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Re: Royal Mail – Reducing Stamp Fraud – New (C7 Type) Stamp Cancellation Ink Trials

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

Background

Stamp Fraud costs Royal Mail millions each year. A number of functions were brought together by Stephen Agar, Royal Mail MD of C&NA, and the Reducing Stamp Fraud project was launched early last year. This project involves senior stakeholders from Revenue Protection; Criminal Law; Investigations and Security; Operations; Engineering; Customer Experience and the Stamp Production team. The project objectives are to understand the scale of stamp fraud to Royal Mail and look at what counter-measures, through a series of activities, could be taken make it harder for criminals to defraud Royal Mail.

Stamp fraud is as a result of customers re-using un-cancelled stamps, re-using stamps [washed or un-cancelled] and using counterfeit stamps.

Royal Mail have undertaken extensive research and development work with existing machine ink and cancellation equipment with current supplier PostJet/Domino working to identify potential options. Postjet have used known washing techniques to test options and identified a pigment which can be added to the ink. In parallel, they explored the pigment dispersion which leads to a fluid architecture that is a little different from the current fluid used on Royal Mail machines but requires some longer term user testing. This ink component has had successful primary tests on paper and stamps already e.g., with stamps significantly damaged by the time the ink had washed or partially washed off. Over the last few months the supplier has explored and tested several modifications to the fluid, with and without binders, and concluded that most of the binders are to some degree water soluble leading to marginal differences in performance over the standard fluid. The conclusion was that ink changes should improve resistance to bleaching without significant changing of the user experience. The benefit is that mail cancelled by automation will have ink which is fit for purpose. This in turn will both seriously disrupt the supply chain for ‘kiloware’ (sale of bulk used stamps) and stamps intended to be washed for resale as ‘new’ and will have a direct and positive impact on Royal Mail’s revenue.

Summary of actions specific to cancellation ink

The project team has reviewed all cancellation ink to ensure that it is fit for purpose i.e., it cannot be washed off without damage being caused to the stamps but print quality and machine performance is maintained or enhanced. The project team has worked with procurement and engineering to ensure that the inks are fit for purpose, safe to use and pose no health and safety risk to Royal Mail staff and in particular Engineers. As a result:

▪ A liquid ink, SP87, will be available in liquid form and will be used in the cartridges of Royal Mail Trodat stampers.

◦ The liquid ink is available via Royal Mail Stores now.

◦ The Trodat stampers will be available from Monday 5th March 2018 via the ARIBA ordering process.

▪ Royal Mail assures the CWU that the ink used on the stamp cancelling machines is fit for purpose and has not changed and poses no risk to safety and health of CWU Members.

▪ Royal Mail’s external suppliers have produced an ink for use on the iLSM and IMP automatic sorting machines which is a variant of the current K7 ink. This has been tested and preliminary results indicate it meets Royal Mail requirements however a live test is required before national deployment.

◦ The new ink, C7 ink, is going to be tested for a period of 6 weeks.

◦ IMP tests are due to commence on 5th March at Greenford. These will continue for 4 weeks until 31st March 2018 and will be on one machine.

◦ iLSM tests are due to commence on 19th March in Swindon. These will continue for 4 weeks until 13th April 2018 and will be on one machine.

◦ SAC1 and COSHH Assessment have been completed and received safety concurrence.

◦ OCC concurrence has been received.

◦ ISS /Biffa have confirmed the waste from this ink can be removed as per current processes.

◦ On site engagement with Mail Centre Managers, Performance Delivery Managers, work area managers and the CWU Area and Workplace Health and Safety Reps (Operations and Engineering) will take place at all sites.

◦ Following tests and a full review of the impact on the operation, a decision will be made regarding national deployment. If deployment is recommended as the course of action, it is anticipated that this will be done site by site with the larger sites being completed first.

Impact on staff – C7 ink tests

▪ The supplier will be converting existing printers and installing them for the trial.

▪ The supplier will be reverting converted printers after the trial.

▪ The ink is expected to perform the same as current and there is no change to process for Engineers re: maintenance etc.

▪ Operational staff will not be affected directly by the ink changes but they will be asked to continue to:

◦ Record issues/contact the local engineer as current BAU.

◦ Process 5 x test cards on the machine with the converted printer hourly on late shift on the first day. Subsequent days will require 2 x sets of 5 test cards processed at the start and end of cancellation on late shift i.e., 5pm and 9pm. The cards need to be removed and filed and at the end of the week posted by Special Delivery. This is essential for Royal Mail to manage and check print quality.

CWU Area Health and Safety Rep & Engineering Health and Safety Rep Involvement

It has been agreed that both Area Health and Safety Reps and Engineering Health and Safety Reps will be fully engaged, involved and consulted prior to and during the trial with their feedback, input taken into account.

Attachments:

• Safety Assessment & Concurrence (SAC1)

• COSHH Assessment

• K7+ Safety Data Sheet

• PostJet Safety Data Sheet

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

18LTB131 Royal Mail – Reducing Stamp Fraud – New (C7 Type) Stamp Cancellation Ink Trials

Ink_TestsPXB 100118.doc_SAC1 v2 (4) (2)

Copy of k7+ ink CoSHH Assessment 090118

K7+ Safety Data Sheet

PostJet_Safety_Data_Sheet

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Colleagues,

Here’s a link to the 2018 General Conference Agenda

http://www.cwu.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/GEN-CONF-AGENDA-2018.pdf

#TheCWU

ROYAL MAIL PENSIONS INFORMATION

Dear Colleague,

Royal Mail Pensions

This week members will have received a Pension Booklet from the business explaining the changes to Royal Mail pensions following the Agreement reached with the CWU.

The Booklet provides some detailed illustrations and typical examples for current members of the Royal Mail Pension Plan (RMPP) and the Royal Mail Defined Contribution Plan (RMDCP). To provide clarification following enquiries from members, we set out the options below:

▪All current members of the RMPP will start building up benefits in the transitional Defined Benefit Cash Balance Scheme (DBCBS) from 1st April 2018. This will happen automatically from this date. No action is required by RMPP members.

▪All current members of the RMDCP with at least 5 years’ service in the scheme have the option of a) joining the DBCBS Scheme from 1st April 2018 or b) going to the improved top tier of the RMDCP Scheme. If you wish to exercise these options you need to compete and return the appropriate form to Royal Mail.

▪All RMDCP members with less than 5 years’ service will automatically be moved to the improved top tier of the DC Scheme on the 1st April 2018. (where employees will pay 6% contribution and the company 10%). Members can choose to contribute less if they wish to.

Yours sincerely,

Terry Pullinger

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

18LTB127-Royal Mail Pensions

UN ANTI-RACISM MARCH – 17TH MARCH 2018

Saturday 17th March will see the 7th Annual UN Anti-Racism Day march. The CWU has always been a great supporter of any events organised by Stand Up to Racism and we are expecting a huge show of support from the trade union movement. It would be great to see our Branches and Regions attending this important occasion. You will be joining the CWU’s Race Advisory Committee who will have representatives present on the day.

The march starts at 12 noon but we would encourage you to get there slightly earlier. The CWU meeting point is the entrance to the BBC Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London W1A 1AA. The nearest stations are: Oxford Circus and Regent Street.

 This event is being supported globally with sister events taking place across the EU and America. Further information can be found on the Unite Against Fascism website by clicking Here

Any enquiries on the above LTB should be addressed the General Secretary’s Office gsoffice@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward  

General Secretary  

18LTB126 UN ANTI RACISM MARCH 17TH MARCH 2018

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Eye Care and Vision – Unexpected Diseases An Eye Test Can Spot – Health and Safety
(Sight problems aside, eye examinations can detect a range of serious diseases.)

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

The CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department has continued supporting and working with the “Eyecare Trust” an organisation that campaigns to raise awareness about the need for regular eye tests and that the eyes can also give a clear view of what’s occurring in other parts of the body. In fact, an eye test could reveal a life or death situation.

As well as detecting vision problems and eye diseases, such as glaucoma or macular degeneration, they can sometimes also reveal whether you’re suffering from a number of serious health conditions. Getting an eye examination is a bit like getting a more extensive physical examination as there are a variety of eye and general health conditions that can be picked up in an eye examination that are essentially silent but highly treatable – if they’re picked up early.

The “Eyecare Trust” states that poor uptake of sight tests is probably the biggest risk to the nation’s eye health. Around 20 million people in the UK fail to have their sight tested once every two years, yet a simple sight test can detect glaucoma years before a person notices lost vision, and many childhood eye conditions which can be permanently corrected if diagnosed early enough. The “Eyecare Trust” is conveying the message that sight tests really are essential health checks.

Did you know?

• 2 million people in the UK are living with sight loss that is severe enough to have a significant impact on their daily lives. Half of this sight loss is avoidable.

• A sight test can detect early signs of conditions like glaucoma, which can be treated if found soon enough.

• During a sight test, other health conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure may be detected.

• For healthy eyes, eat well, don’t smoke and wear eye protection in bright sunlight.

Here’s how a simple eye test could help detect other serious medical conditions and diseases:-

Diabetes

Around 750,000 people in the UK have undiagnosed diabetes, according to Diabetes UK. Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes can creep up very slowly and are often dismissed as normal tiredness, or just part of growing old, but cases can be diagnosed from eye tests. High blood-sugar related to diabetes can cause problems in the small blood vessels resulting in diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to blindness. An optometrist will be able to spot early characteristic changes, such as tiny leaks from damaged blood vessels. Nowhere are the blood vessels more important than in the retina at the back of the eye and Eyecare professionals have a window to look at this, and they can spot very early signs of diabetes and the effect it has on blood vessels in the back of the eye. The message is that you don’t need to go blind with diabetes as it’s treatable and the key is to pick it up early. Not only that, but the sooner diabetes is detected, the sooner it can be treated or managed, meaning other potential complications – including ulcers, kidney and heart damage – can be prevented too.

High blood pressure

Effects of high blood pressure – a condition which affects one in three UK adults but is often symptomless, and is linked with stroke, heart disease and vascular dementia – can sometimes be seen inside the eye. This is because the force of blood passing through blood vessels in the retina can cause hypertensive retinopathy. Blood vessel walls may thicken, narrowing the vessels and restricting blood from reaching the retina. In some cases, it becomes swollen and its function is limited, and there may be bleeding behind the eye.

High cholesterol/Cardiovascular problems

Because of the high blood flow at the back of the eye, excessive cholesterol – which is linked to cardiovascular problems – may also be spotted there, looking like deposits in the blood vessels. Changes in the patterns of ocular veins and arteries can also be linked to cardiovascular disease and stroke. Indications of strokes and other cardiovascular problems can be seen in the eyes. The back of the eye is part of the brain, so anything that can affect the brain can affect the eye – and often they affect the eye first.

Arthritis

Although arthritis is characterised by joint inflammation, autoimmune forms of the disease (like rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis) can affect other parts of the body including the eyes, and the inflammation it causes can be spotted in eye tests. This inflammation (uveitis) is the same kind that can attack joints. It can slowly destroy the eye too. Arthritis is another one of the diseases where eye examinations are important, as the ocular manifestations can have grave consequences if left untreated.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Although not available yet, it’s hoped that a simple eye test could soon be used to identify the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers are looking at whether warning signs can be detected using special computer software to analyse images of the eye. Researchers have reported that it will soon be possible to look into someone’s eyes using an inexpensive machine and discover something which may suggest a risk of developing dementia. The research promises early warning in a non-invasive way, and the test, which will identify differences in the retinal vessels, may even be able to differentiate between different types of dementia.

Tumours

The eye has a large blood supply relative to its size and for this reason, certain types of tumours can spread to the eye, as well as primary tumours developing there – although this is rare. Brain tumours can also be spotted in an eye test, sometimes through swelling of the optic nerve linked to pressure from the tumour.

Driving and Vision – Safety and Legal Responsibility!

It’s important to have your sight tested if you think you may have a problem with your eyesight, in fact, studies suggest that up to one in five middle aged drivers are taking to the road with their eyesight not as good as it should be. It is not just common sense to ensure your eyesight is good enough to enable you to drive comfortably, but your safety and that of others is at risk and you will be breaking the law if it isn’t. A driver of a car or motorbike must be able to read a number plate, with symbols, 79mm high by 50mm wide, from a distance of 20 metres AND a driver should have a visual acuity of at least 6/12 with both eyes open. This can be done with glasses or contact lenses if you usually wear them. The law also requires drivers to have a wide field of vision. Your optometrist will tell you if you may not meet the field of vision standard. Bus and Lorry drivers are required to have a higher standard of vision. If you are not able to do this, your insurance may be invalidated. Driving with uncorrected defective vision is an offence punishable with a heavy fine, penalty licence points and possible driving disqualification.

National Eye Health Week 2018 (NEHW) – Vision Really Matters.

This year’s National Eye Health Week (NEHW) will take place from 24 to 30 September 2018, promoting the importance of eye health and the need for regular sight tests for all. Sight is the sense people fear losing the most, yet many of us don’t know how to look after our eyes! Think about preparing for a local awareness raising campaign now. Further information will be published nearer the time.

For more information visit:- http://www.eyecaretrust.org.uk/

Or Contact:-

The Eyecare Trust

PO Box 804

Aylesbury

Buckinghamshire

HP20 9DF

Tel: 0845 129 5001

Email: info@eyecaretrust.org.uk

(The Eyecare Trust is a registered charity that exists to raise awareness of all aspects of eye health and the importance of regular eye care. The Trust’s public information and awareness raising campaigns are aimed at helping ensure that eye care is kept high on the UK public’s health agenda and provides valuable advice and information.)

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

18LTB123 Eye Care and Vision – Unexpected Diseases An Eye Test Can Spot – Health and Safety

Keep Calm Get Your Eyes Checked Poster

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Branch Political Officers Report for Branch Meeting 27th February 2018.

Local Elections May 2018

Both Peterborough and North West Cambridgeshire CLP’s have now selected their candidates for the May elections campaigning and fund raising has started the list of candidates are as follows

TULO

TULO continues to go from strength to strength both regionally and locally, locally I have written to all trade union branches in the Peterborough CLP asking them to affiliate to the CLP and the response has been good. North West Cambs now have a TULO Officer and I am in contact with him about a joint meeting.

Regionally an invite has been received from TULO in the North West, for the East to meet and look at how they run training schools for TULO Officers, so that training in the role can be given. At the time of writing no date has been set.

The next meeting of Peterborough TULO with Fiona Onasayna will be Friday 16th March.

Peterborough CLP  

The last meeting of the Executive of the CLP was on Friday 26th January unfortunately due to CWU business I could not attend the meeting, please find attached a copy of my report submitted to the meeting. The next meeting will take place on Friday 23rd February.

North West Norfolk CLP

Several well attended all members meetings have been held across the CLP, these meetings have seen an increase of new and young members attending.

Huntingdon CLP

Members meetings have been held and Darrel Herd is the TULO Officer for the CLP.

CWU Eastern Region Political Committee

I attended the regional meeting on Friday 9th February on behalf of the branch, we had a presentation from Andrew Towers, CWU Head of Political Strategy, Andrew explained what his role entailed and what the CWU has been doing politically and what we as a union will be doing moving forward.

In the last year and a half, we have secured 3 debates in parliament on The Post Office with 40 MP’s / Peers speaking in debate 37 of whom spoke on behalf of the CWU.

In March this year we have secured a debate on Agency workers in BT.

We have also influenced policy of the Labour Party with Renationalisation of Royal Mail, Broadband and Agency workers Bill.

Moving Forward

The next step for the union will be to

• Educate the membership in politics

• Provide more political information on the website

• More articles in the Voice and Frontline

• Regional Political Events will be held

• A Political Officers guide is to be published

• Political Education and Candidate Training will be given

Ongoing work

The Agency workers campaign in BT, EDM 833 is asking to close the gap between agency workers and full time in BT, and agency worker doing the same job as a full-time member is on £500 per month less.

TUC Demonstration

The CWU nationally has been pushing the TUC for a national demonstration for some time on New Deal for Workers, this will now take place on Saturday 12th May in London. At the time of writing no information on the route etc has been released, once I have the information I will circulate it.

Andy Beeby

Branch Political Officer