Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains. Karl Marx.
Some of the media coverage of the TUC New Deal For Workers March in London at the weekend that the branch and the union nationally took part in
http://www.itv.com/news/2018-05-12/tens-of-thousands-join-march-urging-new-deal-for-workers/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44093870
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tens-thousands-people-take-part-12523031
#TUCNewDeal
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK – 14th – 20th May 2018
Mental Health Awareness Week is the UK’s national week to raise awareness of mental health & mental health problems and inspire action to promote the message of good mental health for all.
We all know what it’s like to feel stressed – it’s seen as part of everyday life. However, when you’re overwhelmed by stress it may lead to mental health problems or make existing problems worse. Research has shown that two thirds of us experience a mental health problem in our lifetimes, with stress a key factor in this.
We are working with Royal Mail promoting mental wellbeing and supporting the “Because Healthy Minds Matter” strategy.
If you are affected by mental health issues then help is at hand should you need it.
The feeling first class website has information about mental wellbeing plus other materials and advice. This can be found at https://www.feelingfirstclass.co.uk (use the code FFC1 to register).
There is also a completely confidential advisory service available to you and your immediate family. This support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Next time you have a problem, you can call:
A typetalk operator is also available by dialing 18001 0800 6888 6777 from your textphone.
The website is https://www.rmgfirstclasssupport.co.uk
DON’T SUFFER IN SILENCE – WE ALL NEED HELP FROM TIME TO TIME
Mental Health e-learning
In October 2017 Royal Mail designed a simple e-Learning module on mental health ‘Because Healthy Minds Matter’. The e-learning aims to help colleagues be better supported if they have a mental health condition by:
• Raising awareness
• Decreasing stigma
• Signposting to tools and support
• Ensuring colleagues know where to go in a crisis.
The e-Learning can be accessed on the Feeling First Class portal. Peer-to-peer awareness and support means we can all effectively signpost each other to the right support.
Other information can also be obtained from the links below to Mind and MentalHealth.org.uk who are both focussing on stress for Mental Health Awareness Week.
https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/mental-health-awareness-week-2018
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week
All enquiries regarding the content of this LTB should be addressed to the PTCS Department, quoting reference 041 Email address: khawkins@cwu.org
Yours Sincerely,
Carl Maden – Acting Assistant Secretary
Postal Technical and Central Services Department.
JOINT STATEMENT REGARDING THE DEPLOYMENT OF STANDARD 64 BOX LETTER SORTATION FITTINGS AND STANDARD SORT SELECTIONS FOR LETTERS AND LARGE LETTERS ACROSS THE MAIL CENTRE NETWORK
Branches will recall that a trial on an initiative called Optimised Sort Selections (OSS) was agreed in May 2016, (LTB 330/16 refers). The trial activity was designed to assess whether a move to a standard 64 box fitting and change to a standard sort selection would provide efficiencies with regard to a reduction in secondary sorting, both in processing and Delivery Units in the Nottingham and Warrington Mail Centre catchment areas.
The trial however effectively ceased without formal review in December 2016, as the business had ascertained by that point that there was far less secondary sorting in Delivery Units than they had anticipated and as such the business case objectives could not be achieved and withdrew from the trial.
In January 2018 the department became aware of attempts in the field to roll out an initiative referred to as Removal of Secondary Sorting, which again involved the deployment of 64 box fittings.
The “Four Pillars” agreement included a Joint commitment to our agreed trials coordination approach and moreover included the following words:
Both parties also commit to a review of the status of recent and current agreed trial activity with the Processing and Logistics (RDC) functions to ensure that they progress towards agreed milestones and that the next steps are supported and addressed through governance at the Joint National Processing & Logistics Group Meetings.
Based on this wording the department insisted that all activity cease until such time as a Joint Review of the OSS trial and the revised proposal had taken place. This review, which was undertaken by the Trial Coordination Working Group and supported by our Industrial
was designed to test the assumptions and potential impacts of the proposal and considered the following:
A review of the OSS trial outputs with regard to Mail Centre activity only and the planning assumptions in the new proposal.
Joint analysis on any adverse impact that the introduction of 64 box fittings would have on current employees covered by the Equality Act.
Joint assessment of the potential impact on current duty structures and redeployment opportunities for affected employees at each site.
Consistency with our joint commitments to reduce the levels of agency resource within the operation.
Mitigation of the impact of change on individuals by fully recognising current attendance patterns and earnings packages.
The review activity has now concluded that although the initiative will undoubtedly lead to a reduction in the requirement for secondary sorting in Mail Centres, the analysis shows that the original workload reduction estimates in the Royal Mail plan were overly inflated. The JWG has therefore recommended that local discussions commence on the change activity.
Attached is a Joint Statement designed to guide local discussion which has been endorsed by the Postal Executive. The initiative will entail the adoption of the 64 box fitting for letter and large letter sorting, already utilised in many Mail Centres as the standard method. It will also introduce a standard 55 Inward Primary Sort Selection and the standardisation of frame design principle, labelling and sorting information.
The deployment will be made on a phased basis, determined by both the installation of the 64 box fittings and the conclusion of agreed revised resourcing arrangements at each site.
It should be noted that the Joint Statement includes:
Even where 64 box fittings are installed, current sortation arrangements will apply until resourcing arrangements are agreed.
It is anticipated that the reduction in workload can be fully met through reducing the use of Agency/Casual resource.
Both parties recognise the impact of change on individuals and reaffirm our joint commitments to minimise employee disruption as much as possible. In all change, due consideration will be given to current attendance patterns, earnings packages, Family Friendly and Equality Act arrangements, and movement of employees between shifts will be avoided.
In particular both parties recognise the historic impacts of workload and traffic changes on early shifts in Mail Centres and discussions will ensure that any potential impact on early shift duty patterns can be mitigated in line with the principles established in the 2017 Joint Statement on Traffic Smoothing in the Processing Function and Mail Centre Workplan. This may include the realignment of workload where necessary.
Full analysis will take place locally on any potential effect on sortation staff covered by the Equality Act and reasonable adjustments to layout or work area will be considered where this will mitigate any adverse impact.
The changes apply to Mail Centre to Mail Centre sortation only and do not include reductions or alterations to current mail service level arrangements or sort selections from the Mail Centre to Delivery Offices.
The current level of manual mail planned for each dispatch will be unaffected and this change in process will not impact or change any current workload arrival times into Delivery Offices.
The department believes that the necessary safeguards have been achieved to ensure that our representatives can deal with the operational change and any issues that arise. Branches and Representatives should use the Joint Statement as the basis for local discussions which should be progressed in line with the IR Framework.
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org or shayman@cwu.org quoting reference number: 714.17.
Yours sincerely
Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary
LTB 275-18 – 64 Box Letter Sortation Fittings 10.05.18
Attachment 1 – JS Deployment of 64 Box Fittings and Standard Sortation- 10-05-18
RM & CWU National Joint Statement, Resourcing & Quality Checklists – Update May 2018
Dear Colleagues,
Branches and Representatives will be aware that the 2018 Guiding Principles Agreement, contained within Sections 8 (Resourcing) and 9 (Quality of Service) it was agreed that both parties would produce a jointly agreed checklist to assess each Unit against the application of our National Agreements and ensure that all scheduled mail is being cleared on a daily basis.
Following discussions with Royal Mail we have now agreed the content of both checklists, which is supported by the attached Joint Statement and we are now in the process of working with RM to provide a solution that will allow units to complete these checklists using an online platform. Subject to the online solution being developed to timescale, the intention is to launch these two checklists as one combined exercise during the week commencing 21st May 2018.
The purpose of the exercise is to build confidence that all delivery units are compliant with all National agreements and joint statements. Where it is identified there is non-compliance, an agreed action plan will be worked up locally as a priority. In addition, we have also included a number of questions within the resourcing checklist pertaining to annual leave in order to avoid further duplication and deal with this element of the National agreement within one combined joint exercise.
In line with the commitment within the Guiding Principles Agreement, both the unit manager and local CWU rep will complete this exercise together as a part of the weekly resourcing meeting. Accordingly it is essential that the local or area CWU representative where there is no local rep in place, is provided with sufficient release time to jointly complete this exercise with the Delivery manager.
Units will have a maximum of three weeks to complete this exercise and all returns must be completed online no later than Friday 8th June 2018.
The completed online checklists will be made available to the CWU Area Reps and RM Ops Managers and also the CWU Divisional Reps and RM Delivery Leads both where compliance has been agreed and where non-compliant remedy action plans are being worked up, these will also be made available to the CWU Divisional Reps and RM Delivery Leads for their respective units, as well as the overall outputs being shared with the Department Nationally.
Further updates will follow once the process is completed and finalised, any queries to the content of the above, please contact the Outdoor Department, reference 230.03, e-mail address: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org.
Yours sincerely,
Mark Baulch
CWU Assistant Secretary
LTB 280.18 – Joint Statement RM & CWU Checklists Update May 2018
ELECTION OF NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE POSITIONS – 2018
• CWU Young Workers Committee
The NEC has agreed the 2018 election arrangements for the National positions listed above. Accordingly please find enclosed the Regulations, Nomination Forms and Candidate Consent and Biographical Details Form.
Nominations are on the basis of one member coming from the TFS Constituency and one member coming from the Postal Constituency for each of the 10 CWU regions. Additionally all candidates must be aged 29 or under at the time of the election.
The term of office for the 2018 CWU Young Workers Committee will be from 1st July 2018 for a two year period.
• Each candidate needs the nomination of their own branch.
• The election is by means of a branch ballot within each respective constituency i.e. branches with members in the Postal Constituency will vote for the 10 Postal members of the committee and branches with members in the TFS Constituency will vote for the ten 10 TFS members.
The Timetable for the election is as follows:
Nominations Open: 14 May 2018
Nominations Close: 29 May 2018
Ballot opens: 1 June 2018
Ballot closes: 15 June 2018
Yours sincerely,
Tony Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary
Nomination Form – Postal Constituency
Nomination Form – TFS Constituency
UPDATE ON 12th MAY
Colleagues,
Please keep building numbers in these final few days.
Aim to be on the Embankment for 11:00. The march sets off at 11:45 . We are in zone 7 just past waterloo bridge.
We have sent out loads of merchandise. We will also have limited bits available on the day. We are looking to be vibrant so please come in our newer colours if possible.
We want to create a lot of excitement on the day so start putting your tweets and Facebook posts out first thing on Saturday and give us a diary of your journey to London – we want photos, videos etc.
Finally thanks for everyone’s efforts and we’ll see you on the Embankment.
#TheCWU #TUCNewDeal
Royal Mail Save As You Earn Scheme (SAYE) 2014
This LTB relates solely to members in Royal Mail’s Save As You Earn Scheme (SAYE) 2014.
Employees in the SAYE 2014 Scheme have the option to convert their savings into Royal Mail shares at a discounted price of 360p. Those who wish to exercise this option could benefit financially by £1,121 (while the share price is around 550p). After the 31st May 2018, the option to acquire shares at a discounted rate will lapse and the savings will be repaid.
Royal Mail estimate there are currently 4,538 Royal Mail employees who have not yet exercised their option to buy shares and a further 2,836 who may have mistakenly opted to have their savings returned to them (rather than convert their savings into shares).
While Royal Mail have issued reminder letters to the affected employees (Attachments 1 and 2), they have asked the CWU to issue advice to those members affected.
• For those who wish to buy shares at 360p, they need to complete and return the instruction form (Attachment 3) by the 31st May 2018 to avoid missing out financially.
• For those members whose SAYE savings have already been returned to them and who wish to buy shares, they must complete and return the instruction form by no later than the 16th May 2018.
• For those SAYE members who do not wish to convert their savings into shares, no further action is required.
Colleagues are reminded that the operation of the share scheme is a matter for Royal Mail and Equiniti. Any enquiries relating to SAYE and shares should be directed in the first instance to the following number: 0800 012 1213.
What individuals choose to do with their SAYE savings is a matter for them but we wanted those employees affected to be fully aware of the potential financial benefits of using their SAYE savings to purchase Royal Mail shares at a discount price.
Any enquiries relating to the content of this LTB should be directed to the DGS (P) Department.
Yours sincerely,
Ray Ellis
Acting Deputy General Secretary (Postal)
18LTB272 – Royal Mail Save As You Earn Scheme 2014
Attachment 1 LTB 272.18 Royal Mail – 2014 3YR – Repaid reminder letter
Attachment 2 LTB 272.18 Royal Mail – 2014 3YR – Non respond letter v 20180423 (002)
Attachment 3 LTB 272.18 – Royal Mail – Savings Related Share Option Scheme – 2014
REDESIGN CONSULTATION WITH BRANCHES
Thank you to all the Branches that have participated in the consultation thus far.
A few Branches have had difficulty uploading their responses to the Redesign Consultation. Please therefore find attached a Word document version of the questionnaire. Please note that submissions will be accepted via email to re-design@cwu.org until the extended closing date of close of business Tuesday 15 May 2018.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to send any enquiries to the following email address re-design@cwu.org.
Yours sincerely
Dave Ward – General Secretary
Tony Kearns -Senior Deputy General Secretary
18LTB279 Redesign Consultation with Branches
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 