POST OFFICE: PAY AGREEMENT 2025 – BALLOT RESULT 

Further to LTB 055/25 dated 18^th March.  Our Post Office members have overwhelmingly endorsed the Pay Agreement for 2025/26.  The result is:Yes Votes57993%No Votes437%Turnout49%

*spoilt ballot papers – 1

Post Office has been advised of this outcome and has confirmed that members will receive the minimum 3% pay uplift with April salaries.  As a reminder, the key features of this one year no-strings Pay Agreement are as follows:

• A minimum 3% pay increase (or £800 which is slightly above 3% for our lowest paid members, predominantly the PAs in Cash Centres) flowing through to all allowances, SA and overtime rates. Comparable increases also apply to London weighting.
• Annual leave entitlements improved so that the maximum 30 days is obtained after two years’ service (previously five). This benefits c.30% of our members who have less than five years’ service
• Improved Employer Pension Contribution Rates – minimum of 9%. Removal of the two lowest Employer Contribution tiers, meaning the current 7% and 8% Employer Contribution tiers rise to 9% (which will become the new minimum).
• The next pay review date is 1^st April 2026.

Conclusion

Following this week’s devastating news about the future of the Crown Network, for many members, job security will be more important than an annual pay increase.  Notwithstanding this, I would like to thank our Post Office members for supporting this outcome.

Yours sincerely,

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 072/25 – Post Office – Pay Agreement 2025 – Ballot Result

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OFFER BY EP GROUP – UPDATE

A number of Members have raised queries in relation to EP Group’s proposed takeover of International Distribution Services plc (“IDS“) (the “Offer“), which as you will know was approved by the UK Government in December 2024. We are writing now to provide an update on the Offer process which we hope will address some of the queries raised with us. This update has been approved by our legal advisers.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION IS NOT PROVIDING ANY FINANCIAL OR TAX ADVICE RELATING TO THE OFFER, OR PROVIDING ANY VIEW OR RECOMMENDATION ON WHETHER OR NOT MEMBERS SHOULD ACCEPT THE OFFER. ALL MEMBERS SHOULD SEEK THEIR OWN LEGAL AND FINANCIAL ADVICE IN CONNECTION WITH THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE OFFER.

 As you will be aware from the documents relating to the Offer included on IDS’ website:(https://www.internationaldistributionservices.com/en/investors/recommended-offer-for-ids-plc-by-ep-uk-bidco-limited/), the Offer is subject to a number of conditions, including conditions regarding regulatory approvals in various countries.

• EP Group announced on 2 April 2025 that all such regulatory conditions have now been satisfied.
• EP Group has also confirmed that the latest date by which the Offer may become unconditional under the Takeover Code is 30 April 2025(the “Unconditional Date“), and it currently expects that the Offer will become unconditional by this date.
• EP Group has confirmed that the Offer will become unconditional if valid acceptances of the Offer are received by 30 April 2025 in respect of IDS shares representing 75% of the voting rights of IDS.

In response to questions that Members have raised with us, we have set out below some potential scenarios for what may happen if acceptances received by the Unconditional Date are above or below the 75% threshold.

Acceptances received total less than 50% of Voting Rights

The Offer will lapse (not proceed) as the Takeover Code does not allow a takeover offer to proceed if it is accepted by shareholders holding fewer than 50% of Voting Rights.

• All shareholders that currently hold shares in IDS will continue to do so and IDS will remain a listed company. 

Acceptances received total more than 50% but less than 75% of Voting Rights 

In this scenario, the Offer could still proceed if IDS and EP Group agree to a lower acceptance threshold.

A lower acceptance threshold is agreed between IDS and EP Group

• Shareholders that accept the Offer will have their shares acquired by EP Group at the Offer Price of 370p per share (the “Offer Price“).
• Shareholders that do not accept the Offer will continue to hold their shares.

EP Group could seek shareholder approval to delist IDS from the London Stock Exchange and / or re-register as a private company.  If a de-listing resolution and a resolution to re-register as a private company were to be passed, shareholders that do not accept the Offer will continue to hold their shares in IDS, which will then be an unlisted private company.

Without a listing it is likely that the shares will be more difficult to sell, and there is no guarantee that shares could be sold at the Offer price of 370p per share (or at all). 

(B) A lower acceptance threshold is not agreed between IDS and EP Group

If IDS and EP Group do not agree to a lower acceptance threshold, the Acceptance Condition will not have been satisfied and the Offer will lapse. In that case, everyone that currently holds shares in IDS will continue to do so and IDS will remain a listed company.

Acceptances received total more than 75% but less than 90% of Voting Rights

The Acceptance Condition will have been satisfied and the Offer will proceed.

In this scenario, EP Group has stated its intention to delist IDS from the London Stock Exchange and re-register as a private company.

• Shareholders that have accepted the Offer will have their shares acquired by EP Group at 370p per share.
• Shareholders that do not accept the Offer will continue to hold their shares.

As stated above, following a delisting and re-registration as a private company the IDS shares are likely to be more difficult to sell, and in that scenario there is no guarantee that shares could be sold at the Offer price of 370p per share (or at all).

Acceptances of more than 90% of the Voting Rights subject to the Offer

The Acceptance Condition will have been satisfied and the Offer will proceed.

• Shareholders that accept the Offer will have their shares acquired by EP Group at a price of 370p per share under the terms of the Offer.
• Shareholders that do not accept the Offer will also have their shares acquired on the same terms as under the Offer, at a price of 370p per share, as EP Group will have the statutory right to compulsorily acquire those shares. Please note that the compulsory acquisition rights will only be triggered if there are acceptances of more than 90% of the Voting Rights subject to the Offer (this threshold excludes those shares already held by EP Group and its associates).

For any further information on how to respond to the offer or if members have mislaid the information sent to them, they should contact the IDS Share Registry Equiniti on +44(0)330 123 0058or email the website that has been set up by Equiniti on www.idsoffer.shareview.info/

Yours sincerely

DAVE WARD                                               

GENERAL SECRETARY      

MARTIN WALSH                   

DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY (POSTAL)

LTB 071/25 – OFFER BY EP GROUP – UPDATE

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New Neonatal Leave and Pay Act 2025

Branches should be aware that the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act came into force with effect from 6^th of April 2025.

The Act aims to provide a legislative framework for Parents with responsibility for a child who is receiving Neonatal Care.

Royal Mail are supporting Colleagues who are going through these difficult circumstances and have taken the decision to go beyond the statutory requirements for Colleagues who meet the qualifying criteria.

We have included a direct link to the updated parental leave procedure which will reflect this support with the levels of Neonatal leave and pay that is available. You can access the procedure here.

Royal Mail have also finalised a communication to go out to Employees via their normal channels and we have reproduced this below for your information:

What does it mean? 

 With effect from 6 April 2025, if you are a parent who has responsibility for a child who is receiving neonatal care (this includes both birthing and non-birthing parents), you will be entitled to time off and pay should you meet the qualifying criteria.

Please note any parent who has responsibility for a child receiving neonatal care born before 6 April 2025 will not be entitled to receive neonatal leave or pay.

Need to know – From 6 April 2025:

 Neonatal leave is a day one employment right.

You will be entitled to take time off where your child receives neonatal care. Neonatal care is where your child receives certain specified medical or palliative/end of life care that:

• Starts within 28 days of the child’s birth; and
• lasts for a minimum period of seven consecutive full days (commencing the day after neonatal care starts).

 Neonatal Leave & Pay:

 Neonatal leave will last for between one and 12 weeks, depending on how long your child receives neonatal care. Neonatal leave is based on full weeks only (e.g. each period of seven consecutive full days, not counting the day the neonatal care starts). For example, if your child receives neonatal care for 18 days after the day the neonatal care starts – i.e. two full weeks and four days – you will be eligible to receive two weeks of neonatal leave.

• Qualification for statutory Neonatal Leave Pay is 26 weeks service at the expected week of childbirth (EWC) or the week in which an adoption agency notifies you of an adoption match.
• Royal Mail wants to help and support colleagues in these difficult circumstances and has taken the decision to provide enhanced full pay (rather than statutory) providing you have 26 weeks’ service at the expected week of childbirth (EWC) or the week in which an adoption agency notifies you of an adoption match.
• If you have less than 26 weeks’ service at the expected week of childbirth (EWC) or the week in which an adoption agency notifies you of an adoption match, you will be entitled to neonatal leave but not entitled to neonatal leave pay.
• Neonatal leave and pay are in addition to other entitlements such as maternity/adoption/shared parental leave and pay, therefore any neonatal leave you take will usually commence after other types of leave have been taken.
• The neonatal leave must be taken within 68 weeks of the child’s birth or adoption.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to the PTCS Department, email address khay@cwu.org or hmaughan@cwu.org

Bobby Weatherall

Acting Assistant Secretary

CWU LTB 070/25 – New Neonatal Leave and Pay Act 2025

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Post Office: Future of the Crown Office Network 

Branches are advised that after normal working hours last night, Post Office advised the Union in confidence that they were planning to make an announcement by 8.30am this morning in respect of their Transformation Programme and specifically the aim to franchise all 108 remaining Crown Offices (“DMBs”) with the loss of over 1,000 jobs.  Below is a press statement we have just issued:

Responding to announcement of the franchising of the remaining 108 Crown Post Offices today, CWU General Secretary Dave Ward said “The Horizon Scandal and the damage it did to thousands of individuals and the reputation of the Post Office should have been a wake up moment for the whole company. It should have delivered a complete shift in approach, ethos and engagement with frontline workers. 

The news today that the Post Office will push ahead with the closure of 108 Crown Offices with a loss of 1,000 jobs shows they have learned absolutely nothing from the scandal. 

The Post Office’s claim that these community services will be maintained by their failed franchising model is laughable to anyone who has seen their local Post Office services reduced to the back of a shop. The sell-off of WHSmith last week shows just how fragile and ill thought out this model is. This is the full privatisation of the Post Office via the back door.

The role of the government must also be examined. This is a continuation of the hands off role played by the Tories. We call on Labour to immediately intervene and examine alternative options. Now more than ever, we need to seriously look at creating a joint venture between Royal Mail and the Post Office – two businesses that should never have been separated. 

This is a major test for this government ahead of introduction of the employment rights bill. It is inevitable that the news today will lead to further scrutiny of our relationship with the Labour Party. Our members and Branches will see this as a crucial moment ahead that will truly test the link between Labour and the trade unions who created the Party.”. 

Branches are urged to bring this LTB to the attention of Post Office members.  The Postal Executive will be considering this matter and will determine next steps.  Branches should also liaise with our Post Office Territorial Representatives in respect of political campaigning.

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward                  

General Secretary         

Martin Walsh

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

Andy Furey 

Assistant Secretary

LTB 069/25 – Post Office – Future of the Crown Office Network

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Royal Mail Property & Facilities Solutions (RMPFSL) National Living Wage Uplift 

Branches should be aware that with affect from the 1^st of April 2025 the Government announced the increase in the National Living Wage to £12.21.

RMPFSL have a legal requirement to apply this rise, and they have confirmed in writing that they will apply this to all National Cleaners, Admin & Generic and Warehouse Operatives effective from 1^st of April 2025.

Branches will also be aware that the overall pay claim for all grades in RMPFSL was due also on the 1^st of April 2025.

We have had some initial tentative discussion with the company and we will of course update Branches and members on any progress made in due course.

Ay enquiries regarding the content of this LTB should be addressed to the PTCS department email address khay@cwu.org or hmaughan@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Bobby Weatherall
Acting Assistant Secretary

LTB 068.25 – Royal Mail Property & Facilities Solutions (RMPFSL) National Living Wage Uplift

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Royal Mail Group Special National Briefing & Postal Policy Forum – Wednesday 21^st & Thursday 22^nd May 2025

We are pleased to advise you that the business has agreed paid release for delegates attending the above event.

We would also like to take this opportunity to kindly remind colleagues (as reported in LTB 54/25) that due to space constraints at the venue we are unfortunately unable to accommodate visitors on this occasion. Branches are asked to ensure they complete and return their registration forms via email to eventsregistration@cwu.org by no later than 17^th April 2025.

Finally, to ensure that all attendees are able to fully engage in the discussion over the 2 days, any Branches that require a signer to be present are asked to inform the DGS(P) department as soon as possible so that the appropriate arrangements can be put in place.

Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be referred to the DGS(P) department hford@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)                   

Mick Kavanagh
Postal Executive Chair    

LTB 67.25 Royal Mail Group Special National Briefing Postal Policy Forum – Wednesday 21 Thursday 22 May 2025

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STRESS AWARENESS MONTH 2025- HEALTH & WELLBEING COMMUNICATION

Information is provided below to assist branches when undertaking any activities for Stress Awareness Month 2025. This LTB is shared as a communication in line with planned Health, Safety and Wellbeing Activities/Campaigns for 2025.

Stress Awareness Month is an event that has been observed since 1992, it serves as a gateway to open conversations about stress, signpost people to the right support and help us all prioritise our mental health. It is promoted by numerous organisations and the NHS. The HSE published annual reporting statistics in November 2024 revealing that almost half of 1.7 million work-related ill health cases were identified as stress related, with over 776,000 workers suffering from ill-health related to stress, depression or anxiety with each person suffering taking an average of 15.8 days off work.

The Health and Safety Executive have recently been funding research into work-related stress under the title Project OSCAR (Occupational Stress Consultation and Research). The Health and Safety Executive have commissioned Affinity Health at Work, the Institute of Employment Studies, the Institute of Occupational Medicine, and the Society of Occupational Medicine to lead the Occupational Stress Consultation and Research programme. This project aims to provide HSE with the evidence base on which to make policy decisions and underpin guidance on the practical actions that employers can take to prevent and mitigate work-related stress relative to three research areas.

1. Preventing & Reducing
2. Defining & Identifying
3. Examining Barriers & Enablers to Reducing

The CWU are taking part in this research which aims to:

• Explore how the evolving model of WRS (Work-Related Stress) labelling is received and its applicability across different contexts.
• Identify how the Project OSCAR research findings can be made most useful to relevant groups.
• Gather & use suggestions on how employers and health professionals can improve current practices and what needs to be in place to support this.

This research will result in a final report in early 2026, with the aim to better identify what we know about effective interventions to prevent and reduce work-related stress, with a further sharing of new knowledge and good practice.

Stress Risk Assessments

Employers have a legal duty to protect employees from stress at work by undertaking stress risk assessments and acting on the findings. The CWU has national agreements with all the major employers on both individual and group stress risk assessments.

Members suffering the effects of stress are encouraged to approach their Union Rep, Safety Rep, Mental Health First Aider or seek help, support and assistance without delay should they need help at work, or feel in need of crisis support.

When undertaken correctly, Stress Risk Assessments can be an extremely effective tool to reduce personal stress on an individual level or workplace level.

Shared for information and use are the following embedded documents:

•       CWU Preventing Stress flowchart

•       CWU Armed forces veterans & Reservists Questionnaire

These shared documents have been used to beneficial effect within the CWU Mental Health First Aiders networks over several years and have been updated in 2025.

They are provided as information, to aid understanding of potential stressors & stress prevention routes.

• The Stress Prevention flowchart is a simple easy to understand step by step guide guide for supporting with individual stress.
• The Armed forces Questionnaire has been produced by CWU MHFAiders and Reps who are ex-Armed forces, it is designed for armed forces Veterans and Armed forces reservists as a Pre-cursor to any Stress Risk Assessment process.

Further information and useful workplace resources can be found by clicking on the links provided below.

Stress and mental health at work – HSE

Stress Awareness Month April 2025 | Mates in Mind

If you have any questions or need any further information relating to this LTB, please contact Jamie McGovern on jmcgovern@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Jamie McGovern, FRSPH MIIAI

Health & Safety Policy Assistant, Central Services

LTB 063/25 – STRESS AWARENESS MONTH

Attachment: CWU Armed Forces Veterans Reservists Questionnaire – v1

Attachment: cwu-preventing-stress-flow-chart-v2

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CWU LGBT+ and Allies Networking Event 

The Equality, Education and Development department are pleased to announce that a CWU LGBT+ and Allies Networking Event will be taking place on Friday 23^rdMay in conjunction with Birmingham Pride on the 24^th May.

The day is being sponsored by the Midlands Region and will be an opportunity to connect and network with other LGBT+ activists and Allies from across the union.

Day 1: The session on Friday 23^rd Maywill run from 13:00 – 17:00 and take place at CWU Offices, 47, Summer Lane, Birmingham, B19 3TH. The afternoon will include interactive and informative sessions with group discussions.

Day 2: Will include attending Birmingham Pride. Further information will follow regarding a CWU meeting point and times.

A list of hotels is set out below for those that may need to stay due to travel:

• Holiday Inn Express, Snow Hill
• Hampton by Hilton, Jewellery Quarter
• Premier Inn, Station Exchange
• Premier Inn, Waterloo Street

To reserve a place at the Networking event on Friday 23^rd May or for any queries relating to this LTB please email equality&education@cwu.org

We look forward to seeing you in Birmingham!

Yours sincerely,

Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development

25LTB 066 – CWU LGBT+ and Allies Networking Event

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Salary Sacrifice and Minimum Wage Legislation

Royal Mail have informed us that there are circa 20,000 Royal Mail employees who have voluntary pay reductions which are paid via salary sacrifice.

The combination of this week’s increase in the minimum wage to £12.21 per hour, and the fact the Government now reviews the minimum wage after the deduction from salary sacrifice, has meant that some individuals would have been below the minimum wage.

Types of salary sacrifice deductions include the following:

• Purchasing additional annual leave
• Car lease scheme
• Insurance
• Items purchased via My Bundle
• Cycle to work scheme

In addition, specific attendance patterns such as Wallingtons which require individuals to work extra hours on particular weeks to achieve a week off, are also causing some problems as the basic pay remains the same each week despite an individual sometimes working 6 or 7 hours over the standard 37 hours full-time contract.

Royal Mail has advised us that to avoid the business breaching the law they will pay for individuals salary sacrifice items ahead of the pay rise so they are not disadvantaged.  This means that individuals who have been written to will not have any salary sacrifice reductions from their pay so that they will be above minimum wage ahead of the pay rise.

Royal Mail has said it is happy for individuals to continue to use salary sacrifice in the future but wish to review the car lease scheme to ensure that this does not result in the company breaching the minimum wage law.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be referred to the DGS(P) department.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)  

LTB 64.25 Salary Sacrifice and Minimum Wage Legislation                       

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CWUHA – THE ANDY KERR PROJECT 

This year is CWU Humanitarian Aid’s 30^thAnniversary and they have contacted headquarters to advise that they are running a special project in honour of one of the greatest ambassadors for CWU HA Andy Kerr, our former Deputy General Secretary who as you know sadly passed away last year.

Andy helped secure thousands of pounds in funding for the charity as well as the loan of BT vehicles and release for BT/Openreach members to take part in CWUHA Convoys to Eastern Europe. He also secured funding for projects with our partners Medical Aid Delivered-Aid in Moldova. Andy had also shown his commitment by taking part in a convoy to Moldova – a place that was close to his heart.

Therefore, it is very fitting that CWUHA have agreed that their 30th Anniversary Project in Moldova will be dedicated to the memory of Andy.

Working with their partners Medical Aid Delivered-Aid, CWUHA are helping to refurbish a children’s surgery ward in a hospital in Chisinau, Moldova, that cares for children with serious health issues.

The charity is looking to raise £40k to help fund the purchase of new furniture for the ward, new electrical equipment and to provide an indoor play area that will be dedicated to Andy’s memory.

If your branch would like to donate towards this project you can either please send a cheque made payable to ‘CWUHA’ to Carl Webb, CWU Office, 75 Garstang Road, Preston, PR1 1LD, or make BACs payment to the account below:

CWU Humanitarian Aid
Unity Bank
S/C: 60-83-01
Acc No: 20031169

A JustGiving link has also been set up for personal donations: www.justgiving.com/campaign/andykerrprojectcwuha

If you would like more information or would like to raise funds for this project, please contact Julia Upton via Julia.upton1@btinternet.com

Your support will mean a great deal and is a fitting tribute to the work that Andy had undertaken.

Yours Sincerely,

Dave Ward
General Secretary 

25LTB062 CWUHA – THE ANDY KERR PROJECT

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