UNAGREED EXTENSION OF MY PERFORMANCE APP

Branches and Representatives will be aware Royal Mail has communicated the extension of “My Performance”.  The Business Recovery, Transformation & Growth (BRT&G) Agreement, Appendix 5, section 3, recognised that Royal Mail intended to develop a My Performance app/tile and committed the CWU to discussions in line with the commitments in Appendix 5 of the BRT&G agreement.  In particular, the introduction includes the following safeguards for our members:

“Technology and data will be used to understand workplace and individual performance in a fair, and consistent way.  It will also help support the identification of potential operational improvements…..to focus support where it is needed with an emphasis on solving the vast majority of performance concerns informally via peer-on-peer support and coaching”

The CWU’s concerns regarding Royal Mail’s approach has been made clear in meetings and formally in a letter sent by the Officers on Wednesday 4^th October 2023.  It should be noted that the extension, which is due to commence next week, will involve c.25,600 delivery members across 332 Units as follows:

• Scotland (excluding the highlands)   62
• North East                                               95
• Midlands                                                 111
• Anglia                                                       64

Whilst My Performance is currently aimed at Delivery Members, the intention is to roll this out to all grades / functions.

We believe in the current environment, whereby achieving Quality of Service should be the absolute priority, especially as we are approaching peak, that the scale and timing for a successful extension to the My Performance Pilot is ill-conceived and is an unnecessary distraction for all.  Given the pressures to deliver the USO and to improve QofS as we approach the peak period, we have genuine concerns that managers’ focus won’t be on having positive conversations when their attention will undoubtedly be on the operation.  Our strong view is that an agreed extension to the Pilot should be activated in the New Year and this will provide all parties with the necessary time to ensure the coaching and training around the App is both appropriate and balanced.

The extended programme Royal Mail intend to deploy is not consistent with the BRT&G safeguards.  Instead, the My Performance approach and design has clearly been developed with the focus on pressurising our members in respect of individual performance.  This is without any context or reference to individual circumstances and is the first step in a migration to a more aggressive approach to performance management.

Whilst we have received a response from Royal Mail that attempts to reassure us of our involvement, it does not respond to our very real concerns.  Therefore, Branches, Representatives and Members are advised that such a large scale extension of My Performance is not agreed by the CWU.

We are particularly perturbed by the Royal Mail categorisation of each member being placed into a Gold, Silver, Bronze or Purple designation.  Alongside this, a further determination that every member needs to improve to achieve the Gold standard.  We have had no real input into these categorisations or designations or how the initiative will actually work in practice.  Essentially, Royal Mail’s whole premise is not based on how you perform your role but on what Royal Mail are calling their “values”.  The CWU have not agreed these “values” and we believe this is a sinister attempt to put undue pressure on our members at a time when everyone will be focused on delivering a successful peak.

Furthermore, to put this matter into perspective, and to provide a context as to how management are viewing performance in general, below are deeply concerning comments by management attributable to the purple category:-

• Regularly displays a negative or defeatist attitude at work which affects others 
• Resistant to feedback, often arguing or disengaging from conversations. 
• Not approachable to team mates when they need it and may share information about others without their consent 
• Avoids collaboration and works in isolation, even when teamwork is needed 
• Downplays colleagues’ achievements and shows minimal interest or recognition for their accomplishments 
• Requires multiple prompts or reminders before taking action on wellbeing and the impact on others.

The above comments are disgraceful and none of our members should have these unfounded assertions made against them.  The fact is, these types of accusations against our members are subjective, cannot be verified via any App, and fundamentally illustrate how management view some of our members.  It is utterly wrong that line managers will be encouraged and empowered to attribute such allegations towards members who simply want to do a good job.

The Postal Executive want to reach an acceptable agreement with Royal Mail for an extension to My Performance; however, whilst the initiative remains in its current format we are unable to conclude an agreement.

Branches, Representatives and Members do not have to co-operate with any conversations managers may wish to have arising from Purple, Bronze, Silver and Gold designations without their Representative being present.  Indeed, it is imperative that all members receive full support in this regard.  This is necessary as the BRT&G Agreement states:

“Both parties recognise care needs to be taken to ensure we build a positive and supportive workplace culture”. 

The CWU are committed to the BRT&G Agreement; however, Royal Mail are taking this initiative and extension beyond the spirit and intent of the agreement, with no meaningful engagement.  Whilst meetings have been held, management have not changed or modified their proposals despite the significant concerns raised by the Union.

The guiding principle surrounding this matter is that “Individual data will be used for coaching purposes in a supportive manner” and all managers should be adopting this position.  Accordingly, if Representatives and Members feel undue pressure is being placed upon them by their manager, they should use the grievance procedure and if this does not resolve the issue and becomes a wider Industrial Relations problem, the flashpoint procedure should be used.  If Royal Mail continue to refuse to modify their unreasonable and unfair stance to this extension, the Postal Executive will support all local requests for Industrial Action ballots to defend our members against these unjust measures.

Any enquiries to this LTB please contact: The Outdoor Department reference 580, email address: jrodrigues@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Mark Baulch – Assistant Secretary                      

Carl Maden – Assistant Secretary                                

Davie Robertson – Assistant Secretary  

LTB258

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BRT&G Agreement – Key Principles – Mail Centre Supernumeraries & Surpluses – Dispute Resolution Procedure

Further to LTB 245/23 circulated on the 28^thSeptember 2023 Branches will be aware of the continuing unacceptable approach Royal Mail continues to apply to our displaced members in Mail Centres.  As previously reported the Union believed that an agreement had been reached on Key Principles in late September.  Royal Mail subsequently withdrew their support for that agreement and tabled a revised document which removed the necessary guarantees and protections on which the Key Principles were founded.  The revised document was rejected by our Postal Executive and the matter escalated to the Chief Operating Officer and Chief People Officer.

The Union has remained committed to securing an agreement to take pressure off our members and as such further talks took place last week and this week with the senior HR team.  A further draft proposal was received yesterday from Royal Mail which is again completely unacceptable and would require the Union to agree that Royal Mail’s Regional Redeployment Programme, including the use of Redeployment pools has replaced the Nationally agreed Managing the Surplus Framework (MTSF).

Under no circumstances will the CWU agree to a weakening of the MTSF Agreement.  It is clear that Royal Mail will not reach an agreement other than on their terms, which would undermine the MTSF agreement which has provided fundamental protections for our members for over 20 years.  This is not solely a Mail Centre issue but one that affects all CWU members in Royal Mail Group.

Branches will recall that we had registered National DRP’s on the current approach in Mail Centres but also in regard to the BRT&G commitment at section 3.1.3 of that agreement where Royal Mail reaffirmed their commitment to MTSF:

3.1.3    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.

Given the actions of the company we consider Royal Mail to be in breach of the MTSF agreement and therefore in breach of the BRT&G agreement.  In line with section 2.6.3 the Union will refer the matter to ACAS for support and facilitation to ensure that Royal Mail implement the BRT&G agreement in full including the commitments in 3.1.3.

In the view of the CWU the actions of the senior Royal Mail management team in unilaterally deploying a process which is clearly incompatible with the terms of MTSF and is designed to isolate and pressure our members is frankly a disgrace.  They have had every opportunity to amicably resolve this matter and have continually refused to do so.

For our members currently forced into the unagreed Redeployment process we would reiterate the advice given in LTB 245/23:

On the basis of Royal Mails’ commitment to MTSF Processes in section 3.1.3 of the BRT&G agreement, Members and Representatives are reminded of the following:

• No employee can be subject to compulsory redundancy.
• No employee can be forced to reduce their contracted hours or grade. Should any individual choose to do so then Buy Down compensation must apply.
• Under no circumstances should our members be compelled to apply for external jobs, if they wish to remain in Royal Mail employment.
• Under the terms of MTSF the responsibility for identifying reasonable alternative redeployment opportunities lies with the business. It is not the responsibility of the individual to search for alternative internal vacancies.
• Any redeployment offers must be progressed in line with MTSF processes and the onus is on management to make suitable job offers.

A Zoom Briefing of Divisional and Area Processing Representatives will take place on Monday, 16^thOctober 2023 to provide a full update and discuss next steps, details of which will follow and tailored coms and advice are being prepared for our Mail Centre members.

Given the circumstances we would reiterate that all Rule 13 ballot requests received in relation to this issue will be progressed by the PE as a matter of urgency.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: shayman@cwu.org  quoting reference: 733.02.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey – A/Deputy General Secretary (Postal)                                                                             

Davie Robertson – Assistant Secretary

257-23 – MC Supernumerary-Surplus – 13.10.23

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Union Learning Representative’s Networking Event – Registration Reminder!

Further to LTB 206/23, we are writing to remind Branches and Regions to register for the Union Learning Representative’s Networking Event, taking place on Wednesday 1^st and Thursday 2^nd November 2023 at Leonardo Hotel Glasgow (formerly Jury’s Inn) 80 Jamaica St, Glasgow G1 4QG.

The programme for the 2 days will include a range of speakers, practical workshops, latest CWU learning developments and a celebration of our collective achievements. It is an opportunity for ULRs to share ideas, come together and support learning across the CWU.

Applications should be made by Branch Secretaries via courseadmin@cwu.org with the name and membership number of the ULR who MUST be registered on the OLS as a Role holder. If any attendees have any accessibility requirements, please contact the department ASAP.

For ease of reference, I have attached LTB 206/23 for further information. Any queries on this LTB should be directed to the email above.

I look forward to seeing you at the event.

Yours sincerely,

Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development

23LTB 257 – ULR Networking Event Registration Reminder

Att – 23LTB 206 – ULR Networking Event – 1st-2nd November 2023

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CAPITA TVL: BRISTOL & DARWEN MEMBERS ENDORSE 2023 PAY AGREEMENT

Further to LTB 240/23 dated 22^nd September, I am pleased to advise Branches that our Capita TVL Bristol & Darwen members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the 2023 pay agreement.

The ballot result is as follows:YES VOTES7676%NO VOTES2424%TURNOUT36%

I have notified Ross McTaggart, Capita TVL Delivery Director, of the ballot result and he has confirmed that the pay uplift will be made with October salaries and backdated to 1^st April 2023.

My thanks go to our Reps and Bristol & Darwen members for their patience and support whilst the negotiations have taken place to reach the 2023 pay agreement.

The next pay review date is 1^st April 2024.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey                          

A/Assistant Secretary                                                             

Andy Hopping

A/Deputy General Secretary (Postal)                                     

LTB 256/23 – Capita TVL – Bristol & Darwen Members Endorse 2023 Pay Agreement

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BRT&G AGREEMENT – OUTSTANDING POINTS OF CLARIFICATION ON PAYMENT OF £500 LUMP SUM & ONE OFF PAYMENT OF £1,007

Further to LTB 252/13 circulated on 4^thOctober 2023 and following further national representations, the clarification below has now been received in relation to the outstanding matters relating to qualification for the payment of the lump sums. In particular, it has been confirmed those leaving RMG on or after 5^th August (including those dismissed) are eligible for both payments.

The overriding conditions for payments qualification are:

1. For the £1,007, members need to have been employed on or before 26^th March 2023 and in employment on 4^th August 2023.
2. For the lump sum £500 payment members need to have been in an eligible grade in employment on 4^thAugust 2023.
3. Employees leaving RMG after 4^thAugust and / or on the payment date of 29^th September will be eligible for both payments.

Below are typical scenarios where members qualify / do not qualify for payments:

• Left before 4^th August – do not qualify for payments.
• Left on or after 5^th Aug (including those dismissed) – qualify for both payments.
• Paid family friendly leave (shared parental, maternity, paternity, adopted leave) – qualify for both payments.
• Career Break – payment made on your return to work upon request.
• Unpaid family friendly leave (shared parental, maternity, paternity, adopted leave) – payment made on return to work upon request.
• Precautionary Suspension – qualify for both payments.

From the enquiries received, we consider the above clarification covers the concerns raised.

Any enquiries should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department at fkelk@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,
Andy Furey

A/Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

LTB 255/23 – OUTSTANDING POINTS OF CLARIFICATION ON PAYMENTS

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OPENREACH – Fibre Network Delivery ‘My Potential Trial’

Fibre Network Delivery (FND) have been working with your CWU Openreach National Team (NT) to improve support for engineers through a programme called ‘My Potential’ which has two main components:

• The first creating a culture changeacross the whole of FND, this should be provided by great conversations, great coaching and supporting people in the best way possible.
• The second is trialling a new metric in FND called ‘Customer Connections’ which will allow Openreach to fairly identify how they can best support our members and create positive, holistic interventions to further improve both their skills and knowledge.

Customer Connections is a measure that can be used to show average customer connections at UK, Director, team and individual level.  This will be tested over a four-week period across twelve patches.

The detail is shared below:

The Customer Connections metric will be trialled through a controlled test and learn phase which will commence 9 October and run until 3 November 2023.  The test and learn phase will:

• Trial the approach within twelve patch manager teams from across FND, with six teams trialling Customer Connections at individual level and six teams at team level only;
• Focus on coaching and gathering feedback on how to land coaching in the regions;
• Allow a representative group from within FND to test whether the delivered KPI enables good coaching and performance conversations;
• Enable the programme to understand impact on performance and wellbeing of exposing the KPI to individuals and to teams;
• At the end of the Test and Learn trial, review all feedback with your NT.  If there are clear gaps identified, then discussions will take place with the CWU on what can be done to further enhance support.

To be clear, there should be no reference to jobs per day, there is no jobs per day metric. 

Your Openreach National Team (NT) have also ensured that managers are not aware of the detailed working out behind Customer Connections.   This has only been shared within a small group of individuals in the CWU and Openreach and will be shared no further.

Patch Manager and Patch Lead briefing sessions for the test and learn patches started week commencing 25 September 2023.  The CWU has attended these sessions and you can see the attached slides which were presented.  We have had really positive and encouraging feedback so far.  The trial will launch 9 October 2023 for team members and we would ask for the impacted branches to stay close to your members and regional co-ordinator, who in turn will be working with the NT to ensure there is constant feedback on both positive and negative experiences/reactions from our members.

Below are the teams taking part in the trial, as outlined above there are six teams trialling a team based metric and six trialling an individual metric identified by UIN on the picture below.  

Depending on the outcome of the test and learn, if the Customer Connections metric does enable better support for engineers through coaching and development, your NT will be working with Openreach and will enter into consultation about a further rollout and introduction of a coaching and supportive method to the wider FND teams. 

There has been a commitment from Openreach that they ‘understand everyone has different capabilities, and we will help engineers by improving the support we offer; and enabling positive interventions to optimise their skills and knowledge, to achieve gradual and sustained improvements for our customers’.  Your NT has requested and again received a commitment to review and monitor any performance related cases.   Customer Connections should not increase the overall amount of performance related cases.

Any enquires regarding this LTB should be sent directly to me in the first instance.

Yours sincerely,

Fiona Curtis 

Acting Assistant Secretary

LTB 254/23

Att: Test Learn – Team Member Briefing Final

Att: CWU letter FINAL

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CWU Affiliation – STAMMA Charity

We are pleased to confirm that a National Affiliation has been set up by the CWU with STAMMA which allows CWU Branches and Regions to affiliate and support the charity.

The charity’s vision is to create a world that makes space for stammering, their mission is to empower those who stammer whilst challenging discrimination wherever it is found.

Branches attending the recent 2-day National Equality event in Nottingham will have heard first-hand the benefits of how this affiliation will work. STAMMA are able to offer specialist support for any members in the workplace who have a stammer, with practical guidance around reasonable adjustments to help navigate potential issues.

Any Branches and Regions choosing to affiliate will receive on-going support with active engagement from the charity through newsletters and updates on relevant best practice in the workplace. To contact the charity direct please go to hello@stamma.org or alternatively you can call them on 0800 8020002.

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

Yours sincerely,

Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development

23LTB 253 – CWU Affiliation – STAMMA Charity

BRT&G CLARIFICATION ON THE CRITERIA OF PAYMENT OF £500 LUMP SUM AND ADDITIONAL ONE-OFF PAYMENT OF £1,007

Numerous enquiries have been received from Branches and members in relation to the non-payment of either the £500 lump sum, the additional £1,007 lump sum or both payments.  As a result of these complaints, it was obvious these were not isolated incidents.  The enquiries predominately fell into the following categories:

• Members who are on precautionary suspension;
• Members on maternity/paternity leave;
• Members who have left RMG employment after 4^th August;
• Members who resigned prior to 4^th August but were in post at the end of September;
• Members on sabbatical / career break.

I ensured this matter was raised swiftly with the business, by writing to the Chief People Officer on 27^th September 2023 requesting an investigation into the queries we had received.  Naturally, I also sought that any outstanding monies should be paid to those who met the eligibility criteria.  Following this, a list of names has also been sent to the National IR Director on a daily basis providing a cross section of members falling into each category.

A positive response was received earlier today confirming the following is now being used for qualification of the £500 / £1,007 lump sum payments.

• For the £1,007, members need to have been employed on or before 26^th March 2023 and in employment on 4^th August 2023;
• For the lump sum £500 payment members need to have been in an eligible grade in employment on 4^th August 2023;
• Members leaving after 4^th August and before the payment date of 29^th September will be eligible for both payments.

 In addition, the following criteria for qualification/non-qualification of the payments is being used:

• Members on Precautionary Suspension qualify for both payments;
• Members who left the business before 4^thAugust – do not qualify for payments;
• Members who left on or after 5^th Aug – qualify for both payments assuming they are a good leaver (i.e. not dismissed);
• Paid family friendly leave (shared parental, maternity, paternity, adopted leave) – qualify for both payments;
• Career Break – payment made on the member’s return to work upon request;
• Unpaid family friendly leave (shared parental, maternity, paternity, adopted leave) – payment made on return to work upon request;
• Future leavers exiting with Voluntary Redundancy and Settlement Agreement package – qualify for the £500 lump sum only.

I am pleased to report RMG has now confirmed that all errors in processing these lump sums will be corrected in accordance with the eligibility criteria above with all outstanding payments being made on either 13^th October (weekly paid) or 31^stOctober (monthly paid).

Any enquiries in relation to the contents of this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P).

Yours sincerely,

Andy Furey
A/Deputy General Secretary (Postal)       

23LTB252 – BRT&G CLARIFICATION ON THE CRITERIA OF PAYMENT OF LUMP SUM AND ESCROW MONEY                 

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE ELECTION OF THE CWU DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY (POSTAL) AND CWU DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY (TELECOMS & FINANCIAL SERVICES)

Dear Colleague,

ELECTION OF CWU DGS (P) AND DGS (T&FS) 2023

Branches will be aware that following a long period of sick absence, Deputy General Secretary (Postal) Terry Pullinger has taken the decision to leave the union.  Branches were advised of this in LTB 232/23.

Therefore, there is now a vacancy for one of the most senior and important CWU Industrial National Officer Positions and accordingly an election will now be required for this vacant position.

In respect of the DGS (T&FS) position, regretfully Andy Kerr has now advised that he will not be seeking re-election in 2024 and would, subject to a suitable hand over period, be looking to vacate the DGS (T&FS) position immediately following CWU Annual T&FS Industrial Conference scheduled to be held in April 2024.  Therefore, an election for the DGS (T&FS) position is also going to be required.

These are clearly unprecedented and exceptional circumstances and rather than delay for a very significant period of time, the NEC believe it is essential for the democracy and leadership of the union to commence these elections as soon as possible, in accordance with the proposed timetable set out below.

Accordingly, the NEC has agreed the election timetable and regulations for the CWU Deputy General Secretary (Postal) and CWU Deputy General Secretary (Telecoms & Financial Services).

The timetable for these National Officer elections is as follows:

Nominations Open:                                         05 October 2023

Nominations Close:                                         26 October 2023 (14:00)

Ballot Papers Dispatched:                             09 November 2023  

Ballot Closes:                                                    30 November 2023 (First Post)

The Election Regulations stipulate that a copy of the regulations for these elections must be distributed to all branches in advance of the nomination process.  A copy of the Election Regulations is therefore attached and I would be grateful if you could ensure that these are brought to the attention of the members of your branch.

The regulations will also be published on the CWU website and a copy will be issued to all candidates nominated to stand in the Election(s).

Please note that in accordance with the election regulations the nomination forms for these elections will be sent to eligible branches by email prior to the opening of nominations.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to Senior Deputy General Secretary Department, CWU HQ, for the attention of Peter Metcalfe.  Telephone: 0208 971 7368, or email: pmetcalfe@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary

23LTB251

DGS(P) & DGS(T) Officer Election Regulations 2023

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