Election of: Parcelforce Worldwide Substitute Area Health & Safety Representative – North Region

Further to LTB 108/21 dated 16^th March 2021, the position for Substitute Area Health & Safety Representative North Region became vacant due to Paul Devlin being appointed as the Area Health & Safety representative North Region.

Nominations are now invited from members in the respective Parcelforce Worldwide Region (including RMSS) for the following position:-

• Substitute Area Health & Safety Representative – North Region

A nomination form is attached to this LTB, completed forms must be signed by the Branch Secretary and Branch Chair or accredited deputies and the nominee, should be returned to Tony Kearns, Senior Deputy General Secretary on the following email elections@cwu.org by 26^th April 2021

The timetable for nominations is as follows:-

Nominations Open :  12^th April  2021

Nominations Close :  26^th April 2021 (2.00pm)

Should a ballot be required the timetable will be advised to branches in due course.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department, telephone number 020 8971 7237 or email address sdgs@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 152/21 – Election of Parcelforce Worldwide Substitute Area Health & Safety Representative North Region

Election Guidelines 2021

Candidates Consent Form

Nomination Form

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POST OFFICE: PRODUCT SPECIALIST BONUS SCHEME – QUARTER 4 PAYMENT

Branches are advised that we have reached an agreement with the Post Office for bonus payments for Travel and Mails Product Specialists for Quarter 4 – January to March 2021.

The agreement provides for a maximum possible £250 bonus for both the Mails Product Specialists and the Travel Product Specialists. As per the arrangements described in LTB 019/2021, these payments have been agreed despite the absence of targets as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Below is a Joint Statement explaining that this will be the final payment for the quarterly bonus scheme as both bonus payments and the inpay allowance have now been consolidated in basic pay as part of the 2020/21 pay award.

Joint Statement – Product Specialist (PS):

Quarter 4 Bonus Payment

We are pleased to announce that following payments for Quarter 4 (the period between January and March) as the final payment for the Product Specialist Bonus scheme

·       Travel Product Specialists – £250

·       Express Mails Specialists – £250

Payments will be made in April salaries.

This will be the final payment for the quarterly bonus scheme as both bonus payments and the inpay allowance have been replaced by the consolidation of the scheme into basic pay, which was agreed as part of the 2020/21 pay award.

Although the bonus scheme has now finished, you will need to continue to give the focus and dedication to building capability across the team in Mails and Travel related products and ensuring that our customers receive the very best service.

We would like to thank you all for your hard work through a challenging year.

Steve Blampied

Head of Directly Managed &

WHS Branch Network

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

CWU

I’m sure our Product Specialist members, who are doing their very best in these challenging circumstances, will welcome this final payment for Quarter 4 and enjoy the benefits of the consolidated payment in their basic pay going forward.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 150/21 – Post Office – Product Specialist Bonus Scheme – Quarter 4 Payment

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Union Warns Dog-Owner “Got Off Lightly” After £2,000 Compensation Bill For Attack On Northamptonshire Postie – Finger Tip Bitten Off Through The Letter Box (Northampton Chronicle & Echo): Plus Fatal Dog Attack On 85 Year Old Pensioner In Rowley Regis/Near Birmingham:

For your information and interests, please see attached press cutting which appeared in the Northampton Chronicle & Echo regional press over the Easter break. This reports on the successful conviction of a dog owner who allowed her dog to attack the mail as it was posted through the letterbox, biting off the tip of the postwoman’s finger (an all too common occurrence). The dog owner received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay the victim £2000 compensation.

In response to the press enquiry and interview we welcome the sentence but made the point that the dog owner got off lightly and the injuries could have been much worse (dog owners can face up to five years in prison and unlimited fines for allowing their dogs to injure a person).

Through the press, we also strongly advised dog owners that have an animal that attacks the mail when it comes through the letter box that the simple solution is to buy a letterbox cage for around £15 and fit it to the front door which will protect both the customer’s mail and the postal worker’s fingers. Alternatively, an outside mail box can be fitted to the home or perimeter fence as indeed many more responsible people with dogs now do.

You will also have heard the very sad news regarding an 85-year-old pensioner mauled to death in the back garden of her home in Rowley Regis just outside Birmingham on Friday when a neighbour’s two dogs escaped by bursting through a fence into the garden, launching a sustained attack, following which she tragically died at the scene.

The worry always is that these irresponsible owners with powerful, vicious dogs of this kind will allow them to escape and attack the postman/woman – our members – whilst they are delivering mail and parcels.

In respect of these two cases – would ASRs/WSRs please remind all members:

• Don’t put your fingers through the letter box (dogs don’t always bark and make a lot of noise – some stay deadly silent just waiting for the opportunity to attack).
• Stay alert and be aware of dogs on premises at all times! If in doubt always err on the side of caution. ‘If In Doubt – Stay Out!’

Top Tips for Royal Mail and Parcelforce Outdoor Delivery and Collection Members:

Remember “AVOID:”

A–Avoid interacting with all dogs

V–Value yourself and don’t take risks

O–Observe; keep your walk log/WRAP up to date

I–Inform workmates of potential dog risks to stop them being attacked

D–Defend yourself if necessary, using your delivery equipment

• Never put your fingers through a letterbox.
• 83% of attacks happen at a customer’s door or on the garden path – so take no risks.
• Listen and look for signs of a dog’s presence.
• Never accept a dog owner’s assurances that the dog is OK – ask the owner to restrain their dogs and put them safe.
• Use your pouch or trolley as a barrier between you and a dog, if approached unexpectedly.
• Report all dogs on your duty via the WRAP system and check Walk Logs.
• Reports all dog attacks and near misses no matter how minor – it could be serious next time!
• Report incidents to your manager and then to the police. You could help stop future attacks happening.

Royal Mail Group and the CWU are committed to driving dog attack numbers down. We now have the law in place to do it but we need to get messages across to members:

• Firstly, don’t take risks! – ‘If In Doubt – Stay Out!’
• Secondly, don’t ignore minor incidents! – report it! It may be far worse next time!
• Thirdly, under the Dangerous Dogs Act, postal workers have legal protection from dog attacks on private property. Support investigations and prosecutions. Too many injured members refuse to support prosecutions and give evidence, leaving bad dog owners who are guilty of criminal offences to get away scot-free!

Attachments: 

• Press Report on Rushden, Northamptonshire Dog Attack – Postal Worker Finger Tip Bitten Off.
• Police/Press Report On Rowley Regis/Birmingham Area Fatal Dog Attack On Pensioner In Her Back Garden.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

21LTB149 Union Warns Dog-Owner Got Off Lightly After £2,000 Compensation Bill For Attack On Northamptonshire Postie

Postwoman Dog Attack Case – 2000 Compensation Order Conditional Discharge

Rowley Regis Dog Attack

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CWU 2022 Diary

We are now taking orders for CWU 2022 diaries.  Please find attached an electronic diary order form for your branch use.

We continue to offer branches personalised diaries at no additional cost.  Branches can personalise an area on the front cover of the CWU pocket diary and also have the option to have a personalised page (printed on one side only) which will be inserted near the front of the pocket diary.

The CWU pocket diary is priced at £1.75 and the A5 desk diary is priced at £2.65.

We also continue to offer branches bulk discount on pocket diaries only on orders of 1,000 or more for £1.40 per diary.

Branches ordering unaltered diaries should return their completed order form by no later than Friday 17^th September.

Personalised branch diary orders only

Branch personalised diary orders must be returned by no later than Friday 21^st May. On receipt of your order form you will be emailed the appropriate template(s), please ensure to include your email address as this is where your template(s) will be sent together with further instructions.

Please complete your template(s) as soon as possible and note the return deadline is Friday 11^th June. Due to strict deadlines any orders or proofs received after the dates provided may not be processed.

If you would like to use your 2021 diary template(s) and there are no changes, please advise Marcia Murray.

Orders will be based on the following:

Minimum order to personalise front cover: 250 units

Minimum order to insert page: 500 units

Minimum order to personalise front cover and insert page: 500 units

All completed order forms and enquiries on this LTB should be sent to Marcia Murray by email to mmurray@cwu.org

The diaries will be dispatched from Monday 27^th September 2021.

Kind regards,

Chris Webb
Head of Communications, Engagement and Media

21LTB147 – CWU 2022 Diary

Diary Order Form

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EUREST (QUADRANT) REBRANDING – THE PLACE

Branches will recall that on the 1^st October 2020, Royal Mail and Compass Group ended the Quadrant Joint Venture and RMG entered a commercial contract with the Eurest section of Compass Group for the ongoing provision of catering services to our members in Royal Mail Group.  This involved the transfer of our Quadrant members to Compass Group (Eurest).

As part of the new commercial contract, Eurest intended a rebranding of the restaurant facilities and an update of the food offering. However, the Covid -19 pandemic and the necessary social distancing arrangements, including the introduction of a take away only service, affected the timing of this activity.

Given the above during the Covid-19 period utilisation of the restaurants and Breakfast Bar facilities has markedly reduced, exacerbating downward trends in usage over many years.  The department has therefore been discussing with Royal Mail and Eurest measures to make the catering offering more attractive to our Royal Mail members as lockdown measures ease.

Eurest have now informed the department that the relaunch and rebranding activity will commence from Monday 12^th April 2021.   This will involve:

• New signage & branding for Restaurants – The Place
• New uniforms for all Eurest Employees
• The Place – The Movie (for Eurest employees who will receive 30 minutes O/T to watch)
• New Menu Launch and introductory Special Offers for Customers.

The above activity is designed to attract customers who do not currently choose to use the restaurant facilities and encourage existing customers to use the facilities more often.

While it is not the role of the union to advertise on behalf of Eurest, in discussions with Royal Mail the department have impressed our view that the provision of subsidised catering services to our members remains an obligation on behalf of the company.  Equally, the retention of current facilities is of key importance to our Eurest members working in restaurants and breakfast bars across the RMG estate.

As such we would ask Branches and Representatives to promote the use of Eurest services with our Royal Mail Group members to assist in protecting the provision of service into the future and in support of our Eurest members.

Attached for the information of Branches and Representatives is the material associated with the launch, which the business has shared with the department.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org quoting reference: 311.02

Yours sincerely

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

21LTB145 – Eurest (Quadrant) Rebranding – The Place

The Place Launch

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DAVE EMBERSON – FORMER BRANCH SECRETARY OF WESTERN MT

It is with great sadness that we write to inform you of the recent passing of Dave Emberson former National Executive member and Branch Secretary of the Western MT Branch.

Dave was originally a member of the POEU from 1962 and served at every level of the union, including the National Executive, Regional and Branch positions.

Dave was a BT Fleet Technician who joined what was then the GPO back in 1960 and he retired from BT in 1994.

He was awarded the union’s Gold Badge in recognition of his services to our members and he continued to contribute as a retired member of the Western MT Branch until his recent passing.

The union has been in contact with Dave’s daughter Julie, who is keen to ensure that her father’s contribution to the Trade Union movement is not forgotten and has asked that if anyone wishes to mark his passing, they can do so by contributing to his preferred charity the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Service.

We are advised that such donations can be sent either to Lesley Shand Funeral Service, 184 Wareham Road, Corfe Mullen, Wimborne BH21 3LL or be paid online at www.funeraldirector.co.uk/david-emberson

Finally, I know I speak on behalf of all of Dave’s longstanding friends and colleagues in the union, in offering our sincere condolences to Dave’s daughter Julie and their family and in saying that he will be greatly missed.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward
General Secretary

21LTB148 DAVE EMBERSON – FORMER BRANCH SECRETARY OF WESTERN MT

Errata – Election of CWU Regional Secretaries 2021 – Ballot Timetable

Further to LTB 143/21 dated 1^st April 2021 there was a typographical error in the wording and it should have read “ballot papers for the Regional Secretary Elections in Northern Ireland, South East and London Regions will now be dispatched from 8^th April 2021”.

As previously advised ballot papers will be sent to members by 1^stclass post.

Please note that the closing date for the ballots remains 27^th April 2021.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 0208 971 7237 or email address sdgs@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary

21LTB146 – Errata – Election of CWU Regional Secretaries – Ballot Timetable

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CWU Special Rules Revision Conference Agenda Pad

Branches would wish to know that the agenda pad for the Special Rules Revision Conference taking place on Saturday 24^th April 2021 has now been published on the website and can be accessed using the following link:

https://www.cwu.org/conference/virtual-special-rules-revision-conference-2021/

A Pdf. copy has also been attached for your information.

Any enquiries to this Letter to Branches should be addressed to conferences@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

A P Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 144/21 – Special Rules Revision Conference Agenda Pad

VIRTUAL SPECIAL RULES REVISION AGENDA 2021

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Election of CWU Regional Secretaries 2021 – Ballot Timetable

Further to LTB 142/21 dated 31^st March 2021, we have been advised by the Independent Scrutineer that the ballot papers for the Regional Secretary Elections in London, South East and London Regions will now be despatched from 8^th April 2021.

Ballot papers will be sent to members by 1^st class post.

Please note that the closing date for the ballots remains 27^thApril 2021.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 0208 971 7237 or email address sdgs@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Tony Kearns

Senior Deputy General Secretary

LTB 143/21 – Election of CWU Regional Secretaries – Ballot Timetable

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ROYAL MAIL: PATHWAY TO CHANGE AGREEMENT: DELIVERING THE SHORTER WORKING WEEK IN MDEC

The backdrop to the Pathway to Change negotiations for MDEC has been difficult due to further declines in volumes, coupled with automation improvements, which has effectively left the three MDEC units over-resourced overall.  MDEC’s workload has dropped to 5m tasks per week and as a result of enhancements to the current parcel/letter sorting technology and increased customer barcoding is expected to fall by a further 40% over the next 3 months to around 3m tasks per week.

Negotiations started in January with MDEC management with regards to delivering the Shorter Working Week. An agreement has now been reached and was endorsed by the Postal Executive at a meeting on Tuesday 30^th March.  An agreed Joint Statement and Joint Briefing note (attached) have been published today and our MDEC Representatives were updated via a meeting this morning.  We also provided an embargoed copy of the Joint Statement and briefing note to our Reps earlier today.

The following are the key headlines of the agreement reached:

Closure of Farnworth & Stoke MDEC Units

Unfortunately we have had to agree to the closure of the Farnworth and Stoke MDEC units.  Clearly this is a challenging situation; however we cannot shy away from the fact there has been an overall decline in volumes and improvements in automation.  It is for these reasons we have the MTSF agreement in place, which is designed to safeguard employment for our members.  In this regard, these closures will be conducted in line with MTSF principles and the emphasis will be on finding suitable redeployment opportunities for all those who wish to retain employment with Royal Mail.

• Voluntary Redundancy will be offered by the end of August for all members wishing to avail themselves of this option. This timeframe will include notice periods.  It should be noted that for Farnworth this is 20 full-time and 25 part-time jobs and for Stoke there are 28 part-timers and no full-timers.
• For members wishing to retain employment, we have agreed that the redeployment and bumping activities will continue for the rest of the year, with the units closing by 1st January 2022. If everyone can be found reasonable redeployment opportunities before this, the units will close earlier.  This means our members will have every opportunity to find alternative work within Royal Mail and we are optimistic that there are relatively good opportunities for this to happen.
• To inform this activity, an agreed Preference Exercise is planned as follows:
• Forms despatched Tuesday 6th April with a return date of Friday 23rd April

Branches are advised the closure of the Farnworth and Stoke MDEC units does not directly impact upon either the Finance or Customer Experience (CE) units at these locations. In this regard, the attached Joint Statement, which provides reassurance to Finance and CE members, has been agreed. There will however be the potential for bumping opportunities within Finance and CE for MDEC members, depending on the outcome of the preference exercise. Further discussions will take place with management following the closure date of 23^rdApril when all preferences can be taken fully into consideration and wider preferencing undertaken as appropriate.

Shorter Working Week to be Implemented from 1^st May

In accordance with the Pathway to Change Agreement we have agreed that for MDEC the SWW will be implemented from Monday 1^st May and the deployment of this will be undertaken via local discussions to determine how best to reduce the hour.  This position only applies to Farnworth & Plymouth as Stoke do not have any full-time employees.  Our part-time members will though benefit by the automatic increase in the hourly pay rate.

Bonus Consolidation – £60 per month (Pro-rata for part-timers)

Another area where we have been able to make good progress as part of the overall package relates to bonus consolidation.  We have managed to consolidate £60 per month into basic pay with a suitable adjustment in the bonus scheme.  This means, an MDEC keyer earning £20,308 from 1st April 2021 (inclusive of the 1% pay rise) will receive £720 p.a. extra in their basic pay from the consolidation of £60 per month, taking their salary to £21,028, an increase of 3.5% over and above this year’s pay rise.  The consolidation of these bonus monies will trap the money into base pay and it will become pensionable and in turn will improve hourly pay rates, which means both full-time and part-time members gain by this initiative.

The consolidation is linked to the implementation of the Plymouth revision which we have agreed will happen by June/July subject to local negotiations.  Crucially at this point the consolidation will be backdated to 1st April and will benefit those leaving on VR as this will make for a better compensation package.

New Bonus Arrangements 

We have also agreed a new higher bonus tier with an extra £20 per month for those hitting the top end of the performance banding.  The effectiveness of the new bonus measures and targets will be jointly reviewed at regular intervals to ensure it is working as designed with agreed modifications made as appropriate following joint analysis.

Summary/Conclusion

Whilst the closure of Units is never good news and we recognise it will be difficult for many of our members, our MDEC members will be acutely aware of declining volumes and the automation plans.  Therefore I imagine the closure announcements won’t come as a surprise but members will obviously be disappointed.  Our aim is to ensure that no stone is left unturned in finding suitable redeployment opportunities for all members wishing to be redeployed.  We have ample time to make this happen and we will be working jointly with management in this regard.

In terms of the benefits to members, this agreement delivers both the SWW and a £60 consolidation together with an improved top banding of £20 per month extra as part of an enhanced bonus scheme.

In closing, I would like to place on record my thanks to Andy Hopping and David Wilshire, PE Members, who have provided support and guidance in these negotiations.  I also wish to thank our Representatives for the professional and dignified manner in which they dealt with this situation when hearing the news of these closures earlier today.  We will obviously continue to engage with the Reps going forward with the clear aim of ensuring this exercise is conducted fully in line with the MTSF agreement.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

LTB 141/21 – Royal Mail – Pathway to Change Agreement – Delivering the Shorter Working Week in MDEC

Attachment 2 – Joint Statement

Attachment 3 – Joint Briefing Note

Attachment 4 – Joint Statement MDEC Announcement Stoke and Farnworth

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