A joint statement has been reached with Royal Mail on network changes and will be released at 5:30pm.

Some tremendous work has taken place across the union and it will continue as we seek further mitigation and improvements.

Please make sure this communication is shared in every workplace in the UK.

……………..

NETWORK CHANGES – LATER START AND FINISH TIMES IN DELIVERY OFFICES
 
One of the most emotive issues in the recent dispute with Royal Mail Group was undoubtedly later start and finish times in delivery offices.
 
Royal Mail were always going to serve notice on flights due to cost, quality and the green agenda. This union or no union could have stopped that.
 
Through the outstanding support of the membership, we moved Royal Mail Group from their original preferred position of 3 hours later for everyone (including Delivery being 9am-5pm) to an agreed ambition of an hour maximum with a fall back of 90 minutes where this was not achievable.
 
We are pleased to confirm that we have today agreed with Royal Mail a mitigation that no unit will have to finish over 75 minutes – and we are putting forward further mitigation on this.
 
Across the UK, we have always had a wide range of start and finish times. The challenge for us has been and is obvious – some units are further away from their serving Mail Centres than others and some locations in the UK take longer to get to than others. Nothing has changed there.
 
With the removal of flights due to environmental and economic reasons this has only intensified the challenge we have been faced with.  
 
That said, we have significantly improved the overall picture through joint working and intensive negotiations. These negotiations are ongoing.
 
This means the latest position is as follows:

• 1000 Delivery Units under 60 minutes
• 368 Delivery Units with less than 15 minutes impact
• 618 Delivery Units less than 30 minutes.
• 84% of Delivery units to be finished before 15:30
• 96% of Delivery Units finished before 16:00
• 240 units over 60 minutes with now a mitigation which caps this at a maximum of 75 minutes.

During negotiations we have agreed that no unit will have to move start times by 90 minutes. Those units identified for a 61 minute and above change will have the opportunity to move 15 minutes of their meal relief earlier in the day (between waves 1 and 2). This mitigates the change by a further 15 minutes. We are also working with the company to improve the flow of work into the inward mail centres Scotland to seek further mitigation to the changes.
 
This is biggest change to the Network in a generation and there will be an opportunity to review the outputs after a number of weeks and potentially to reduce the impact on start times further. We believe Royal Mail have been over cautious in their planning and this may help in the review to find further mitigation to start times.
 
We are also in negotiations with the company to use the seasonal variations whilst in the review period to ensure that until the review has been concluded that no unit will have to finish more than 60 minutes later.
 
We are determined that with a continued range of interventions and once the new network is operational we can make the move to a maximum of 60 minutes permanent, thus meaning no member has to move more than an hour.
 
From Monday, members will have new start times displayed in their offices alongside the suggested date for these to commence.
 
When viewing this information members need to take the details above into account. So if your office says 90 minutes then that will not be the actual case. The recent negotiations hold the field.
 
Overall, we are confident in the coming weeks that we can continue to improve the picture across the UK. Understandably the employer is nervous about giving further concessions at this juncture but with the support and knowledge of our representatives and members we can make further progress.
 
Given the crossover between this update and the information Royal Mail will share with you early next week, the CWU will:
 
      ⁃     call an all reps briefing online on Monday.
      ⁃     Produce our own online spreadsheet where members can see details of the proposed changes for their offices.
      ⁃     Hold multiple live events for with the members next week.
      ⁃     Produce a range of other communications.
 
I will finish this communication where it started – this is a very difficult and challenging issue. What is absolutely clear is the interventions of the union and the support of you as members continue to put pressure on the company to put further mitigation on the table.
 
I am confident that we can get everyone in the UK to a maximum of an hours change – but we can only do that if we stick together.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Martin Walsh

Click to access 08047-your-voice-RMG-02.pdf

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2024 – PROGRAMME OF BUSINESS

At the NEC held on the 24^th/25^th January 2024 the following programme of business

was agreed for CWU Annual Conference 2024:

• Sunday 21st April 2024                 –        Special Restructuring Conference
• Monday 22^nd April 2024                 –        Special Rules Conference
• Tuesday 23rd April 2024               –        Industrial Conferences
• Wednesday 24th April 2024            –        Industrial Conferences
• Thursday 25^th April 2024               –        Industrial Conferences

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to Angela Niven by email to conferences@cwu.org or telephoning CWU HQ on 020 8971 7256.

Yours sincerely,

A P Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2024 – PROGRAMME OF BUSINESS

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Royal Mail Group Safety, Health & Environment Team – Integrated Audits – Involvement and Consultation with CWU Area Health & Safety Representatives (ASRs): 

Further to LTBs 105/21 and 215/22 this is to remind all ASRs and to reinforce the agreed position in respect of full engagement and involvement of Area Health & Safety Representatives (ASRs) in the RMG Safety, Health and Environment ‘Integrated’ Audits process.

The agreed position with the Royal Mail Group Chief Legal Officer Matthew Newman and former Safety Directors (Shaun Davis and Phil Graham) and the current Safety Director Liz Lloyd is that every ASR is invited to every audit across their constituency and ASRs should be given notice of audit dates, afforded an invitation to participate and both sides fully encourage attendance and input.

Indeed, ASRs can add value to the audits by way of information sharing from the ASR’s periodic workplace safety inspections and investigations, as they are likely to visit the Unit more often than the Auditor/SHE Advisor.

ASRs can signpost the auditor to issues from their safety inspections, accident investigations and near misses, remedial actions that are outstanding in the Unit and not actioned or issues that could be overlooked as well as pointing out to auditors any related off-site issues, ORA (Offsite Risk Assessment) issues etc.

ASRs can take the opportunity in conjunction with the auditor to meet and discuss matters with the PiC (Person in Control) and his team whilst on-site during the audit to jointly reinforce safety messages and actions plus, very importantly engage and speak to front-line workforce members about health and safety issues they may be experiencing.

ASRs can hold safety and health conversations with front-line workforce members at the workstations/prep sorting frames with as many people as they can during the audit to raise awareness of safe working practises and get valuable feedback. ASRs can discuss hazards and risks that individuals may face out on their collection and delivery rounds, e.g., dogs, low level letterboxes, access and egress issues etc., footwear, clothing, PPE, road risk, safe driving, yard safety etc., gaining good insight from the frontline. ASRs can carry out evidence checks on frontline training, delivery of SHE Flashes, Safety Huddles and briefings etc. ASRs can also

get pointers from individuals of safety issues, risks, hazards that may need follow up inspection/investigation at customers’ premises. ASRs can also look at the Unit ORAs (Offsite Risk Assessments) and test whether it’s working or not, talking to the ORA lead/champion and asking how they manage hazards etc., and log any problems that need addressing as well as assisting by dealing with hazards and risks that the workforce encounter.

ASRs can also check on Occupational Health and Wellbeing issues with frontline staff, including work stress risk assessments and ensure that they are utilising the RMG Wellbeing Hub and employee wellbeing and occupational health services, ensuring the workforce are fully aware of the new ‘Moments that Matter Guides’, and the important role of all the services, resources and tools available on offer to assist the workforce e.g. RMG ‘Help@Hand’ which gives employees/members and their family access to fast, free, wellbeing support, resources and services.

The audits are delivered by the RMG SHE Team Safety Advisors and all units will be audited once a year. The audits will assess the level of safety and health compliance with key instructions, policies and legal/regulatory requirements as detailed within the SHEMS (Safety, Health, Environment Management System), Security, Compliance and Ethics policies. The ‘Integrated Audit’ will be conducted on site and compliance will be assessed through a combination of:

• Data analysis and validation;
• Document review; and
• Discussion and observation.

A full list of evidence requirements will be available on the SHE Management System. NB: An auditor will review electronic records (where available) from various systems, there will be no need to print out paper hard copies.

All units will receive an audit notification e-mail at least 5 working days prior to the audit taking place. The average audit should require 1 or 2 days on site. The relevant CWU Area Safety Representative (ASR) will be copied into the e-mail circulation/notification. The auditor will then contact the unit manager to agree the exact date and time of the visit. The ASR will also be notified of the date and time arrangements to confirm the arrangements in order to attend, be consulted and give input.

Initial onsite feedback will be given to the unit managers and then an Action Plan will be issued via e-mail to the unit within five working days. Unit managers will be required to monitor and close out actions. Actions must be completed by the required date as set out in the Action Plan. Update reports on the audit actions will be given to the joint health and safety committee relevant to the Unit where there can be a discussion on progress.

The audit will be transparent with an overall percentage score given for each audit. Audit results will be shared with ASRs by e-mail. Any issues and Audit Action Plan progress can be discussed at joint health and safety committee meetings at a Unit or Regional level basis.

ASR Action:

All ASRs are requested to give Safety, Health and Environment ‘Integrated Audits’ priority and ensure they attend and input into the process.

Emma Tranter RMG SHE Head of Safety (North and Wales) and Jayne Callaghan-Jarvis Head of Safety (South): 

Emma Tranter RMG SHE Head of Safety (North and Wales) and Jayne Callaghan-Jarvis Head of Safety (South) have committed to their teams informing their respective ASRs when an audit is going to take place. The SHE safety advisors will and do share the Unit safety audit dates with both the CWU and Unite CMA ASRs so they can be in attendance and be engaged. The CWU HQ Health, Safety and Environment Department and RMG SHE HQ are jointly encouraging involvement and good input conversations with ASRs which should also happen at unit level with the WSRs in the wash-up with the PiC/manager, so ASRs and WSRs can help support what needs to be done in the unit to keep it safe and healthy for our members and workforce.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

24LTB066 RMG SHE Team – Integrated Audits – Involvement and Consultation with CWU Area Health & Safety Representatives (ASRs)

Copy of Compliance grid 2023.24 v1.2

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BRT&G Agreement – Royal Mail/CWU Joint Communication Covering Seasonal Variation and Joint Statement on Resolving Surplus and Displaced Employees in Processing

Branches and members will be aware that the CWU is actively seeking to resolve a number of outstanding issues with the business to ensure we continue to rebuild trust with our Reps and Members in the workplace.

As reported at the National Briefing last week through the agenda updates, discussions have continued on a daily basis and we have now finalised two documents with the business as outlined below:

Seasonal Variation and Agreed Joint Communication with the Following Key Summary: 

After examining the latest workload forecasts, Royal Mail and the CWU have agreed to extend this Low Season by four weeks, supporting better resourcing to workload outcomes and offering further opportunities to give employees back time owed from the High Season in 2023. To ensure employees’ seasonal variation hours are balanced out by December 2024, the Summer 2024 Low Season will be reduced by 4 weeks. In summary:

Winter Low Season 2024 

• Between weeks 49 – 52 (26^th February 2024 until 24^th March 2024 – 4 weeks) full-time employees will continue with reduced 35 hours per week attendance.
• Full-time Delivery employees will start 14 minutes later and finish 10 minutes earlier during this period.
• For part-time employees their attendances will reduce by 10 minutes.

Summer Low Season 2024 

• During the Summer 2024 period, during weeks 13 – 23 (24^th June 2024 until 8^thSeptember 2024), full-time employees will typically work at 35 hours, in line with the agreement, for 10 weeks.
• This will mean that full-time employees will start 14 minutes later and finish 10 minutes earlier and part-time employees will work 10 minutes less per day.
• The peak period for 2024, where full-time employees will typically increase their hours to 39 hours, will remain for 5 weeks (18^thNovember 2024 – 22^nd December 2024).

The same principles as agreed in previous joint communications also flow through to the updated position above and allow changes to be made to the PSP/DDS systems.

The full Joint Communication can be accessed via https://www.cwu.org/seasonal-variation.

 Joint Statement on Resolving Surplus and Displaced Employees in Processing – Key Summary 

 This has been a longstanding issue between both parties and we have continually made it clear to the business that we need to resolve the matter and the current impasse was not conducive to improving industrial relations.

Furthermore, it has been subject to significant debate at CWU forums and briefings in respect of the mental wellbeing of CWU members affected across the Mail Centres impacted and that was further echoed at the National Briefing last week via CWU Branches and Reps outlining some outrageous examples within their areas.

As such we have now been able to agree the attached Joint Statement in order to progress the following key points:

The Joint Statement includes the following key points:

1. That no displaced staff have to leave the mail centre to attend the redeployment pool.
2. That displaced staff can sign for overtime and vacancies in the mail centre.
3. That bump VRS will take place to allow displaced staff to pick up their duty.
4. That they will be able to use their seniority to sign for other duties in any resign.
5. That we will review the redeployment moving forward.

We believe the above will be welcomed by the members in the affected Mail Centres and likewise for our Branches and Representatives this is a big step in the right direction to support them in addressing this longstanding issue.  However whilst this will be welcomed, we acknowledge there is still more work to do in this area and will be doing this as part of the National review contained with the Joint Statement.

The full Joint Statement can be accessed via https://www.cwu.org/resolving-displaced-employees-in-processing/.

Both parties have today jointly launched the contents of the above Joint Statement/Joint Communication with the RM Regional Operations Directors and CWU Divisional Reps to ensure both parties have briefed the content jointly and that we further demonstrate the willingness on both parties to resolve issues between us and seek to work together going forwards.

We would like to thank the Branches, Representatives and the Members for their continued support and especially those impacted by the issues created in Mail Centres by being deemed surplus and we will continue to provide updates following the National reviews.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Patryk Haracz on pharacz@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary(Postal)       Mark Baulch
Assistant SecretaryDavie Robertson
Assistant Secretary    

24LTB065 – Joint Communication Covering Seasonal Variation and Joint Statement on Resolving Surplus and Displaced Employees in Processing

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British Toilet Association (BTA) Campaign – CWU Support – Itinerant/Peripatetic Workers & Public – Access To Toilets

Following an approach by the Board of the British Toilet Association (BTA) requesting our support for their recently launched National campaign, the CWU National Health, Safety and Environment Department has given its full support to the BTA campaign, calling for:

• All public authorities and publically owned organisations to create and implement a national and local strategy for the provision of toilets and local strategy for theprovision of toilets for the public (We have added ‘and for itinerant/peripatetic workers such as Postal and Telecom Workers).
• A commissioner or ombudsman to be created with responsibility for overseeing such plan,s co-ordination and implementation.

The overwhelming majority of CWU members work away from a fixed workplace, in Royal Mail/Parcelforce, either on Royal Mail foot delivery work or in Royal Mail/Parcelforce vehicles carrying out deliveries, collections, distribution and haulage. Likewise, the majority of our BT members work outdoors in various locations. Therefore, toilet access is very important and in many cases it can be a challenging problem. When planning postal worker delivery rounds, a key component is assessing and building in and making arrangements for toilet access points.

In 2020 the CWU and TUC made representation to government agencies on this matter. See attached CWU Letter to Branches 355/20 and a letter jointly issued by the DOT and HSE in response to our representations made by the TUC, CWU and other trade unions regarding ongoing problems being experienced by driver members performing work or undertaking collections, deliveries, haulage etc. The response was a letter produced by the Department for Transport (DOT) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), to reassure drivers, and to remind businesses of their obligations under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, to provide suitable toilet and hand washing facilities to drivers visiting their premises.  (See copies attached for your information).

The CWU supports the promotion of toilet provision and access plus the highest possible standards of hygiene in all ‘away from home and away from work base’ toilet facilities across the United Kingdom.

We all need to use the toilet several times each day when we are away from our homes, at work, on holiday or simply commuting from place to place. This becomes even more urgent if you belong to one of the many specialist user groups who suffer from medical conditions that require you to have immediate access to the toilet. Having access to clean, hygienic toilets when we need one is both a basic human right, a health and safety at work right and it fulfils an important requirement.

Local authority spending on public toilets in England declined by 50 per cent in the decade 2009-19 according to a BBC analysis which showed a significant drop in the number of public toilets across the UK. (The information source being the Local Authority revenue expenditure and financing collection details published by the Ministry of Communities, Housing and Local Government).

While anyone can find themselves ‘caught short’, for some people this happens more than others. Women have more reasons and take longer to use the toilet than men, for example due to periods or pregnancy, and the lack of equality provision for Women is well-recognised.

For people living with bladder and bowel conditions, lack of facilities is a major problem. And if the toilet isn’t accessible then the impact is the same as no toilet at all. Transgender and gender non-conforming people, sometimes denied access or harassed in public toilets, may

avoid them due to safety concerns. Additionally, disabled people frequently encounter inaccessible toilets, including those that are intended to be accessible. This is also about the infrastructure around the toilet, for example the signage and general accessibility of the building.

This issue is not yet getting the attention it deserves. Talking about toilets tends to provoke discomfort for a variety of social and cultural reasons and people are often reluctant to talk openly about toilets. But going to the toilet is a universal human need, and the facilities available to us can have a significant impact on our health.

At an individual level, there are physical and mental health consequences when adequate public or alternative toilet facilities are not available. People report dealing with a lack of access to toilets by restricting fluid intake and ‘holding on’, leading to risk of dehydration, UTIs and potential kidney damage. For some disabled people, the lack of accessible toilets has led to otherwise preventable surgical interventions. There are also social impacts, where people are forced to plan ahead and restrict their outings to places they feel confident they will find a toilet. Others simply don’t go out, putting them at risk of social isolation. Itinerant workers have no choice as they have to go where their job takes them.

A lack of adequate public toilets will therefore affect public health interventions that encourage people to go out and about locally, for example to increase physical activity and reduce obesity. Public toilets are a key part of our built environment and thus part of its impact as a wider determinant of health, an important feature of the places we live in, and having an influence on our health behaviours and lifestyles. It therefore makes sense that adequate public toilet facilities are part of efforts to improve population health.

A number of organisations and campaigns continue to call for more and better public toilet provision, set against the steadily decreasing funding in local authorities. No one body holds overall responsibility for public toilets and there is no compulsory provision in legislation. Campaigns have led to some additional national funding for Changing Places toilets (larger accessible toilets for severely disabled people, with equipment such as hoists, curtains, adult-sized changing benches and space for carers) in sites such as motorway services area, shopping centres and hospitals etc. With the exception of this, however, there appears to be very little activity on a national level from the relevant government departments and authorities. There does not seem to be a coordinated approach to addressing the reduction in public toilet facilities across the country. This seems like a missed opportunity to address an issue with a significant health impact.

Many local authorities have looked for alternatives to publicly maintained facilities, for example, community toilet schemes where businesses make their toilets available for the public in return for a financial incentive from their local council. However, concerns have been raised that these schemes are not adequately accessible and don’t meet the needs of a diverse population that includes people from different religious backgrounds, people of different ages and homeless people. Clearly there’s a need for more toilets and more access to those that already exist because there’s no argument about the inadequacy of current provisions.

The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) published a report entitled ‘Taking The P*** – (The Decline Of The Great British Toilet)’ in May 2019, on the findings of a survey that gave insight into public toilet access across the UK. A copy is attached. The key findings and and recommendations were:

Key Findings:

• The increasing decline in public toilets is a threat to health, mobility, and equality.
• The lack of public toilets disproportionately affects people with ill health or disability,
  the elderly, women, outdoor workers and the homeless.
• Three in four of the UK public think there are not enough public toilets in their area.
• Knowledge of lack of facilities nearby acts as a ‘loo leash’, deterring as many as one
  in five (20%) from venturing out of their homes as often as they would like. This rises
  to over two in five (43%) among those with medical conditions requiring frequent
  toilet use.
• Over half (56%) of the public restrict fluid intake due to concern over lack of toilet
  Deliberate dehydration can seriously affect health and exacerbate existing
  medical problems.

 Report Recommendations:

• The Government should make the provision of public toilets compulsory on a well planned and regulated basis.
• Potty parity laws should be emulated in the UK to ensure fair provision for women.
• The Government should reverse years of funding cuts to local authorities and invest in our civic infrastructure.
• National and local government should pilot innovative new ways of financing public toilets, including a ‘spend a penny’ campaign.
• Break down the toilet taboo: public loos and their role in assisting hygiene, hydration,
  exercise and more must be more freely addressed in public health discourse.

(A Copy of the report is attached for your information).

Researchers in ‘urban planning’ and disability studies have created various guides for good practice in toilet provision. Ensuring public toilets are consistently on health agendas would seem to be a key part of ensuring decent access for all.

‘Just Can’t Wait’ Cards

They are ‘credit card size’ and can be downloaded and printed. They can be ordered in plastic or cardboard versions and there is also a ‘free’ digital version available to download onto ‘smartphones’. These cards are promoted, produced and made available by a number of charities in various formats and can be obtained from these organisations, especially for those with bladder or bowel conditions.

The following stores have accessible toilets for those people who hold this card:

• Co-Op (4,050 stores)
• M&S (Over 950 stores)
• Argos (over 800 stores)
• Superdrug (over 800 stores)
• Waitrose (349 stores)
• B&Q (Over 300 stores)
• White Stuff (Over 100 stores)
• Zara (Over 100 stores)
• Plus many others

These Toilet Access Cards:

• Provide access to toilets not normally available to the general public.
• Are a discreet, clear communication when you just can’t wait to use the toilet.
• Are widely accepted at many cafes, restaurants, shops, entertainment venues and other businesses.
• Are available in card, plastic versions or on a phone.
• The ‘digital’ ‘Just Can’t Wait’ card is now available to download to smartphones on the ‘Bowel and Bladder’ Community Website. Fill out a few details and be guided to download the card instantly. All that’s needed is an Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. Alternatively, plastic cards can be purchased by post or printed locally on a standard colour printer onto card or paper.

Bowel & Bladder Community Website:

FREE Just Can’t Wait Toilet Card

Or Email: Email:help@bladderandbowel.org

(Copy of ‘Just Can’t Wait’ Card Attached)

Other organisations offering these Cards;

• https://crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/get-involved/become-a-member/cant-wait-card
• https://www.theibsnetwork.org/cant-wait-card/
• https://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information/our-publications/publications/urgent-toilet-card

Attachments:

• Letter from BTA Board Member
• LTB355/20
• Letter from DFT & HSE
• RSPH Report ‘Taking The P—-‘
• Just Can’t Wait Card – Card & Digital Images

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer 

24LTB064 British Toilet Association (BTA) Campaign – CWU Support – Itinerant Peripatetic Workers & Public – Access To Toilets

Coun.Stephen Mercer (BTA) Public Toilet Access 26.01.24

LTB355-20-DOT-&-HSE-Letter-To-All-UK-Businesses-Re- Access-To-Toilets-&-…

DFT-HSE-letter-access-to-toilets-hygiene-facilities-for-visiting-drivers…

RSPH-Report-Taking-The-P…-The-Decline-of-the-Great-British-Toilet-May-…

Just Can’t Wait Card Images – Card & Digital

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JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN RM NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION AND THE CWU ON THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE 2024 PAD REVISION

Branches and Representatives are informed that in line with the commitments contained in the Business Recovery, Transformation and Growth (BRT&G) agreement, discussions have been taking place with the business in relation to progressing arrangements for the 2024 PAD Revision activity.

Branches will be aware that activity this year is required to align with the scheduled Network Window changes and flight removals in June 2024. As such, both parties have concluded an agreed Joint Statement to enable the early commencement of the “Data Gathering” activity in line with the tried and tested process.

Building on the processes developed in previous reviews, this year’s discussions have retained aspects of the data gathering process to recognise the increasing fluctuations in workload by modelling across an agreed week rather than a single day, as was previously the case. While at the request of Royal Mail the document has been restructured with the process now appearing in an annex, effectively all aspects of the process will mirror previously agreed arrangements. Attached for information is a Joint Statement covering the details and process for the deployment of this year’s review, which has been endorsed by the Postal Executive.

As with the previous PAD Joint Statements, the process fully recognises the role of the CWU at all levels and all activity will be overseen by the Area Distribution Working Group.

Colleagues will note that the Stage 1 Data Gathering will commence on 12^th February 2024 and representatives are therefore requested to engage with management accordingly in relation to the activity and release arrangements.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: shayman@cwu.org quoting reference: 054.06.

Yours sincerely,

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

063-24 – JS on Deployment of 2024 PAD Revision 09.02.24

JS Deployment of 2024 PAD Revision 09.02.24

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Royal Mail/CWU Joint Communication Covering Seasonal Variation (RMG/CWU Business Recovery, Transformation and Growth Agreement – Appendix 1) Peak Period Christmas 2024

Further to LTB 017/14 (Letter To Branches) issued on 15^th January, whch covered the Business Recovery, Transformation and Growth Agreement – RM/CWU Joint Statement – Section 2.5 (Improving Quality of Service) and RM/CWU Joint Communication on Seasonal Variation.

Branches and members will recall that the Joint Communication on Seasonal Variation issued with this LTB also included the following outstanding point:

It is also agreed that the peak period for 2024, where full time employees will typically increase their hours to 39 hours, will be reduced to a period of 5 weeks. Both parties will jointly agree the dates for the 5 week period by 31^st January 2024.

Accordingly, we have now reached an agreement with Royal Mail on the dates for this 5-week period, which is set out in this attached further Joint Communication.

To confirm, the agreed arrangements for Seasonal Variation and the Christmas/Peak period of 2024 will run from Monday 18^th November (week 34) and will end on Sunday 22^nd December (week 38).

This communication also confirms that this peak period of Seasonal Variation will apply as it did last year (September to December of 2023), whereby Full-timers (including 35-hour contracts) will see a 24 minutes per day variation increase applied before their start time. Part-timers will see a 10 minutes’ variation before their start time.

The conclusion of this Joint Communication now closes down this outstanding aspect and equally confirms that attendance patterns between the Eves will not be affected in terms of applying the ‘high-season’ changes of Seasonal Variation.

Any queries to the content of the above please contact the Outdoor Department reference 532, email address: JRODRIGUES@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Royal Mail Group: BRT&G Agreement Section 6.4.1 – Sick Pay Arrangements

Further to LTB 056/24 dated 6^th February.  We are aware that since this week’s payslips have been received there have been enquiries from members starting to repay monies owed due to the changes to sick pay as per the BRT&G Agreement.  We recognise the process and calculation for repayment is complex however Royal Mail have provided assurances that, in line with our Agreement on the application of the new sick pay arrangements, they have deducted no more than the £50 maximum in this week’s wage.  That said, Royal Mail acknowledge there are a very small number of cases where issues have been identified and these will be made good via BACS payments to the appropriate members this week.

A further Joint Statement (attached) has been agreed to provide reassurance and clarity and this includes an explanation of how the repayment of monies are reflected on payslips.  Additionally, the FAQs have been updated.  Branches and Reps are encouraged to ask members impacted to access the Sick Pay Recovery tile on the People App for guidance on how overpayments are being managed.  The tile enables individuals to see the total overpayment amount, the rate of recovery per pay period and the number of pay periods before the overpayment will be cleared.  Members can also call the Payroll Helpline on 03456 060 603 for assistance.  The Joint Statement also enables members to retrospectively seek an exception in line with the Agreement.

As a reminder, the maximum deduction will be £50 per week for full-time members and pro-rata for less than full-timers.  If there are any cases that exceed this amount, please ensure this information is provided to the DGS(P) Department as a matter of urgency so that representations can be made to address concerns.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)        

Andy Furey   
Assistant Secretary

LTB 062-24 – Royal Mail Group BRT&G Agreement Section 6.4.1 – Sick Pay Arrangements

Appendix 1 – Joint Statement CWU on Sick Pay 08022024

Appendix 2 – Sick Pay Changes_FAQs 

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CWU Online Course Applications

Branches will be aware that the new Membership Portal is now LIVE.

The full 2024 Core Programme is now available in the Portal and Branch Admins are able to apply for courses for role holders in their Branch.

A “How to” video is available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwx1lSN3XVA

When applying for courses Branch Admins should make every effort to ensure, the contact email for the applicant is up to date or this will cause delays.

All applications that have already been made have been uploaded to the Portal.  After course cut-off dates, successful applicants and Branch Secretaries will be emailed with details and authorisation forms in the normal manner. 

Previous courses undertaken are in the process of being added to the new system.

Proportionality Data:

Branches will continue to be able to view their Branch Proportionality figures and now have the ability to have specific views of their data which we hope will be useful. 

Please forward any feedback or enquiries relating to this LTB to courseadmin@cwu.org in the first instance.

Yours sincerely,

Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development

24LTB 061 – CWU Online Course Applications

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Save Clapham Crown Post Office – March and Rally – Saturday 10^th February

This Saturday at 10:30am, a march and rally will be held in the campaign to save Clapham Common Crown Post Office.

In the aftermath of the Horizon scandal and following some excellent local work, we are anticipating a large turnout from the local community, politicians and the media.  It is vital this is matched by CWU members and representatives.

On this basis, we are asking as many Branches as possible to make the effort to attend with a particular request being made of our Branches in London and the surrounding areas.

The march will set off from Voltaire Road (outside Clapham High Street Station) at 10:30am and head down Clapham High Road before finishing at Temperance Fountain on Clapham Common where we will hear from several speakers.

Thank you in anticipation of your support.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)                      

LTB 058-24 – Save Clapham Crown Post Office – March and Rally – Saturday 10th February              

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