National LGV Recruitment Exercise 

Following discussions at national level as part of the Rebuilding Royal Mail, Section 5 commitment on Reducing Reliance on Agency Workers, it has been agreed that a national Recruitment Exercise for LGV Professional Driver Roles will commence for internal candidates on Monday 9^th February 2026.

While the exact number of roles at each location is still under review and it has yet to be finalised, we can confirm that business is looking to recruit at the following sites:

Birmingham VOC, Belfast VOC, Carlisle VOC, Chorley VOC, Chelmsford VOC, Croydon VOC, Coventry Hub VOC, East Midlands Airport VOC, Exeter VOC, Gatwick VOC, Greenford VOC, HWDC VOC, Manchester VOC, Midlands Super Hub VOC, Northern Home Counties VOC, Norwich VOC, NW Hub VOC, Peterborough VOC, Plymouth VOC, PRDC VOC, Preston VOC, Scottish Parcel Hub VOC, South East Parcel Hub VOC, Southampton VOC, South West Parcel Hub VOC, Swindon VOC, Tyneside, VOC Woking VOC, Wolverhampton VOC, and Yorkshire Parcel Hub VOC.

While the CWU had requested that the business offer vocational training Royal Mail have confirmed at this time there is no budget for Vocational Driver Training other than a 2026 LGV Apprenticeship program, which will also be launched shortly.  Details on that will be confirmed.

As such the internal LGV recruitment program is open to all employees who hold the relevant vocational C+E License.   While Driver CPC training will be offered, only candidates with a C+E license and no more than 6 penalty points will be considered.

With a basic salary of £38,307, rising with the April pay award this is an excellent opportunity for Royal Mail Group employees to progress to a Professional Driver role.  The recruitment exercise will open for internal candidates on 9^th February 2026 and close on the 1^st March 2026. After the 1^st March 2026 any remaining vacancies will be offered to external candidates.

We would encourage all CWU members in possession of a LGV C+E License who wishes to progress to a Professional Driver role to take advantage of the opportunity and apply for a role at the location(s) of their choice.  Applications are through Success Factors.

Attached for the information of Branches, Representatives and Members is the Recruitment Poster, and internal advertisement.

We would ask that Branches give the content of this LTB the widest possible circulation.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: jrodrigues@cwu.org  or jmansell@cwu.org  quoting reference LTB 038/26.

Yours sincerely,

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

LTB 038.26 – National LGV Recruitment Exercise

Internal poster_LGV driver

LGV drivers workvivo post.docx

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Time to Talk Day 2026 – 5th February 2026Theme: ‘Brave the big talk’.

Dear Colleagues,

Every year Mind and Rethink Mental Illness promote Time to Talk Day – Mind which is ‘a day for friends, families, communities, and workplaces to come together to talk, listen and change lives’.

About Time to Talk Day

Time to Talk Day is held at the beginning of February every year. It is about helping people and communities to come together to have the nation’s biggest mental health conversation day.

The following link provides access to the Mates in Mind website and access to an ‘all year round’ workplace notice board poster, which has a QR code link to over 20 confidential support services and the ‘be a mate’ text support service.

Time to Talk Day: 5 February 2026 | Mates in Mind

The CWU is again supporting the ‘Time to Talk Day’ national campaign which spotlights the importance of having more open, honest mental health conversations, encouraging people to have those conversations about how they’re feeling and to help combat the stigma that still exists around mental health.

People talking about their mental health and how they are really feeling can be difficult. But talking is crucially important. Mental Health charities and experts continually emphasise the point that the more conversations we have, the better life is for everyone.

Additionally, there are different versions available for each UK nation (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), which can be sourced via the following links:

#TimeToTalkDay Time to Talk Day – Mind

Scotland: Time To Talk Day 2026 | End Mental Health Stigma and Discrimination

Northern Ireland (Inspire): Time to Talk Day – Inspire Wellbeing

Wales (Time to Change Wales): Talking about your Mental Health | Time to Change Wales

For those who find themselves in situations where you don’t want to talk about feelings or your mental health, there are alternative ways to look for support.  New advice on using apps and other digital tools to support mental health was published on 27^th January 2026 by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)

MHRA issues new guidance for people using mental health apps and technologies – GOV.UK

This guidance was published for the purpose of advising the public, parents, carers and professionals who use or recommend these digital tools.

Currently there are more than 20,000 mental health apps available in the iOS and Google app stores. These products are now widely available and often used alongside NHS and community care, but it is not always clear which are reliable, safe or right for an individual. The new guidance therefore aims to help people make more informed choices and know what to do if something doesn’t feel right.

In the recent TUC Biennial Trade Union Safety Reps survey, Stress was by far the most widespread workplace concern in all regions and nations.

SafetyRepsSurvey20242025.pdf

Stress was identified as the top workplace hazard identified by 79 per cent of all respondents, a higher proportion than both 2022/3 (73 per cent) and 2020/21 (76 per cent).

CWU participation in the TUC Biennial Safety Reps survey was the fifth largest of 36 unions, with 145 CWU Health and Safety Reps taking part in the 2024/25 survey.

So, for 2026 we are again asking branches and Regions to support the ‘Time to Talk Day’ national campaign on 5^th February 2026 which spotlights the importance of honest mental health conversations, whilst also recognising that every day has the potential to be a ‘Time to talk’ day.

This LTB is shared on behalf of CWU Central Services.

If you have any questions or need any further information, please contact-

Jamie McGovern FRSPH MIIAI 

CWU Health & Safety Policy Assistant at jmcgovern@cwu.org

LTB 035/26 time to talk day

Attachment: Time-to-talk-day-2026-generic-poster

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PURCHASE OF ANNUAL LEAVE (POAL)

As you may know in 2025, the company suspended enrolment and continuation of Purchase of Annual Leave (POAL) due to concerns about possible legal risks under National Minimum Wage (NMW) Legislation.  Since that time, our members have continued to receive the benefits of purchasing annual leave without being required to pay or make up associated payments.

The legislation states that, after Salary Sacrifice, your hourly rate in a pay period cannot be below the current rate of £12.21, which will increase to £12.71 in April.  The pay package is complex, as we have the basic, plus functional supplements and shift allowances that are added into take home pay but may not be part of the calculation however we believe that they should be as they are paid year-round and in the case of shift supplements only lost after an 8-week sick absence.

We have taken legal advice to seek clarity on whether this can be added to the basic pay rate, as this makes a big difference in the calculation; we have not received clarification either way.  As Royal Mail are also awaiting legal clarification, the company have taken the safe route of implementing a NMW check for eligibility before anyone can participate in the normal POAL scheme.

We must ensure our members are not part of any arrangement that reduces their pay below legal limits or breaches legislation.  Such actions may result in fines and extra National Insurance and Tax costs of up to £150 per year for members.

As a result of our discussions, we have been pursuing a temporary replacement scheme for those failing the NMW check, ensuring they can enjoy additional leave.

This has resulted in what is called Annual Leave Unpaid (ALU).  This is the same as Unpaid Special Leave, with one difference: there is no impact upon annual leave entitlements.  If you take unpaid leave, this can reduce your leave entitlement; this scheme will not have that impact.

We are pursuing payment advances and support to mitigate financial difficulties; this work is ongoing.

In te meantime, as we need our members to have clarity on the extra leave they wish to have at their disposal, the system will go live for opting into the scheme on PSP, Robin or via your manager.  All managers have been given instructions on how they should support and deploy the new approach.  The new system for POAL and ALU is an annual application and you will need to renew it each year.

For those who will use ALU instead of POAL and are impacted financially, we have suggested ways to mitigate the cost in any given week such as:

• Taking less than a full week and supplementing the rest of the leave request with contractual leave i.e. 2 days unpaid, 3 days contractual. This, of course, is your choice and subject to your own finances.
• We have suggested saving the money each week into a separate account, so that you can then draw upon it when you take ALU. This again is your choice.  The current POAL scheme runs in a similar way but Royal Mail deducts the money directly and keeps it each week/month to pay for the leave when it is taken.

We are still seeking alternatives to the ALU and will be taking this to the Government to seek clarity on the legislation and should we be successful in our interpretation of the Salary Sacrifice legislation in NMW, the ALU would be removed and we would return to the traditional Purchase of Annual Leave system.  Until we achieve this or get the required clarity, we have ensured members have access to additional leave.

Several other routes are also being explored to mitigate the impact of the NMW legislation however these require company agreement.

This situation rises not from any individuals’ actions but from the way the legislation is written.  While intended to protect employees from exploitation, the legislation has unfortunately resulted in unintended and unwelcome consequences for our members.

Yours sincerely

Martin Walsh

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

LTB 033/26 – PURCHASE OF ANNUAL LEAVE (POAL)

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Royal Mail Group Half-Term – Dog Awareness Message  

The purpose of this LTB is to advise Branches, our Safety Reps and members that week commencing the 9^th of February, RMG will be issuing a ‘half-term’ Dog Awareness message, given the spike in dog incidents last year and during this school holiday.

As reported last year during RMG/CWU National Dog Awareness Week (DAW), held in June, a total of 2,197 attacks by dogs on RMG employees took place from March 2024 to March 2025. Although this was a slight reduction from the 2,206 reported in the previous year, these numbers sadly continue to highlight the risk of dog attacks on CWU members within Royal Mail and Parcelforce.

Whilst Dog Awareness is an all-year-round message, the half-term activity from RMG will centre on ‘keeping your fingers safe’ and ‘if you knock on a door and hear a dog barking, please take steps to keep yourself safe’. The key messages will cover:

Avoid putting your fingers through a letterbox:

• Use a Posting Peg, the palm of your hand or a safe alternative.
• If you cannot get mail through the door without using your fingers, don’t do it.
• For undelivered mail, use a P6705 sticker when you return to the unit to endorse the mail item.
• Report all hazards to your manager.

If you knock on a door and hear a dog barking, please take steps to keep yourself safe:

• Take a few steps back – create distance.
• Ask the customer to secure the dog before passing them the item.
• Report all instances of dogs being unsecured at the doorstep to your manager.

Attached to this LTB is an advance copy of the RMG SHE (Safety, Health, and Environment) WTLL briefing planned to be issued week commencing 9^th February and entitled ‘Keep Every Finger Safe This Half Term’.

Also attached is an advance copy of an RMG (SHE) Huddle entitled ‘Yellow dots for Dog Hazards’, which is due to be issued week commencing the 2^ndof February. This communication sets out the required actions to be taken to ensure that all ‘yellow dots’ used to mark dog hazards on an RM2000 fitting are reviewed to ensure they are aligned with the Hazard Cards and Offsite Risk Assessment (ORA) system.

In outlining the above, it is also relevant to remind Branches, our Safety Reps, and members alike of the availability of a Dog Customer Postcard, which can be delivered alongside the normal mail and is designed to help dog owners identify steps they can take to provide a safer delivery point.  On one side of the postcard, the customer is asked to support some simple steps to provide a safe delivery point, and the reverse side can be used to notify anyone delivering to their address that they have a dog. These postcards have been in use within Royal Mail for some time now and have been previously communicated in LTB 030/25 to promote their wider use.

Two versions of the Dog Customer Postcard are attached to this LTB, one in English and another in Welsh, and these postcards can be requested from your line manager.

Finally, where a situation arises where the deliveries may need to be halted for safety reasons, the P6705 stickers (a copy also attached) should be used on all returned mail items to identify the unsafe reason(s) that prevented any delivery attempt.

A Reminder of the RMG/CWU Joint Message to all on Delivery and Collections

All individuals who perform deliveries and collections across Royal Mail and Parcelforce are reminded of the need to remain vigilant, cautious, keep safe and take no risks:

• Be vigilant, keep safe, take no risks and protect yourself at all times.
• Always err on the side of caution.
• Don’t enter properties where dogs are running loose.
• Don’t put fingers through the letterbox (use your Posting Peg).
• Don’t assume a dog won’t bite, as any dog can be aggressive.
• Don’t accept an owner’s word that their dog will not bite.
• Look for the presence of dogs.  Signs on gates, walls and windows, cages in vehicles, toys in gardens.
• Rattle the gate to warn a potential dog of your presence.
• When calling with an item, ask the customer to put their dog away and step well back from the doorstep to maintain a safe distance.  If the customer needs to leave the doorstep to fetch ID or another item, politely ask them to close the door/secure the dog.

Also:

• Report all dog attack incidents and near misses.
• Remember to report significant dog hazards and inform the manager of any increase in risk/changes. This needs to be captured on ORA (Offsite Risk Assessment).
• Mark your frame with a yellow dot where there is a significant dog hazard. Remove any yellow dots on frames no longer appropriate (e.g. the dog no longer resides there).
• Put ‘D’ on the envelope and parcels to remind yourself of known dog hazards when you are out on your route.

Message to Safety Reps:

As part of the CWU’s ongoing support for measures aimed to reduce all forms of dog attacks, alongside our wider campaign work to remind the public to be aware of their legal and moral responsibilities to control their dogs and prevent dog attacks, WSRs and ASRs are asked to:

• Ensure that this LTB, the key messages outlined, and the attached materials are shared widely within all workplaces.
• Support Unit Managers in delivering these key messages on Dog Awareness.
• Work with Unit Managers to make sure a good supply of Posting Pegs, P6705 stickers, and the Dog Customer Postcards are available locally.
• Visit workplaces – organise a plan of visits ongoing throughout the year, focusing on dog risks and controls.
• Carry out Inspections/Investigations following dog related incidents.
• Talk to members about the threat of dog attacks.
• Introduce yourself to new starters in the unit, typically they will be most at risk, so speak to them about the principles of AVOID and the dangers posed by dog attacks.

Any other enquiries in relation to the LTB should be addressed to: lpietrzykowska@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

LTB 031/26 – RMG Half-Term – Dog Awareness Message

Att: Advanced Copy RMG SHE WTLL Keep Every Finger Safe this Half Term

Att: Advanced Copy SHE Huddle FY26 006 Yellow dots for Dog Hazards

Att: LGH_Dog_Postcard_English Door_Drop Jan 26

Att: LGH_Welsh_Dog_Postcard Door Drop Jan 26

Att: Royal Mail P6705 Sticker

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TUC LGBT+ CONFERENCE VISITORS – 25^TH-26^TH JUNE 2026

The TUC LGBT+ Conference 2026 is being held from Thursday 25^th June – Friday 26^thJune at the Doubletree by Hilton Metropole, Brighton.  The Conference sessions will be as follows:

• Thursday 25^th June             10.00 – 18.00
• Friday 26^th June                 09.30 – 17.30

The CWU are allowed a limited number of visitors to attend the above Conference and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.  Due to the need for extra security at all TUC Conferences, names and addresses of those wanting visitor tickets must be supplied and tickets are not transferable.

Anyone interested in attending will need to contact their Branch initially for funding, to include a £15 visitor ticket fee. The easiest way to pay the £15 fee will be for us to transfer it directly from your Branch’s account through the rebate system, therefore please contact Angela Niven by email to conferences@cwu.org with details of which Branch the individual belongs to on application.    This needs to be done by no later than midday on Friday 20^thFebruary 2026.

Branches will be required to arrange accommodation for the visitors they wish to send along with travel expenses and subsistence.

Any further enquiries with regards this please contact conferences@cwu.org or Angela Niven on 020 8971 7237.

Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education and Development

26LTB030

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TUC DISABLED WORKERS CONFERENCE VISITORS – 19^TH – 20^THMAY 2026

The TUC Disabled Workers Conference 2026 is being held from Tuesday 19^th – Wednesday 20^th May 2026 at the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC), Bournemouth.  The Conference sessions will be as follows:

• Tuesday 19^th May               10.00 – 18.00
• Wednesday 20^th May           09.30 – 17.30

The CWU are allowed a limited number of visitors to attend the above Conference and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.  Due to the need for extra security at all TUC Conferences, names and addresses of those wanting visitor tickets must be supplied and tickets are not transferable.

Anyone interested in attending will need to contact their Branch initially for funding, to include a £15 visitor ticket fee. The easiest way to pay the £15 fee will be for us to transfer it directly from your Branch’s account through the rebate system, therefore please contact Angela Niven by email to conferences@cwu.org with details of which Branch the individual belongs to on application.    This needs to be done by no later than midday on Friday 6^thFebruary 2026.

Branches will be required to arrange accommodation for the visitors they wish to send along with travel expenses and subsistence.

Any further enquiries with regards this please contact conferences@cwu.org or Angela Niven on 020 8971 7237.

 Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education and Development

26LTB029

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IMPORTANT: ANTI-RACISM RALLY- SATURDAY 28^th MARCH, CENTRAL LONDON

Defeating the Narratives of Division Workshop, Birmingham, 19^thMarch, 2026

 The purpose of this LTB is to advise branches that the Anti-Racism Rally – Reject Narratives of Division and Racism is taking place on Saturday 28^th March in Central London.

The demonstration is being supported by the TUC and the CWU will be present on the day. The rally is also being supported by many other trade unions and community groups across the country.

Further information will follow regarding the CWU meeting point on the day. Anyone wishing to attend can also check the Together Alliance website for more details.

Branches will be aware that the CWU are strong supporters of the anti-racism movement. Therefore, in advance of this march in London we would like to provide a training opportunity for CWU representatives.

This one-day workshop ‘Defeating the narratives of Division’ will be facilitated by the Ella Baker School of Organising and will focus on the following topics:

What is the problem?  A quick-fire group-based session on ‘what are the narrative of division issues in your workplace’ followed by ‘what are the solutions?’

Class alternatives to narratives of division A review of the economic and political choices that have led us to a point where too many of OUR people are looking to the right for solutions.‘Story of Us’ Exploring what it means to feel like you are in a unionised workplace, how we actively create that sense of class solidarity, and its role in helping us win at work.

Workshop details:

Time: 09:30 – 15:30

Date: 19^th March 2026

Location: 47 Summer Lane, Birmingham, B19 3TH

If you wish to attend the training, please contact your branch, applications should be made via the Portal by the 24^th February.
It is time for the trade union movement to stand together against racism and division and call for the real solutions to the problems facing working people – fixing wealth inequality, rebuilding our public services and building workplace power in every sector.

We encourage reps to attend this training and the rally on the 28th of March.

Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be directed to equality&education@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Dave Ward
General Secretary                                                   

Kate Hudson
Head of Equality, Education & Development

LTB 028/26 – IMPORTANT ANTI-RACISM RALLY- SATURDAY 28th MARCH CENTRAL LONDON

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Dispute Resolution Process, USO & Equalisation

We have today received formal notification from Royal Mail that they have activated the Dispute Resolution Process on Universal Service reform. Within their heads of disagreement they are stating they want to deploy the Optimised Delivery Model 4 into 3 duties method change. This is following a meeting we had yesterday with EP.

The Dispute Resolution Process now results in one month of negotiations to see if an agreement can be reached. After this month Royal Mail can give their intentions which could result in executive action and the CWU can decide to ballot nationally or locally for industrial action.

The CWU will not be supporting or agreeing to the Optimised Delivery Model as it has not worked within most of the pilot units. However, we will enter negotiations to try and persuade Royal Mail to adopt the heavy and light model which worked within a number of the pilot sites during peak.

Royal Mail’s communication also states that the CWU’s proposal on equalisation is unaffordable. The CWU position remains that EP agreed to equalise new entrants’ pay, terms and conditions over an agreed career path, including a first step backdated to September and we are insisting they honour this in full.

Royal Mail are communicating to all employees this lunch time and likewise the CWU will communicate to our members.  We will be giving a more detailed written update early next week.

We will also be holding an online National Briefing with our Branches next week. Details to follow.

Any enquiries should be referred to the DGSP Department.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

LTB 27.26 Dispute Resolution Process USO and Equalisation

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Royal Mail Update

Dear Colleagues,

We have attached a letter that was sent to our Branches and Representatives last week which clearly set out CWU’s position in relation to the USO and our agreements with EP Group and Royal Mail.  

It is very important that our members take a moment to read the content of the attached communication.  

We are aware that Royal Mail is writing to employees today explaining that they have triggered our dispute resolution process over the issue of how USO reform is deployed.  This means that there will be a 4-week process of further talks between the company and the union with the aim of reaching an agreement.  

In the event that no agreement is reached by the end of this 4-week period – the company and CWU will be free to take whatever course of action they deem necessary.  

Our position as explained in last week’s communication to our representatives, remains that even if Royal Mail decide to take executive action and impose their version of USO Reform – we will not agree to that proposal.  

This is because all of the evidence from the pilot sites demonstrates conclusively that Royal Mail’s model is flawed and has not met any of the previously agreed success and evaluation criteria.  

If the company takes executive action, on top of the current quality of service failures, we all know it will be a disaster for customers and increase the likelihood of huge ongoing fines from Ofcom.  The CWU has put an alternative USO Reform proposal forward that we believe is the only realistic way of supporting our members and putting customers and the service first.   

The actions of the company now call into serious question whether EP Group and Royal Mail’s senior leadership are committed to the agreements they reached with both the union and the UK Government.  

It is important to remember that a key part of EP Group’s takeover with Royal Mail was conditional on the Government being given written guarantees and assurances to support and protect employees and the Royal Mail brand.  

These assurances formed part of an agreement between the Government and EP Group and were also summarised (in the Government’s own words) as a section of the CWU/EP agreement that became the Rebuilding Royal Mail Agreement Part 1 that was endorsed by our members.  

Our objective is still to reach an agreement and we will be engaging in the dispute resolution process in a constructive way.  However, we simply cannot accept that a model that has proven not to work is the answer for customers, our members and the future of the company.  

Neither can we accept that EP Group and the company do not have the finances to honour all of the commitments they made to our members, including the full equalisation of new entrant’s terms and conditions.  The CWU will now trigger the dispute resolution process on this issue

In the coming weeks the union will be communicating further with our representatives and members and we will explain in more detail our response to dealing with this serious situation.  

In the meantime, it really is important that you read the attached communication and going forward we will be holding briefings with our representatives and asking them to hold subsequent meetings with our members in the workplace.  

Finally, we are also taking steps to hold the Government to account and will ask you soon to take steps to support us in this objective.

Yours in solidarity. 

Dave Ward                                                              

General Secretary                                              

Martin Walsh  

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

Attached Communication – Letter to Branches 019/26 – Royal Mail Update