Flooding – Advice to Health & Safety Representatives & Branches – ‘What to do and How to Stay Safe in a Flood and after a Flood’

Further to previously circulated LTBs and guidance issued to Branches and Regions the Health, Safety & Environment Department is issuing the following advice for Health and Safety Representatives in flood affected areas following the latest round of warnings and alerts issued by the Met Office and government agencies.

Flood forecast for the next 5 days:

Flooding impacts are expected to continue along parts of the River Trent, River Severn and River Thames for the next five days. The Government and Met Office warn that properties will flood and there will be travel disruption. River flooding impacts are also possible across parts of Yorkshire and Humber and possible but not expected tomorrow, as river levels remain high after the prolonged and recent heavy rainfall and wet weather. Local groundwater flooding is possible in parts of the South of England, Yorkshire and the Humber throughout the next five days. Land, roads and some properties could flood and there could be travel disruption. The Environment Agency has circa 266 Flood Warnings in place as of Saturday 6 Jan 2024, where flooding is expected and 163 Flood Alerts where flooding is possible. This number changes by the hour with warnings and alerts either added or removed and therefore should be monitored in the high risk areas. The flood warning websites for the UK, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are below and provide ‘flood maps’ and the UK national floodline number is also below. Branch Safety Reps should keep a check of flooding in their areas.

To Check Flooding Near You go to:- https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/find-location

Latest river, sea, groundwater and rainfall levels:

There are around 3,500 measuring stations and most are along main rivers and the coast. These levels can help you understand your flood risk now and over the next few days.

To find the situation with a River, Sea, Groundwater or Rainfall Level near you go to:- https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/river-and-sea-levels

Warning of flooded properties and transport disruption as river levels rise:

More than 1,800 properties have already been hit because of saturated ground, the Environment Agency has reported and more properties will flood over the next five days amid increased river levels and rainfall, the Environment Agency (EA) has warned with the impact of high water levels likely to continue over the coming days, particularly around the rivers Trent, Severn and Thames. It also says that transport services and roads are likely to continue to be disrupted alongside disruption to power supplies and other supplies.

Long range weather forecast for the UK:

The long range weather forecast for the UK from the Met Office is that colder conditions are on the way. The impactful rain and showers which have been a feature of the new year’s weather will eventually ease with many regions becoming drier and colder in coming weeks, marking a change in weather with a move to a colder and thankfully drier and more settled period for most areas.

In the meantime and until flooding eases and flood water recedes, the following advice and guidance has been compiled in conjunction with the Government’s Environment Agency (who have issued further flood warnings across many parts of Britain) and the UK Fire and Rescue Service (in respect of what to do prior to re-occupation of their premises after flood and storm damage):

Flood Safety Advice – IMPORTANT:

Before and during Floods – the Workplace – Commercial Premises and Vehicles:

• Be pro-active if you are in a flood affected area or one in which a ‘Flood Warning’ has been issued and be prepared. The better prepared you are, the better you’ll cope with the effects of flooding. Don’t underestimate the damage a flood can do and don’t wait for floods to happen. Flooding can occur very quickly and if you aren’t prepared now, you may not have time to get ready once the flooding starts.
• Listen out for local news reports, updates and warnings on radio and TV.
• Check weather reports for your area.
• Bear in mind the areas where the Environment Agency has issued ‘Severe Flood Warnings’ or ‘Flood Warnings’ (See Flood Warning Codes below).
• Ensure that the Environment Agency, Local Authority and Emergency Services advice is followed by members.
• Phone the Environment Agency’s Floodline on 0345 988 1188 for more information.
• Remain aware of the Environment Agency’s ‘Flooding updates’ (see below) and identify high risk areas and safety concerns.
• Try to work jointly with local management. Initiate discussions with the management Person In Control regarding the employer’s ‘Major Incident Plan’ ensuring it’s fit for purpose and that as a CWU Safety Rep, you are consulted and involved in the decision making process in line with your entitlement under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations.
• Jointly with local management liaise with emergency ‘Blue-Light’ Services and local authorities as the workplace may be evacuated in the event of a flood.
• Ensure members are jointly briefed and receive sufficient information and instructions.
• Be ready to turn off gas and electricity (get help if needed).  Unplug electrical items and move them upstairs if possible.
• If floods occur then the bottom line is that under no circumstances should members’ safety be jeopardised. Advise members that floods can kill and that they should remember that several people have lost their lives during past UK floods.
• Stay out of flood waters they are unsafe!  Advise members not to try to walk, wade or swim through floodwater – if on foot you can easily lose your footing and six inches of fast flowing water can knock a person over. Manhole covers may have come off in flood water and there may be other hazards you can’t see beneath the floodwater surface. People should also never try to swim through fast flowing water – they may get swept away or be struck by an object in the water.
• Members should never try to drive through floodwater – two feet of water will float a car or van away – even if you are in a large goods vehicle it can still be swept away.  Avoid contact with floodwater – it may be contaminated with sewage.
• Once flooding occurs, don’t travel unless you have to.

After the Floods – Flood Recovery Information – Workplaces and Commercial Premises:

• Prior to re-occupation of the workplace premises that have been flooded ensure they are jointly inspected. A risk assessment must be undertaken to ensure the safety of all employees in the workplace.
• The premises will need to be dried out and thoroughly cleaned up. Flood waters damage materials, leave mud, silt, contamination from sewage, other unknown contaminants and promote the growth of mildew. The walls, floors, shelves, contents and any other flooded parts of the building should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected and made safe in all respects to reduce these hazards and the damage they cause.
• If the premises have been flooded or water damaged, the electrical and gas installations should be checked by a competent person prior to reconnection;
• Any electrical plant, machinery equipment which has been affected should not be used unless checked and verified safe by a competent person;
• If the heating system for the premises is affected it should be checked by a competent person before being brought back into use;
• If portable temporary heaters, space heaters etc. are to be used to heat and dry out the premises, ensure that they are positioned in well ventilated areas away from combustible materials and positioned as to not endanger staff;
• The premises fire safety systems such as fire alarms, sprinklers or emergency lighting systems etc. should be checked and tested by a competent engineer prior to the occupation of the premises;
• Any hazardous materials or substances on the premises which have been affected by water, should be quarantined and specialist advice obtained prior to disposal;
• Ensure that premises security has not been compromised;
• Damaged goods and equipment etc. should be removed and stored away from any building in a secure place or in a secured skip;
• Check all fire exits and escape routes to ensure that they can be used prior to occupation;
• If the premises have structural damage which may be a danger as a result of flooding or storm damage, the Local Authority should be contacted prior to occupation.
• If you have any fire safety concerns, contact the local Fire Safety Department.
• If you have any unresolved health and safety concerns, contact the local authority Environmental Health Department or HSE depending on the appropriate enforcing authority.

Before and during Floods – in the home members should:

• Members should be made aware that there are 1.5 million properties at risk of flooding in England and Wales. One of them could be theirs!
• Do what you can now to prepare for a flood. Don’t wait for the flood to happen. Floods can occur very quickly. If you aren’t prepared now, you may not have time to get ready once the flooding starts. The better prepared you are, the better you’ll cope with the effects of flooding.
• Don’t underestimate the damage a flood can do – Check you have adequate flood cover on your home insurance. A recent Association of British Insurers (ABI) survey found that more than a quarter of UK people did not have sufficient home insurance cover to mitigate against losses caused by flooding!
• Don’t assume everyone knows what to do. Make a family flood plan and practice it. Do any neighbours need any help during a flood? – get organised.
• Listen to local Radio and TV for announcements. Check with Floodline on 0345 988 1188 whether there are specific flood warning arrangements for your area. Keep watching and listening. Stay alert; events can change very quickly during a flood. Keep an eye on the weather and listen out for warnings on the radio and TV.
• Keep a list of useful phone numbers somewhere you’ll remember, e.g. your local council, the emergency services, your insurance company and the Environment Agency’s Floodline number 0345 988 1188.
• Make a flood kit. Keep a torch, batteries, radio, and necessary medication, emergency numbers, rubber gloves and your insurance policy in a safe place, upstairs if possible.
• Move pets, vehicles, valuables and other items to safety. Move upstairs onto higher ground.
• Know how and where to turn off your gas and electricity supplies. If you’re not sure, check with the gas and electricity companies. Mark the tap or switch with a sticker to help you remember.
• Get some sandbags (to block doors and airbricks but remember to ensure that there is adequate ventilation). Put sandbags or flood boards in place – but make sure your property is ventilated. Plug sinks/baths and put a sandbag in the toilet bowl to prevent backflow. Check in Yellow Pages under builder’s merchants for local suppliers or ask your local authority for advice. You can also make them yourself using old pillow cases or carrier bags and fill them with sand or earth.
• Do as much as you can in daylight. Doing anything in the dark will be a lot harder, especially if the electricity fails.
• If the flooding is serious the emergency services and your local authority may decide to evacuate you. Do exactly what they tell you. Remember to take supplies such as medication with you; you may be way from your home for a while.
• Don’t drive through floodwater, your car may be swept away. Don’t walk in floodwater, it can easily knock you off your feet. The water could have open manholes, road works or objects and you won’t be able to see them.
• Don’t walk on sea defences, riverbanks or cross river bridges if possible – they may collapse in extreme situations or you may be swept off by large waves. Beware of stones and pebbles being thrown up by waves.
• Members should check on elderly relatives and neighbours to see if they are ok.

After the Floods – in the Home members should be advised:

• Protect yourself and your family from stress, fatigue and health hazards that follow a flood.
• Once it’s safe to go back in, protect your home and contents from further damage.
• Some things are not worth repairing and some things may be too complicated or expensive to do by yourself – make the most of your time and money.
• Dry out your home – Flood waters damage materials, leave mud, silt and unknown contaminants and promote the growth of mildew. You need to dry your home to reduce these hazards and the damage they cause.
• Open doors and windows to ventilate the home. It takes a brick about a month to dry out, so take care to ensure your house is secure. Remember to unblock airbricks and doorways.
• Do watch out for any broken glass or nails while you’re cleaning up.
• Wash taps and run them for a few minutes before use. Main tap water should not be contaminated but check with your local water company if you’re concerned.
• Clean up – The walls, floors, shelves, contents and any flooded parts of your home should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
• Don’t touch items that have been in contact with the water. Flood water is likely to be contaminated and could contain sewage. Disinfect and clean thoroughly everything that is wet.
• If the premises have been flooded, don’t turn any electrical items back on. Any domestic appliances or equipment i.e., cookers, televisions, VCR’s, washing machines etc. which have been affected by water should not be used. Make sure they’ve dried out first. The electrical/gas installations should be checked by a competent person prior to reconnection. Contact the gas, electricity and water companies to get supplies checked before you turn them back on.
• Heating systems i.e., gas boilers, oil boilers, storage heaters etc. which have been affected by water should not be used unless checked by a competent person;
• Be vigilant where damaged household contents are left outside the property, including damaged vehicles which may be subject to theft or arson.
• If your premises are unoccupied, make sure that they are secure;
• If you are re-occupying the premises, ensure that your smoke alarms are working to ensure your safety;
• If you are using portable heaters take appropriate precautions in the use and siting of these appliances and to ensure the safety of your family.  Portable heaters using gas, oil or paraffin etc. should have adequate ventilation.
• If your premises has structural damage which may be a result of flooding or storm damage, you should contact the local authority prior to occupation.
• Prepare for the next flood – Protect yourself from the next flood – As mentioned above, make a family flood plan to avoid or minimise further damage. Don’t think it can’t happen again. Restock your supplies.
• Report the matter to your insurance company promptly – They’ll need to get moving quickly.
• Check the internet under ‘flood damage’ for suppliers of cleaning materials or equipment to dry out your property.
• Don’t trust bogus traders. With so much damage to repair, it’s tempting to take the first offer that comes along. Always check references and, if possible, get recommendations.

Flood Warning Codes:

The flood warning code system consists of the following:

• Flood Alert – Flooding is possible. Be prepared.
• Flood Warning – Flooding of homes and businesses is expected. Immediate action is required. Act now!
• Severe Flood Warning – Severe flooding is expected with danger to life and property. Act now!
• All Clear/Warning No Longer in Force – No further flooding is expected for this area.

Flood Warning update information:

To access the up to date information, check the status of your area and to see the flood warnings currently in force in your region, go to the following ‘Flooding Update Websites’ at the following websites of government agencies who constantly monitor rainfall, river levels and sea conditions to forecast the possibility of flooding. Flood Alerts, Warnings and Severe Warning Lists are constantly updated. The Links are as follows:

• England – Environment Agency (EA)https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency
• Scotland – Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
• Wales – Natural Resources Wales (NRW)
• Northern Ireland – NI Direct https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/check-risk-flooding-your-area

Further Flood Warning Websites:

• Met Office Flood warnings guide Website: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/guides/flood-warnings
• BBC Flood Warnings – https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/warnings/floods
• UK Flood Alerts and Warning Website – https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/alerts-and-warnings

UK National Floodline – 0345 988 1188

Attachments:

• Environment Agency Guide – Preparing for a flood
• Environment Agency Guide – During a Flood
• Environment Agency Guide – After a Flood

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

LTB 009/23 – Flooding – Advice to H&S Reps & Branches – ‘What to do and How to Stay Safe in a Flood and after a Flood’

Att: Preparing for a flood

Att: During a flood

Att: After a flood

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Joint Communication Network Window & Changes to Mail Circulation for Shetland, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides Islands Postcodes

In June 2023, Royal Mail and the CWU shared the indicative modelling for Delivery Office start and finish times before CWU members participated in the ballot on the RM/CWU Business Recovery, Transformation and Growth Negotiators Agreement.  Given the complex nature of mail circulation from the mainland to the island postcodes for ZE, HS and KW no information for these locations was shared at this time.

In line with the commitments set out in Appendix 2 of the Business Recovery, Transformation & Growth Agreement, both parties embarked on a joint programme of work designed to achieve the necessary pipeline, workflow and mail centre cycle time improvements required to limit the change to start and finish times up to a maximum of 60 minutes in Deliveries.

During this joint activity a potential significant impact on the Shetland, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides islands with the onward flight connections for these locations, which are currently processed at Inverness and Aberdeen mail centres, was exposed.  Highlighting the revised Network would result in significantly reduced connectivity with the islands with mails missing the connecting flights.

The National Joint Working Group and the Local Joint Working Group for the Scotland region have jointly looked for solutions which meet the needs of customers in these remote communities, delivers on our Quality of Service/USO commitments and limits the impact on start and finish times in Delivery.

Following this activity, the proposed solution is to process mail destined for Shetland, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides at Glasgow Mail Centre with flights departing from Glasgow Airport instead of the current operation whereby mail is processed at Aberdeen and Inverness Mail Centres with flights from Aberdeen and Inverness airports to the islands.  This recirculation maximises the potential to maintain or improve connectivity and service provision to the islands following the Network Window changes.

For clarity this activity is separate to the phased removal of the inland flight sectors from Aberdeen and Inverness Air Hub which remains unchanged i.e. Inverness Air Hub remains open until April 2025 in line with the commitments contained within the BRT&G Agreement.

It is recognised there will be a loss of workload in Aberdeen and Inverness Mail Centres, based on Royal Mail’s provisional modelling both parties anticipate any frontline headcount reduction can be addressed through the reduction in external and flexible resource, though there will be a reduction in Mail Screener roles at both plants.

Both Parties reaffirm that in line with the commitment at Section 3.1.3 of the Business Recovery, Transformation and Growth Agreement, with the exception of VR compensation terms, the full terms of the existing MTSF process for voluntary redundancies will apply, including how surpluses and redeployments are managed.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: shayman@cwu.org quoting reference: 233.16. or Mark Baulch, the Outdoor Department, email: jrodrigues@cwu.org quoting reference number: 580.

Yours sincerely

Davie Robertson                                                       

Assistant Secretary                                    

Mark Baulch

Assistant Secretary

LTB 008/24 – Scottish Flights Recirculation 08.01.24

Att: Joint Communication Network Window

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POST OFFICE: HORIZON SCANDAL – ITV PRODUCTION – MR BATES VS THE POST OFFICE

Branches have seen the ITV production being broadcast this week entitled “Mr Bates vs The Post Office”.  The four-part series is extremely moving and accurately portrays the misery and suffering of hundreds of Postmasters and their families during and after the Horizon scandal, which has come to be widely perceived as the most serious miscarriage of justice in British legal history.  The link to download the four episodes is: https://www.itv.com/watch/mr-bates-vs-the-post-office/10a0469/10a0469a0001

We would like to congratulate Alan Bates and the Justice for SubPostmasters Alliance (JFSA) who have campaigned for justice for the victims of this horrendous travesty for many years.  Their determination and perseverance has helped to achieve the overturning of a significant number of unsafe convictions and securing compensation schemes for those who have suffered so terribly.  The CWU is calling upon Government to provide more tangible support for the victims and to speed up the compensation scheme process.

The CWU as a Core Participant in the Sir Wyn Williams Inquiry on the Horizon scandal will be involved in the various hearings during 2024 and this will afford us the opportunity to help the victims highlight the horrendous tactics deployed by Post Office in its long running persecution of Postmasters.  This will also allow us to add our voice to the increasing demand for accountability of the senior Post Office Directors behind the Horizon scandal.  In this regard, below is a link to a petition which asks people to lend their support to have ex Post Office CEO Paula Vennells stripped of her CBE:

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/strip-paula-vennells-of-her-cbe

We would also like to highlight the comments earlier this week in the media by Kevin Hollinrake, Post Office Minister who said “… ultimately you’ve got responsibility for what happened, you are the Chief Executive. If I was Paula Vennells I would seriously consider handing that [CBE] back voluntarily”.

Lastly, the CWU has a fully functioning Postmasters Branch with Sean Hudson as Branch Secretary and a working Committee.  We would urge all Branches and members when encountering Postmasters in their daily working lives to encourage them to join the CWU.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 007/24

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CWU Statement Regarding Mr Bates VS the Post Office

COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION

05/01/2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CWU STATEMENT REGARDING MR BATES VS THE POST OFFICE

CWU National Officer Andy Furey said: “Mr Bates vs the Post Office has been a tremendously moving depiction of such a harrowing story that has rightly been described as the greatest miscarriage of justice ever seen in the UK.

“Alan Bates and the Justice For Sub-Postmaster Alliance must be lauded for their tireless efforts to expose the disgraceful actions of the Post Office.

“The emotional response from across the country has been a vindication for Alan Bates and those who fought a crusade to overturn the Post Office establishment, who closed ranks to defend the Horizon system – even though this meant Postmasters being imprisoned for crimes they didn’t commit.

“It has also been vindicating for CWU members in the Post Office, who have supported the efforts of the JFSA in fighting this injustice for well over a decade.

“Sadly, this fight was necessary as hundreds of Postmasters were let down and abandoned by the National Federation of SubPostmasters, who failed them every step of the way due to their  blind and unquestionable support for the Post Office Board.

“The CWU fully reiterates our demand that the government strips former Chief Executive Officer Paula Vennells of her CBE – this honour for Post Office services is an insult to every postmaster who were treated so abhorrently under her leadership.

“We also urge all of this nation’s Post Office workers and Postmasters to join a real union – the CWU.”

ENDS

For more information or further enquiries, please contact CWU Press Officer Marcus Barnett at mbarnett@cwu.org.

BRT&G Agreement – Joint Communication – Network Window Update

In June 2023, Royal Mail and the CWU shared the indicative modelling for Delivery Office start and finish times before CWU members participated in the ballot on the RM/CWU Business Recovery, Transformation and Growth Negotiators Agreement, which was subsequently endorsed by the membership.

In sharing the indicative modelling outputs both parties recognise that changes to start and finish times are of concern to many employees in all functions, particularly in Delivery, and commit to seek to minimise change in start and finish times whilst still achieving the necessary improvements in cost and environmental impact due to reducing the reliance on air transport.

In July 2023, the National and Local Joint Working Groups were established and have focused on exploring options to improve upon Delivery start and finish times, as per the commitments set out in Appendix 2 of the BRT&G Agreement. Since then both parties have embarked on a joint programme of work designed to achieve the necessary Pipeline work flow and Mail Centre cycle time improvements required to limit the change to start and finish times up to a maximum of 60 minutes.

Royal Mail and the CWU have made significant progress through the Joint Working Groups established at all levels. Given the complexity associated with designing a National network both parties have agreed to a revised timetable to that published in June 2023.

The revised high-level timelines are as follows:

• Delivery employees informed of change to start and finish times in February
• Exceptions process opens from February
• Deployment of the Network Window Change in Delivery Offices with an up to 15-minute change from April 2024, with phased deployment to other Delivery Offices by June 2024.
• Deployment of the Network Window Changes in Processing, Regional & National Distribution to go live June 2024.

The next steps regarding the improvements made to the previous published data is that the revised start/finish times will now be subject to further review and the assumptions tested by the Local & Regional Joint Working Groups. This activity will enable the assumptions to be agreed and finalised, or where there remain challenges both parties will seek to find further improvements and/or solutions to mitigate the times further, if indeed this is possible.

Following this activity, for those areas that still remain unresolved a process will be put in place at Local, Area and Divisional level in order to seek a mutual resolution, however if that still leaves Delivery Offices and Mail Centre catchment Areas with unresolved units, these will be escalated to the National Joint Working Group for intervention.

Both parties are continuing to work on several operational processes to support the activity as set out above, which will be further supplemented with a process for offering further clarification where necessary on Network Window changes, and alongside the issuing of a joint FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) document.

In addition, further National talks are continuing in order to finalise the individual’s Exceptions Process ready for when publication of start and finish times formally take place.

Finally, discussions have been held with CWU’s Communications Department regarding next steps and how we can provide relevant updates in the coming weeks relating to videos, podcasts and live sessions and further developments will be published in due course.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: shayman@cwu.org quoting reference number: 054.06. or Mark Baulch, the Outdoor Department, email: jrodrigues@cwu.org quoting reference number: 580.

Yours sincerely

Davie Robertson         

Assistant Secretary                                               

Mark Baulch

Assistant Secretary                                                  

LTB 004/24 – BRTG Agreement – Joint Communication – Network Window Update 04.01.24

Att: Final RM_CWU Joint Communication Network Window Update Jan 2024_signed

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Parcelforce Worldwide Regional Organiser, Parcelforce Worldwide Regional Organiser Substitute and Parcelforce Worldwide Regional Chair – 2024

Nominations are invited from Branches with Members in the respective Parcelforce Worldwide regions (including members in RMSS) for the following Parcelforce Worldwide Regional Organiser & Substitute positions:

• South East Region
• Central Region
• Scotland/Northern Ireland/North East Region
• Northern Region
• South Central Wales & West Region

Election of:  Parcelforce Worldwide Area Organiser – 2024

Nominations are invited from Branches in Northern Ireland with members in the respective Parcelforce Worldwide Area (including members in RMSS) for the following Parcelforce Worldwide Area Organiser position;

• Northern Ireland

The term of office for the above positions is two years and the successful candidates will take up office in  March 2024 however candidates should be aware that the above Regional and Area positions have been under review for some time by the CWU & Royal Mail and therefore the term of office may be subject to change.

A Nomination form is attached to this LTB. If additional forms are required they are available on request from the Senior Deputy General Secretary Department. Completed forms which must be signed by the Branch Secretary and Branch Chair or accredited deputies and the nominee, should be returned to Tony Kearns, Senior Deputy General Secretary, on the following email elections@cwu.org by 25^th January 2024 (14:00).   

The timetable for the election is as follows:

Nominations Open:                                 5^thJanuary 2024

Nominations Close:                                 25^th January 2024 (14:00)

Ballot Papers Despatched:                   6^th February 2024

Ballot Close:                                               27^th February 2024 (First Post)

If ballots are required, these will be conducted on an individual member ballot basis of the relevant eligible CWU members and will be conducted in accordance with the election guidelines for CWU Senior Regional/Field officials, a copy of the guidelines are attached for your information.

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

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 006 – Parcelforce Regional Organiser Substitute and Regional Chair 2024

Att 006 -Consent Bio Form

Att 006 – Guidelines

Att 006 – Parcels Organiser Nomination Form.pdf

Att 006 – Substitute Regional Org Nomination Form

Att 006 – CWU Area Org NI Nomination Form

Att 006 – Regional Chair Nomination Form

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Election of: Parcelforce Worldwide Area Health & Safety Representative/Substitute Area Health & Safety Representative 2024

Nominations are invited from Branches with Members in the respective Parcelforce Worldwide regions (including members in RMSS) for the following Parcelforce Worldwide Area Health & Safety Representative & Substitute positions;

• North, Scotland & Northern Ireland Region
• Central Region
• South West Region
• South East Region

The term of office for the above positions is two years and the successful candidates will take up office in March 2024, however candidates should be aware that the above positions have been under review for some time by the CWU & Parcelforce and therefore the term of office may be subject to change.

A Nomination form is attached to this LTB. If additional forms are required they are available on request from the Senior Deputy General Secretary Department. Completed forms which must be signed by the Branch Secretary and Branch Chair or accredited deputies and the nominee, should be returned to Tony Kearns, Senior Deputy General Secretary, on the following email elections@cwu.org  by 25^th January 2024 (14.00)

The timetable for the election is as follows:

Nominations Open:                     5^th  January 2024

Nominations Close:                     25^thJanuary 2024 (14.00)

Ballot Papers Despatched:       6^thFebruary 2024

Ballot Close:                                   27^thFebruary 2024

If Ballots are required, these will be conducted on an individual member ballot basis of the relevant eligible CWU members and will be conducted in accordance with the election guidelines for CWU Senior Regional/Field officials, a copy of the guidelines are attached for your information.

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

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 005 – Election of Parcelforce Area Health and Safety Reps and Subs

Att 005 – Election Guidelines

Att 005 – Consent Bio Form

Att 005 – Parcels Area HS Rep Nomination Form

Att: 005 – Parcels Substitute Area HS Rep Nomination Form

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Royal Mail Property & Facility Solutions – Election of:

• 3 Regional Cleaning Representatives – North, East & West Regions
• 1 National Cleaning Representative

The term of office for all these positions is a period of 2 years in line with the CWU Recognition & Industrial Framework Agreement 2021.

A Nomination Form for all positions is attached to this LTB and are available on request from the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department.  All Candidates must have the nomination of their own branch which must be agreed at a Branch Meeting.  Completed nomination forms must be signed by the Branch Secretary and Branch Chair (or accredited deputies) and the nominee.  The form should then be returned to Tony Kearns, Senior Deputy General Secretary, on the following email: elections@cwu.org by 23^rd January 2024

Also attached is a copy of the CWU Representative Structure which shows the Distribution of Branches contained within each of the above Regions.

The timetable for the nominations is as follows:

Nominations open:             3^rd January 2024

Nominations close:             23^rd January 2024 (14:00)

Any ballots will be run in accordance with the CWU guidelines for Regional Cleaning Representatives, which are attached for your information.

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

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

001.24LTB

Att: Election Guidelines 2024

Att: National Rep Nomination Form

Att: Regional Nomination Form

Att: Consent Bio Form

Att: Structure Presentation

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Scottish Government – Enhancing The Accessibility, Adaptability And Usability Of Scotland’s Homes Public Consultation – CWU Low Level Letterbox Campaign:

Further to LTBs 138/23, 58/23 and 423/22, as detailed in those previous reports, the Health, Safety and Environment Department continues to press forward the Union’s Low Level Letterbox Campaign, making representations to central government and the devolved administrations, calling for low level letterboxes to be banned for safety and ergonomic reasons in respect of the negative occupational impact on CWU delivery workers.

Meetings have been taking place, correspondence and lobbying politicians continues and finally a number of public consultations have been responded to covering building regulations, planning policies and home building design standards and guides as governments prepare new legislation to speed up the government’s delivery of its commitment to building 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s.

Most recently, meetings and correspondence have taken place with Scottish Ministers, MSPs and the Scottish Government’s Housing Directorate Building Standards and Technical Policy Lead in relation to progressing the longstanding ‘CWU Low Level Letter Box Campaign’ aimed at banning low level letterboxes. The all-round response has been positive and supportive.

The Scottish Government last year launched a Public Consultation ‘Enhancing The Accessibility, Adaptability And Usability Of Scotland’s Homes’ which included clauses and questions covering letter box apertures and placement.

The consultation aims to improve housing accessibility through the review of Part 1 of the Housing for Varying Needs design guide and by introducing a Scottish Accessible Homes Standard through updates to building standards and guidance.

A Communication Workers Union (CWU) response has been submitted to the consultation as part of the ‘CWU Low Level Letterbox Campaign’ in order to place the matter on the record, reiterating our representations, specifically our letter dated 12 July 2022 and Minister Patrick Harvie’s reply dated 14 June 2023.

The CWU response to the public consultation centres on the one specific aspect of the consultation in respect of letter box heights and the need for a ‘mandatory’ standard to be introduced which bans low level letterboxes.

The Communications Workers Union has been campaigning to outlaw low level letterboxes for many years. This issue was first raised by the Union as far back as 1958 when the British Standards Agency deemed it appropriate that letter boxes be at a proper height. Unfortunately, it was not and still has not been enshrined into building standards law anywhere in the UK (Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales or England).

The CWU has continued campaigning relentlessly for government to implement the specifications now set out in the current European Standard (EN 13724) covering private letter boxes and outlawing low level letter boxes by enshrining the EU Standard into UK Law.

The EU Standard requires letterboxes to be at a height accessible to postal workers, significantly reducing possible injuries such as, dog bites, fingers being trapped or back strain caused when bending excessively to reach ground level boxes.  

The European Standard EN 13724 was introduced in 2002 and this states that for ‘ergonomic and safety reasons’ the centreline of the letter box aperture should be at a height between 700 mm (2 ft. 3.5 inches) 1700mm (5ft 7inches). Unfortunately, it was not enshrined into UK building standards law for some unknown reason.

Low level letter boxes have been outlawed in many European countries. For example, the Republic of Ireland banned all low level letterboxes as far back as 2001.

Scottish Government Ministers, MSPs and officials have continually indicated their support for the regulatory change on letter box minimum height, in line with the CWU Campaign and it’s now well overdue that the change is brought into force once and for all.

On the basis of the Minister’s assurance and the assurance of the Scottish Government’s Building Standards Division Policy Lead, the CWU submission requests that without further delay, the Scottish Government by order, directs that dwellings may not include a letterbox which is less than 70cm/700mm from the ground.

With around 200,000 houses a year, on average, being built across the UK currently, and no regulation on letter box height in place, the problem and negative impact on the occupational health of postal workers caused by low level letterboxes continues to be exacerbated and grows by the day.

The Union has called on the Scottish Government to see merit in minimalizing the risk of injury to CWU members by passing legislation to cover the manufacture of all new and replacement doors fitted to new houses and developments as well as replacements and refurbishments etc.

CWU members in Royal Mail deliver to each of the 31,000,000 UK addresses daily, and the CWU feel the time has come to standardise letter box height and safe design well above ground level.

The problems with low level letter boxes is that back injuries to postmen and women occur each year in Royal Mail and delivering to low level letter boxes at the base of a house front door forces postal staff to stoop to ground level whilst carrying mail items and this can cause back strain. Low Level Letter boxes also present an increased risk of dog bites when the mail is pushed through the aperture at ground level.

Royal Mail postal workers had 18,000 back-related injuries and absence spells in 2021/2022, sustaining back problems connected wholly or in part because of the act of bending and stooping to deliver mail into low level letterboxes. Fingers are also more easily trapped and injured in low level letterboxes, as well as significantly increasing the risk of being bitten by dogs. 2,000 – 3,000 dog attacks on postmen and women occur across the UK annually and 1000 postman and women have had a finger bitten off or partly bitten off in the last 5 years through the letterbox.

The Union has the full support of Royal Mail Group as well as winning the support of many influential bodies and organisations during our campaigning including the HSE, National House-Building Council, the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF), Local Authorities etc.

With the EU Standard still not enshrined in Building Regulations, CWU has had to campaign ‘piecemeal’ across the UK, approaching Local Authorities, for support and we have had to lobby House Builders, ‘appealing to their better nature’ for compliance with the EU Standard, taking account of the negative impact of the installation of low level letter boxes on postal workers.

Our campaigning hasn’t been without success and some of the largest of the UK’s House Builders have listened to our campaign message and acceded to our request not to fit front doors on homes with low level letter boxes. These include Bovis and Linden Homes, Keepmoat Homes and Coedlas Developments.

A number of Local Authorities have also taken positive steps to support the Campaign, adopting the policy of raising the issue with house builders and developers when applications are made.

The National House Builders Council (NHBC) has been supporting CWU’s campaign since 2005.

Turning to the Consultation Clauses and Questions with specific relevance to the matter of low-level letterboxes:

Clause 9.6.9 of Annex I – Section 9 of Part 1 of the current Housing for Varying Needs design guide ‘Entrance doors to individual houses or flats.’ and in respect of Questions 15 (P39), 40 (P70), 42 (P74) and 44 (P90): The CWU agrees with this proposal but as outlined above, the CWU believes that the proposed updates to the Housing for Varying Needs design guide should go further by firstly (a) Specifically ‘prohibit low level letterboxes’ and (b) Should specify a mandatory requirement requiring that for ‘ergonomic and safety reasons’ the centreline of the letter box aperture should be at a height between 700 mm (2 ft. 3.5 inches) 1700mm (5ft 7inches).

See attached copy of the CWU submission to the public consultation.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

24LTB003 Scottish Government – Scotland’s Homes Public Consultation – CWU Low Level Letterbox Campaign

Scot.Gov.Consultation-Enhancing-accessibilityusablity-of-Scotland’s-homes- CWU-response-Low-Level-Letterbox-Campaign

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Health, Safety & Environment Department LTB Digest for 2023:

As in previous years the Health, Safety & Environment Department is circulating, for the particular attention of Safety Representatives, a digest list of LTBs issued by the Health, Safety & Environment Department during 2023.

Copies of all back-number LTBs are available for downloading via the CWU Website or on request directly from the Health, Safety & Environment Department.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

24LTB002 Health, Safety & Environment Department LTB Digest for 2023

LTBs JANUARY – DECEMBER 2023

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