ROYAL MAIL: BONUS PAYMENTS 2024/25 FOR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, FINANCE, HR & LEGAL SERVICES

Branches are reminded that the arrangements for the bonus schemes for our members working in Customer Experience, Finance and HR/Legal Services are based on Royal Mail’s overall business performance.

I am pleased to report the bonus for 2024/25 will be paid at the maximum for the respective Business Units.  The total amounts payable are as follows:Business UnitBonus Payment 2024/25HR/Legal Services£1,500CE£2,000Finance£2,000

Additionally, LA1s within Logistics are also entitled to an annual bonus and will receive the maximum amount of £650.

All of these payments (pro-rata for part-timers) will be made with June salaries to those who have been in post since 1^st January 2025 and who are still employed at the payment date.

These bonus payments have arisen from agreements the union has reached on behalf of the members concerned.  Therefore, Branches and Representatives with members in these Business Units are encouraged to reinvigorate recruitment activities by focusing on this positive news which should aid recruitment amongst Admin grades.

Yours sincerely,

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary

Attachment 1: 25LTB116 RM – Bonus Payments 2024-25 for CE, Finance, HR & Legal Services

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RMG/CWU National Dog Awareness Week (DAW) – Advance SHE Huddle: Scotland

Branches will recall several recent LTBs issued in terms of the wider work of the CWU around seeking to reduce dog attacks and incidents including joint work with Royal Mail via the National Joint Dog Awareness Working Group.

In line with this, it can now be reported that this year’s RMG/CWU National Dog Awareness Week (DAW) is planned from Monday 30^th June to Sunday 6^th July.

Whilst further communications and relevant materials linked to DAW will be issued to Branches and our Safety Reps in the coming weeks, it has been acknowledged that the national launch of DAW, which is designed to coincide with the bulk of when schools break up for the summer term holiday, does not reflect when schools in Scotland break up, which is normally two weeks earlier than the rest of the UK.

Accordingly, this year, Royal Mail has produced the attached SHE Huddle, which will be issued this week across Royal Mail and Parcelforce within Scotland and is designed to highlight that the school holiday period can increase the risk and chance of dog attacks.

The SHE Huddle repeats the following core messages:

• Remember to report significant dog hazards and inform the manager of any increase in risk/changes. This needs to be captured on ORA (Offsite Risk Assessment).
• Mark your frame with a yellow dot where there is a significant dog hazard. Remove any yellow dots on frames no longer appropriate e.g., Dog no longer resides there.
• Be more vigilant when approaching a delivery point where a known dog is.
• Have a posting peg with you always; never put fingers through the letterbox.
• Never accept a customer’s assurance that the dog won’t bite.

• Look for the presence of dogs. Signs on gates, walls and windows, cages in vehicles, toys in gardens.
• Rattle the gate to warn a potential dog of your presence.
• When calling with an item, ask the customer to put their dog away and step well back from the doorstep to maintain a safe distance. If the customer needs to leave the doorstep to fetch ID or another item, politely ask them to close the door/secure the dog.
• Do not enter if a dog is loose. Ask the customer to secure their dog.
• Do not carry dog biscuits/treats, do not feed or pet animals.
• When passing dogs on leads, give the dog a wide berth or where possible cross over.
• Put D on the envelope and parcels to remind yourself of known dog hazards when you are out on your route.

Whilst Royal Mail have issued this SHE Huddle to operational managers; can we equally ask Branches and our Safety Representatives to encourage the communication of this SHE Huddle in the workplace.

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

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)                  

LTB 115-25 – RMG CWU National Dog Awareness Week (DAW) – Advance SHE Huddle Scotland

SHE Huddle FY25 020 Dog Awareness Summer Holidays Scotland

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Royal Mail Group Dog Attack Compensation Scheme – A reminder of the Scheme

Branches will recall several recent LTBs issued in terms of the wider work of the CWU around seeking to reduce dog attacks and incidents, including joint work with Royal Mail via the National Joint Dog Awareness Working Group.

Whilst the union’s focus remains on seeking to prevent dog attacks on our members, and we will shortly be reporting to Branches on this year’s Royal Mail/CWU Dog Awareness Week and linked activity planned for late June, we are also mindful that many of our Branch Reps and members are unaware of the RMG Dog Attack Compensation Scheme.

If an individual is sadly injured and off work sick as a result of a dog attack, benefits are available under the compensation scheme, which applies to all within Royal Mail and Parcelforce. The scheme pays compensation amounting to the difference between full rate sick pay and an individual’s average weekly earnings over the previous 13 weeks prior to the dog attack incident.

This is paid out regardless of any personal injury litigation compensation which may be recovered by the union’s solicitors acting for the member.

The current Dog Attack Compensation Scheme claim form is attached.

The RMG Dog Attack Compensation Scheme conditions are:

 1 week minimum sick absence must be incurred in order to qualify to submit a claim.

• A maximum of 13 weeks average earnings will be paid out whilst an individual is off work sick following a dog attack.
• Christmas and summer pressure periods and annual leave periods will be excluded from the average earnings calculation.
• Applications under the compensation scheme need to be submitted within a month of the dog attack.

Also attached is the RMG ‘Victim Support Guide’, which sets out help at hand for individuals who are attacked by a dog, alongside other information on options available to the Police to deal with the crime.

We have also included with this LTB a leaflet entitled ‘Help! I’ve been bitten by a dog!’,which was jointly produced by the CWU together with Liverpool University and the NHS, under the heading of the Merseyside Dog Safety Partnership. This leaflet was first published back in 2021, but it remains relevant and seeks to offer some additional advice following a dog attack.

The final attachment is the CWU LS3 Form, and the accompanying LS18 document. If a member is injured following an attack, the LS3 Form can be completed and submitted to the union’s Legal Services Department, who will instruct the union’s lawyers to investigate and consider making a compensation claim.

Alongside the above, the following further steps need to be taken following a dog attack: –

• Report all dog attacks to your local manager (so the relevant actions can be taken, including the suspension of deliveries, and so that the Offsite Risk Assessment (ORA) is updated).
• Record all dog attack injuries on ‘ERICA’.
• Report all dog attacks to the Police and get a ‘Crime Number’.
• Report all dog attacks to the Local Authority Dog Warden or officer responsible for Dog Nuisance and Anti-Social Behaviour issues.

In setting out the above, we would further advise that if victims are asked by the Police to agree that the dog owner can be dealt with via an ‘Informal Warning’ or ‘Community Resolution’ without recourse to formal criminal justice sanctions, they should not agree to this. This advice is based on a number of members who have agreed to such sanctions shortly after a dog attack but have later changed their mind and have been prevented from allowing the matter to be taken further via a formal prosecution of the dog owner.

Being subject to a dog attack is a very distressing matter and undertaking the above may equally seem daunting, so members are reminded to always seek the direct support and assistance from their Branch, including their local Workplace Safety Rep and Area Safety Rep.

Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGSP Department.

Yours sincerely,

Andy Furey
Acting Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

LTB 113.25 Royal Mail Group Dog Attack Compensation Scheme – A reminder of the Scheme

LTB 113.25 Attachment 1 Claim Form

LTB 113.25 Attachment 2 RMG Victim Support Guide v1.2

LTB 113.25 Attachment 3 Help_I’ve been bitten by a dog MDSP Final 2021

LTB 113.25 Attachment 4 LS3 Claim Form and LS18

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Royal Mail Group negotiations 

Dear colleagues 

We are writing to confirm that as of this week EP Group are now formally engaged in the negotiations between Royal Mail Group and the CWU. 

This means we are working closer to deliver on all of the commitments provided by the EP Group / CWU agreement of December 2024. 

We recognise and fully understand the level of interest in the outcome and crucially when that will be.

The EP Group / CWU agreement committed to several key agreements being reached within 3 (September) or 6 (December) months post transaction. All parties agree there is an absolute need to accelerate this timeframe where possible – particularly around pay equalising new entrants’ terms and conditions. 

Getting the right agreement is more important than getting a quick agreement. EP Group became the owners of Royal Mail Group on June 2nd. We have been working together at pace ever since. 

Turning around the chaos created by the previous Board and senior leadership will not happen overnight, but we are confident this agreement will lead to a fundamental change in the whole ethos of Royal Mail Group. 

We can confirm the following:

• Any pay settlement reached will be backdated to April 1st 2025. 
• Talks are continuing. 
• On USO reform we have had a good discussion and are awaiting a response from EP Group on a more pragmatic way of moving this forward.
• We will deliver an extensive package of communications as soon as an agreement is reached. 

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

Dave Ward
General Secretary

LTB 112/25 – CWU Conference 2025 – Standing Order Reports 

 No. 112/25

 13^th June 2025

 TO:   

ALL BRANCH SECRETARIES

REGIONAL SECRETARIES

DIVISIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

SUB DIVISIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

FLEET TERRITORIAL REPRESENTATIVES

RM ENGINEERING REPRESENTATIVES

RMPFS REPRESENTATIVES

RMPFS CLEANER REPRESENTATIVES

REGIONAL PARCEL ORGANISERS

Dear Colleagues,

CWU Conference 2025 – Standing Order Reports

Please find attached the following for the Special Restructuring Conference and Special Rules Revision Conference:

• Special Restructuring Standing Orders Report Supplementary No.1
• Special Rules Revision Standing Orders Report Supplementary No.1

Branches are reminded that credentials and voting cards and any further Standing Order Reports will be available to collect from the registration desk in the Foyer of the Winter Gardens Conference and Convention Centre from 3.30pm – 6.00pm on Friday 27^th June 2025.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to Angela Niven by telephoning 020 8971 7237 or by post to head office or by email to conferences@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

A P Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 112/24 – CWU Conference 2025 – Standing Order Reports

Att: SGC SOR 1 2025

Att: RR SOR1 2025

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LTB 111/25 – CWU Special Rules Revision Conference Agenda Pad – Sunday 29th June 2025

 No. 111/25

 13^th June 2025

TO:   

ALL BRANCH SECRETARIES

REGIONAL SECRETARIES

DIVISIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

SUB DIVISIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

FLEET TERRITORIAL REPRESENTATIVES

RM ENGINEERING REPRESENTATIVES

RMPFS REPRESENTATIVES

RMPFS CLEANER REPRESENTATIVES

REGIONAL PARCEL ORGANISERS

Dear Colleagues,

CWU Special Rules Revision Conference Agenda Pad – Sunday 29^th June 2025

Branches would wish to know that the agenda for the CWU Special Rules Revision Conference which is being held at the Winter Gardens Conference and Convention Centre, Blackpool on Sunday 29^th June has now been published on the website and can be accessed by opening the attachment or pasting the link into your browser:

Click to access Special-Rules-Revision-Agenda-2025.pdf

Hard copies of the agenda will be available to collect from the venue on Friday 27^th June 2025.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to Angela Niven by telephoning 020 8971 7237 or by post to head office or by email to conferences@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

A P Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 111/25 – Agenda Pad – CWU Special Rules Revision Agenda Pad – 29th June 2025

Attachment: Special Rules Revision Agenda 2025

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LTB 110/25 – CWU Special Restructuring Conference Agenda Pad – Saturday 28th June 2025

 No. 110/25

10^th June 2025

TO:   

ALL BRANCH SECRETARIES

REGIONAL SECRETARIES

DIVISIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

SUB DIVISIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

FLEET TERRITORIAL REPRESENTATIVES

RM ENGINEERING REPRESENTATIVES

RMPFS REPRESENTATIVES

RMPFS CLEANER REPRESENTATIVES

REGIONAL PARCEL ORGANISERS

Dear Colleagues,

CWU Special Restructuring Conference Agenda Pad – Saturday 28^th June 2025

Branches would wish to know that the agenda for the CWU Special Restructuring Conference which is being held at the Winter Gardens Conference and Convention Centre on Saturday 28^th June has now been published on the website and can be accessed by opening the attachment or pasting the link into your browser:

Click to access SPECIAL-RESTRUCTURING-CONFERENCE-AGENDA-2025.pdf

Hard copies of the agenda will be available to collect from the venue on Friday 27^th June 2025.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to Angela Niven by telephoning 020 8971 7237 or by post to head office or by email to conferences@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

A P Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 110/25 – Agenda Pad – CWU Special Restructuring Agenda Pad – 28th June 2025

Attachment: SPECIAL RESTRUCTURING CONFERENCE AGENDA 2025

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USO Ofcom Update

Please see attached a letter sent by Natalie Black – the Group Director of Ofcom.

This letter, which is published on Ofcom’s website, is a direct response to a communication Royal Mail sent to all businesses and organisations who hold an account with them.

The CWU raised this with Royal Mail and Ofcom as it indicated that Royal Mail were simply going to impose USO reform.  We have had assurances from Royal Mail that there will be no further deployment of the USO outside of the pilot units without a full national agreement with the CWU and without the agreement of Ofcom.

We also met with Ofcom this week and they reconfirmed that they intend to make their decision on USO in the summer.

Royal Mail and the CWU have agreed that each unit should continue to ensure that all necessary data validation and planning is undertaken in line with the joint statements issued within LTB 102/25 and in advance of any decision by Ofcom.  This includes where frames need to be moved.

It is important to re-emphasise that the CWU’s support for USO reform is conditional on securing a pay agreement and a resolution to section 5.

In addition, the pilots will need to be working and meet the agreed four overarching objectives for the Optimised Delivery Model, which are:

1. Must achieve all of Ofcom’s quality of service targets, alongside all commercial targets.
2. Must deliver fair, manageable and achievable workload and introduce a reduction in fatigue.
3. Must introduce improved attendance patterns with fewer Saturdays.
4. Must improve morale and confidence within the workplace.

Any enquiries in regards to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the Deputy General Secretary (Postal) Dept hford@cwu.org .

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

LTB 109.25. USO Ofcom Update

LTB 109.25 Att 1

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Royal Mail Group Negotiations – Update for CWU Members  

It is encouraging that we can inform members that the negotiations with Royal Mail Group continue to progress with the support of EP Group representatives.

We understand members will be frustrated by the fact no full agreement has yet been reached and deadlines have been shifted for this on multiple occasions.

The truth is these are an extremely complex set of negotiations where we are attempting to shift the whole ethos of the company, end workplace chaos, deliver a good settlement on pay, start to undo the damage done by the company during the 2022 dispute and agree a fresh USO that the company actually abides by on a day to day basis in every workplace. All of this is set against the background of a challenging financial reality for Royal Mail.

The first Board meeting of the EP Group ownership era is on Monday 9th June. All parties have agreed to work over this weekend so progress can be presented to this meeting. From there we would want to sign off a full agreement that can be put to the CWU Postal Executive and then voted on by our members.

Today we wanted to give you a fuller update on negotiations. We have to be clear that we are working on the principle that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. This is why we have not and cannot put individual elements of the negotiations (such as pay) out to members.

PAY

We have rejected multiple pay offers from the employer. The latest being around 4% from April this year. We believe we can achieve more than this. These negotiations continue.

We are also in negotiations over an incentive scheme that could deliver real and tangible financial benefits for members.

NEW ENTRANTS’ TERMS AND CONDITIONS

In line with our agreement with EP Group we have words drafted which would create a pathway to equalising new entrants’ terms and conditions with our legacy members. These are extremely complex and challenging talks and remain an outstanding issue. We will end two-tier working and reverse the damage done by the previous Board and management team.

VOLUNTARY REDUNDANCY TERMS

In line with our agreement with EP Group we have been discussing an enhancement to the current VR terms which were unilaterally imposed by Royal Mail during the last

dispute. We are confident we can improve these – whilst balancing this against the claim we are making on pay and other benefits.

USO NEGOTIATIONS

As part of our agreement with EP Group we are committed to reaching a settlement on USO reform as part of an overall national agreement. Just this week, OFCOM have publicly rebuked Royal Mail for publishing start dates for USO change on their website. OFCOM are making it clear that any decision on the USO will be made in the Summer of 2025 and Royal Mail have no remit to move ahead of this. Equally, we have made it clear that the current USO pilots must be completed, assessed and any fixes put in place before we reach a wider agreement.

We have words on the USO drafted and will be engaging the employer and EP Group on this over the weekend.

A COMPLETE RE-SET

Our agreement with EP Group commits to rebuilding Royal Mail. The only way this can happen is through re-setting relations in every workplace in the UK. Everything we have seen – daily breaches of the USO, the continued prioritisation of parcels and the general chaos culture must end.

This is a major first test of EP Group and the way they want to run Royal Mail.

IMPROVING SICK PAY / REDUCING AGENCY WORKERS / IMPROVING SA AND OVERTIME RATES

Our agreement with EP Group gave clear timelines on the above issues and we are putting in place processes to ensure these are abided by and that fresh settlements are delivered in all these areas.

WHO WOULD BE COVERED BY THE AGREEMENT IF AND WHEN REACHED?

All Royal Mail Group grades.

SUMMARY

The weekend and early part of next week is crucial. We will do everything possible to reach a full national agreement that can be voted on by the membership.

We hope the detail contained within this update gives you a greater understanding of the situation and the moment we have more news we will share it with you.

There is an urgent need to deliver an agreement. There is an even more urgent need to deliver the right agreement.

Martin Walsh 
Deputy General Secretary Postal

Dave Ward 
General Secretary

Pay, Section 5 Update

Please find attached an update on the negotiations concerning pay, section 5 and the USO.

Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGSP Department.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)       

LTB 108.25 Pay Section 5 Update

LTB 108.25 Att 1

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