation Rent about how the CWU’s policy objectives outlined in Motion 1 could be pursued.

 

It was agreed that a joint approach to those MPs who were successful in the ballot for Private Members Bills would be fruitful.  

 

(Generally speaking, those MPs who come in the top 10 of those essentially drawn out of a hat have the chance of presenting a Private Members Bill of their choice to parliament. Those MPs favoured by the ballot can expect to receive many approaches from interest groups seeking a sponsor for a Bill.)

 

The Private Members Bill ballot was announced on 4 June and it became apparent that Karen Buck MP (Labour, Westminster North and Regents Park) would be approachable on the question of intervention in the housing market.

 

A meeting therefore took place with Ms Buck and her research assistant to explore the possibility of her support for either a Private Members Bill on rent capping or a Private Members Bill to enshrine much higher standards and regulation of the private rental sector. (These are summarised in section 5 of the Queen’s Speech document).

 

At the meeting for the CWU were Simon Sapper, National Officer; John Colbert, Campaigns Manager and James Mills, Press Officer.

 

As a result, we reached an agreement with Ms Buck that she would indeed sponsor a Bill on regulation of the rental sector. In her view, there was a very realistic possibility of this Private Members Bill clearing all the parliamentary hurdles and actually becoming enacted as legislation.

 

The Homes (Fit for Habitation) Bill was consequently lodged with the parliamentary authorities by 23 June 2015.

 

Next Stages

 

There are a number of immediate next stages that we can identify.
The first is for the precise terms of the Private Members Bill to be drafted. This is primarily a job of parliamentary drafts men/women. They will take the policy objectives that Karen Buck provides to them (which she in turn will get from us and Generation Rent) and convert them into parliamentary language.

 

The Bill will then be tabled for a first reading which is usually a formality and then a more substantive debate under a second reading. Because these debates always take place on a Friday morning there is a particular challenge in ensuring that sufficient MPs are in the Chamber for the Bill to have a reasonable chance of success.

 

The first reading is likely to take place before parliament rises for the summer recess in late July with the second reading probably in November 2015.

 

As part of the process of building support for the CWU’s campaign on housing in general and the Private Members Bill in particular, the possibility of fringe events at the TUC Congress and the Labour Party Conference are being actively explored.

 

Part of that exploration is to see what support may be possible from our jointly owned law firm, Unionline. The Unionline board has already expressed the suggestion that they would like to become more involved in supporting some of the union’s key policy objectives. This is a not unknown attitude for a law firm to adopt as can be seen with the Unionline’s most prominent rivals, Thompsons.

 

However, through the Head of Legal Services, we are seeking to discuss with Unionline something more than just financial support in the form of sponsorship for fringe events. We would also wish to explore with Unionline to what extent they could adjust the portfolio of services they offer their customers to embrace some of the key concerns of tenants and then expand that further to embrace homeowners as well.

 

This would mean that there is a close synergy between the policy objectives we are seeking to achieve through Karen Buck’s Private Members Bill and the expertise and service we offer our members and their families through our jointly owned law firm.

 

There is an added community of interest here because Karen Buck, as reported above, is supported by the GMB who are partner-owners of Unionline.

 

Summary

 

Branches can see from the foregoing report that no time has been lost in attempting to progress the issues so clearly adopted by our conference as a policy priority. Further reports will be supplied on a regular basis.

 

Any queries on this LTB should be directed to Simon Sapper, Assistant Secretary, at CWU Headquarters.

 

Yours sincerely

 
 

Dave Ward

General Secretary  

 
 
COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION

 

 

 

Rule Book
 

The revised Rule Book including the amendments carried at Annual Conference 2015 is now available as a pdf.file via the CWU website.

 

http://www.cwu.org/rulebook.html

 

If you have any problems downloading a copy of the Rule Book from the website please contact Angela Niven on 020 8971 7256 or by e-mail to aniven@cwu.org

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

 

 

Dave Ward

General Secretary