A message for our Royal Mail Fleet and Royal Mail Engineering members from national officer Carl Maden – Please share
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Latest from the Branch
POST OFFICE: PAY DISPUTE 2021/22 – OFFICIAL STRIKE MONDAY 11TH JULY(CROWNS) – PRESS & MEDIA COVERAGE
POST OFFICE: PAY DISPUTE 2021/22 – OFFICIAL STRIKE MONDAY 11TH JULY(CROWNS) – PRESS & MEDIA COVERAGE
Further to LTB285/22 dated 27thJune 2022. Following the two weeks’ legal notice served to Post Office yesterday for strike action on 11th July for Crown Offices, we received a significant amount of media attention, which led to a number of radio interviews (including BBC Radio 5 Live) as well as press articles. The following links refer to some of the key stories:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61957004
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jun/27/post-office-workers-strike-crown-branches-11-july
Post Office Signals Potential Move Towards an Agreement
The response from Post Office in the media to the Union serving notice for further strike action was revealing assuming they weren’t being disingenuous. Specifically Post Office stated they “remain hopeful that we can reach a pay agreement soon”. This appears to signal that management are now prepared to negotiate in a meaningful way and we have written to them seeking confirmation of this. For these words to become a reality it will require them to move away from the pay freeze position for 2021/22 and to make a markedly improved offer for 2022/23.
We hope Post Office means what it says and that good progress will be made when we meet on Thursday 30th June. Further developments will be reported.
Yours sincerely
Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary
National officer, Davie Robertson with a message for Processing, Distribution, International & RMSS members 27/6/22
Ahead of the dispatch of ballot papers tomorrow, here’s a message for our Processing, Distribution, International & RMSS members from national officer, Davie Robertson – Please share
National Officer Mark Baulch with a message to all Delivery members 27/6/22
National Officer Mark Baulch with a message to all Delivery members ahead of ballot papers being dispatched tomorrow.
Please share as widely as possible.
POST OFFICE: PAY DISPUTE 2021/22 – OFFICIAL STRIKE MONDAY 11TH JULY(CROWNS)
POST OFFICE: PAY DISPUTE 2021/22 – OFFICIAL STRIKE MONDAY 11TH JULY(CROWNS)
Branches are advised that further strike action is necessary as Post Office has thus far refused to move away from its pay freeze position for 2021/22. Also, our members are being insulted with just a 3% pay offer for 2022/23, along with a £500 one-off lump sum payment. The Postal Executive has therefore been left with no choice other than to serve notice for further action.
Today, the two-week legal notification has been served on Post Office for:
- Monday 11th July – Crown members (not Admin & Supply Chain)
Our full-time IR Reps fully support this strike date and we are once again confident the dispute will be well supported by our Key Worker members who thoroughly deserve a fair and reasonable pay increase to help them cope with the soaring cost of living (inflation (RPI) for May rose to 11.7%).
Further Negotiations
We are scheduled to meet with management on Thursday 30thJune where it is hoped meaningful progress will be made for both 2021/22 and this year.
Model Letter to MPs
Attached is a model letter to MPs, MSPs etc. (can be adapted for other politicians) which has been drawn up in conjunction with the General Secretary’s Department. Branches and members are urged to write to their MPs using the letter provided. In essence, we need to engage with politicians and ask them to:
- Support the Post Office workers and the CWU in their demand for a real pay rise, not the degrading offer given by Post Office Directors
- Write to Post Office CEO Nick Read and call on him publicly to get around the table and settle this dispute as soon as possible
- Show solidarity with Post Office workers on social media using the hashtag #DebtofHonour.
Finally, the Postal Executive has also decided a further strike day for our Admin & Supply Chain members and this will be announced in due course. Additional strike dates will be considered in the absence of a substantially improved offer, which must include a resolution for the trade dispute over pay 2021/22.
Further developments will be reported.
Yours sincerely
Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary
22LTB285 Post Office – Pay Dispute 2021-22 – Official Strike Monday 11th July (Crowns)
Royal Mail Group Head of Health and Wellbeing – New Appointment
Royal Mail Group Head of Health and Wellbeing – New Appointment:
LTB031/17 informed all CWU Area Health and Safety Reps, CWU Branches and Regional Health and Safety Forums that Rachel Boon, who had been with Royal Mail Group as part of the Occupational Health team for five years as second in command, had been appointed to take over the Head of Health and Wellbeing role.
On 29 April 2022, after 10 years with Royal Mail Group Rachel Boon left the business following her resignation.
Rachel who was always keen to work closely with the CWU Health, Safety and Environment Department and the CWU Area Health and Safety Representatives across the Royal Mail Group thanked the CWU and all its Area Health and Safety Reps, Workplace Safety Reps, CWU member Physical and Mental Health First Aiders plus Health and Wellbeing Ambassadors for their great contribution and work within the business, supporting employees and health and wellbeing initiatives.
I have now been informed that Fiona McAslan has been appointed as the replacement Royal Mail Group Head of Health and Wellbeing and will join Royal Mail Group on 3 October after serving her notice period with her current employer Nat West Banking Group where she is currently the Head of Health and Wellbeing and heads up the Group’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Policies and Strategy Programme. Fiona has many years of experience across a number of financial services organisations and states that her passion lies in helping people bring the best of themselves to work by actively promoting a positive wellbeing culture across all four of the pillars of wellbeing – mental health, physical health, financial wellbeing and social wellbeing.
An introductory meeting with Fiona McAslan and the Health, Safety and Environment Department is being arranged.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
22LTB284 Royal Mail Group Head of Health and Wellbeing – New Appointment
ROYAL MAIL GROUP HOLIDAY PAY JOINT STATEMENT LONGER TERM SOLUTION SYSTEM CHANGE TO FACILITATE REAL TIME INCLUSION OF PAY FOR REGULAR OVERTIME
ROYAL MAIL GROUP HOLIDAY PAY JOINT STATEMENT LONGER TERM SOLUTION SYSTEM CHANGE TO FACILITATE REAL TIME INCLUSION OF PAY FOR REGULAR OVERTIME
Further to LTB 225/22 that was circulated to Branches and Representatives on 16th May 2022, colleagues will recall that subject to additional supplementary testing, it was the intention to move the holiday pay program into the live PSP system in May/June 2022, backdated to the beginning of the 22/23 holiday year.
In line with the national agreement of June 2021 this means that those members who have met the regularity criteria will receive their overtime holiday pay in the weekly/monthly payslip in which their holiday falls and will be able to view holiday pay assessments via the Employee App. There was also a joint commitment for a further Joint Statement to be agreed containing a definitive go live date for the longer term system solution.
As the final interim payments have now been made, national talks have continued in an attempt to conclude an agreed solution to the longer term IT solution system change and holiday pay. It was important to conclude these negotiations in order to provide an urgent joint clarification to members to illustrate how their holiday pay will be assessed going forward. It was initially envisaged that the system would be implemented in May/June of this year, but due to the tight timescales and the extended bank holiday these dates proved to be unrealistic.
The attached Joint Statement has now been concluded that contains a revised date for the new IT system to transfer into PSP on the weekend of 2nd and 3rd July 2022.
Branches and Representatives will see that the ‘go live’ date will mean that members who are recorded as being on holiday in week commencing 4th July will get a payment in their payslip on 8th July or in July salaries for monthly paid. Once the system is started holiday pay will also be assessed back to the start of the 2022/23 leave year and paid at the same time. These payments are of course subject to meeting the agreed regularity threshold.
Branches and Representatives should also note that RMG have notified the DGS(P) Department that there is a business requirement to make the following changes to the payroll timetable for pay date Friday 8th July. Payrolls will run over the weekend of Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd July. This will replace the usual Monday 4th /Tuesday 5th Julypayrolls.
As a result, PSP will be unavailable to ALL users from 6pm on Friday 1stJuly until weekly payroll is completed. Inputting must be completed by all units by 5pm on Friday 1st July to be included in weekly employees’ pay on Friday 8th July. Any late transactions entered after 5pm on Friday 1st Julywill be paid on 15th July. RMG have asked units to ensure they have arrangements in place to key information that would normally be inputted during this time.
The remainder of the proposed Joint Statement is self-explanatory and in line with the terms of the June 2021 national agreement and subsequent Joint Statements. The exception is the paragraph about LGV Drivers. This is obviously a matter that we are seeking to resolve at pace and further correspondence was sent to Stuart Macdonald HR Director IR, on 16thJune 2022 with a proposed solution to the two outstanding issues. These are the methodology for calculating Average Holiday Pay back payments, as well as the onward process for aligning overtime to the 2014 Average SA on Leave and the 2021 Average Holiday Pay agreements.
Follow up discussions were held during the Royal Mail dispute talks at Heathrow this week and Stuart has committed to respond to the letter as a matter of urgency. Our LGV members have been extremely patient regarding this whole matter and the words in this Joint Statement recognise that active discussions are taking place on achieving a long overdue resolution to the LGV issues. These talks will also determine how the LGV Drivers will be integrated in the longer term solution and we are committed to achieving a resolution as soon as possible.
In closing we would like to thank Postal Executive member Bobby Weatherall for his assistance in concluding this Joint Statement.
Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department.
Yours sincerely,
Terry Pullinger Davie Robertson
Deputy General Secretary (Postal) Assistant Secretary
Attachment to 22LTB283 – 160622 Revised proposal long term IT solution and holiday pay.docx signed
Interview with DGSP Terry Pullinger on the talks with Royal Mail and next weeks Pay Ballot 24/6/22
Interview with DGSP Terry Pullinger on the talks with Royal Mail and the Pay Ballot which commences next.
POST OFFICE: REVISED PAY OFFER FOR 2022/23 – MEMBERS’ BULLETIN
POST OFFICE: REVISED PAY OFFER FOR 2022/23 – MEMBERS’ BULLETIN
Further to LTB 274/22 dated 22ndJune.
Branches are advised we have written to our Post Office members at their home addresses to let them know we have rejected the marginally improved pay offer of 3% (up from 2.5%) and a £500 one-off lump sum for 2022/23, which is still woefully inadequate given the acute cost of living crisis.
We have highlighted in the bulletin (attached for your information) that there has been no movement on the pay freeze position for 2021/22 as part of the revised offer, and therefore members are being insulted with only a 3% pay offer for two years. This is a period where our members worked tirelessly as Key Workers, helping to provide an invaluable service to the public during the pandemic.
Whilst Post Office’s continued stance on the pay freeze for last year is disgraceful, clearly our members’ solidarity and unity throughout the strikes thus far has put pressure on Post Office management to increase the pay offer – albeit marginally. The senior leaders will have to listen to the collective voice of our members and significantly improve the offer. However, we have informed the members that the Postal Executive has endorsed further strike action due to the lack of meaningful progress and dates will be confirmed in due course.
Further developments will be reported.
Yours sincerely
Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary
Attachment 1: 22LTB282 Post Office – Revised Pay Offer for 2022-23 – Members’ Bulletin
Royal Mail Fleet Vehicle Replacement Plan – Charging Post Installation Update
Royal Mail Fleet Vehicle Replacement Plan – Charging Post Installation Update
Branches will be aware of LTB 407/21 Royal Mail Fleet Vehicle Replacement Plan Update advising the roll out of Electric Vehicles across the UK. The purpose of the trial in 2019 was to understand what impact a mass migration of EVs will have on the grid infrastructure and its capacity, including software management, utilising a smart charging interface and management tool. Royal Mail Fleet have now replaced around 2,800 vehicles on a key-for-key basis with EVs across the UK which includes approximately 600 deployed, late last year. There are a further 2,000 planned for this year taking the total up to approximately 5,000 for this financial year. The EV fleet is primarily Peugeot Experts and Partners, Mercedes and Nissan with the key data that Royal Mail requires to be provided daily, from the EV being the battery state of charge and fluctuations in the current draw, along with distance travelled from the route to build the smart charging depot optimisation tool.
Branches will also recall that the roll out of EVs across the UK is treated as BAU with the only exception being for local consultation around the installation of charging posts. BP are the main post provider with 48 new sites having ‘gone live’ earlier this year. We have been advised that the site at Stockton has been reconsidered (as the ground in the yard has apparently sunken), whilst there are now legal challenges in Rutherglen and Wey Valley. A scoping exercise is in progress for Northern Ireland which includes a feasibility study for all sites within the region.
Please see attached an updated spreadsheet from Royal Mail Fleet which also includes a local RM contact for both ADR’s and ASR’s and which is aimed at ensuring full consultation of the installation takes place.
The Outdoor Department will of course ensure that any further information received from RM Fleet is shared with branches as and when more sites are added to the plan.
Any enquiries to the content of the above please contact the Outdoor Department reference 300, email address: njones@cwu.org
Yours sincerely,
Mark Baulch
CWU Assistant Secretary
LTB 280-22 – Charging Post Installation Update
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 