PEC REPORT - UPDATE

[lovejoy]

Talks At Crucial Stage

December/January Executive Council Report

Royal Mail Negotiations

The Postal Executive at our last meeting received a full update on the progress of the talks from DGS(P) Dave Ward and the National Officers. The feeling was that although real progress had been made in the run-up to Xmas, we were now starting to run into a few problems. One issue is that although the talks were due to start again on January 4th, because of the weather these had only just recently got off the ground again.

The CWU has produced a draft of the scope of the agreement covering a number of categories. These are our vision of what modernisation means, transforming the operation, improved job security/managing change processes, an improved rewards and benefit package, transforming relationships and deployment and review of any final agreement.

Our view is that any final agreement needs to be more descriptive of what the future holds for the business in terms of the service provided to the public. We also need to be clear on the role of the CWU in the decision making process. We cannot accept any longer the idea that it should be left to management to make all the decisions and that our role is just to carry them out. Any final agreement would need to have a strengthened no compulsory redundancy clause and also a commitment to a mainly full time workforce. Royal Mail have stated previously that they are looking for a ratio of around 75% full time/25% part time and we need to tie them down on this. We are also looking to enhance the terms of the MTSF agreement to deal with future potential job losses. We have to be careful, however, to maintain a balance between benefits for those who want to leave and for those who are staying.

On the operational side, the talks have been split up into the various functions. Some progress has been made in Deliveries with broad agreement on a range of issues including delivery methods, Revision process, delivery spans, working safely and work standards and measurements and revision tools. The big issues still outstanding are door to door and the length of Saturday attendances. On the processing side, the feeling was that since Xmas things had started to go backwards as management changed their lead negotiator several times. Royal Mail now want us to sign into agreeing the possible closure of up to 50% of all mail centres without saying where or why, which we are not prepared to do. They have also tried to weaken our involvement in any deployment process. The talks on Network have resulted in principled agreement on DMS but again management want up front agreement to shutting RDC’s. National Officer Terry Pullinger has tabled a counter-proposal.

As well as the separate functional talks, the National Officers have also been conducting talks on issues common to all functions. This is to make sure that issues raised in one function, such as the use of new machinery, don’t have a knock-on affect on the others and on the final work plan. We have learnt that Royal Mail want to impose a latest arrival time of 10.00 on delivery offices, which would have a huge effect on attendance times. A decision to close a mail centre taken somewhere else, however, could play havoc with whatever work plan we finally settle on.

The talks on a new benefits package have been slow going. Royal Mail are keen to point out that despite making record profits, all their spare money is taken up in other areas such as paying off the pensions deficit, paying for redundancies and Colleagueshare. We are looking for a 3-year deal financed by the Colleagueshare money, simplification of the existing pay bill and a share of the savings that transformation will bring to achieve a significant increase in basic pay. We are also pushing for the shorter working week, although the debate about whether we should be going for a reduction in gross or net hours has still to be resolved. Management have produced costings to show that even a 35-hour net week, involving unpaid meal reliefs, would be too expensive for them but we are challenging their figures. Part of the problem in discussing any benefits package is that management have yet to commit to telling us what would be on offer if we were to accept all of their proposals, which makes negotiating a bit difficult.

The talks on transforming relationships have mainly dealt with how the agreement would be deployed, the role of ACAS in deployment and resolving any possible disputes arising from it. In the longer term, the aim is to completely review the current Industrial Relations Framework and how Union activity is funded by the business. Part of any look at relationships, however, must include the issue of the current management culture in the business.

The talks are continuing and the aim of both sides is still to reach agreement by January 22nd. Given the big issues still unresolved and the continuing bad weather, there must be some doubt about making this deadline but our members will be kept informed of any developments.

Pensions

One thing that has the potential of derailing any final agreement is the deficit in the Royal Mail Pension Fund, likely to announces shortly at around £10 billion. The Postal Executive agreed a document at our last meeting aimed at stepping up our campaign to resolve this. Central to this is getting the Labour Government to accept that they have both an obligation and an interest in brokering the solution. We agreed to both arrange a further meeting with Mandleson and to put together a package of measures to put to them that would allow a solution to be reached without legislation. We also agreed that we would need to commit Royal Mail to agreeing that there would be no further down grading of pension benefits before we put any modernisation agreement to the members.

ILSM’s

The first stage of the ILSM trials has now ended. A mass of data has been accumulated by both management and industrial engineers to show how long it takes to do the various tasks needed to run the machine. These will now be studied and will form the basis for deciding what the staffing level of the machines should be. No doubt that will be the subject of the first argument we have. At the moment further tests are going on at Jubilee to see the impact of some of the lessons learnt at all three sites on the operation, although we are told that this doesn’t involve anything significant. The trial involving using the machine to walk sequence mail is due to go ahead at Peterborough on 18 January.

Post Office Limited

The Postal Executive agreed three documents concerning POL in December. The first concerned the agreed Terms of Reference for the Best Way, Lean Project. This is a project in Crown Offices to identify ways of improving revenue through sales growth by enhanced efficiency. A pilot had already taken place earlier in the year at two offices in the Midlands and the plan was to extend this to 18 offices in the Manchester area. Some concern was expressed at the PE about certain aspects of the project that smacked of TQM, such as “continuous improvement processes”. National Officer Andy Fury assured the meeting that no loss of hours or jobs would be involved and that the Union would be fully involved in all activity and on that basis the document was agreed.

A further document was agreed concerning the reduction in management posts in Crown Offices. This will lead to a reduction of 167 Assistant Branch Managers and a new allowance of £1.20 per hour for CWU grades covering for managers’ absence. This is due to start from the beginning of January this year. The final document concerned the integration of the Retail Sales Consultant grade into the Customer Service Consultant grade, which will result in a pay increase for all those moving from the lower paid RSC grade.


Pete Keenlyside
Postal Executive
15 January 2010

[POSTMAN]

Royal Mail have stated previously that they are looking for a ratio of around 75% full time/25% part time

[pinstripe]

"We are also pushing for the shorter working week, although the debate about whether we should be going for a reduction in gross or net hours has still to be resolved. Management have produced costings to show that even a 35-hour net week, involving unpaid meal reliefs, would be too expensive for them"

So a 35 hour net week would be too expensive for them. If my calculations are correct, and the 40 minute meal relief is now to be unpaid, that leaves only 20 minutes a day...and that's too expensive!!

I will not be voting to accept anything like that. That is just wrong (the whole unpaid meal relief thing)

[Eric]

If I am reading this right, not satisfied with taking a break between Christmas and the 4th January these guys couldn't be bothered to meet again till the weather improved. While we were out risking our limbs in horrendous conditions they couldn't even make it to a nice warm office to sort out our livelihoods.

[fishtank]

Forgive me for my ignorance if i am reading this wrong but.

"We are looking for a 3-year deal financed by the Colleagueshare money,"

Are we financing our own pay deal here?

[donut]

Could`nt meet due to weather conditions !! .....are they taking the piss ?

[antcpfc]

Forgive me for my ignorance if i am reading this wrong but.

"We are looking for a 3-year deal financed by the Colleagueshare money,"

Are we financing our own pay deal here?

Looks like it.PersonALLY I would rather take my chances with a lump sum in a couple of years rather than a couple of quid a week.

[Ahebban]

As always I, among others, welcome Lovejoy's reports but reading through it I have real reservations as to what the bloody hell is going to appear in the final agreement (final solution more like!)

Do HQ seriously expect RM to abide by an Agreement they sign up to that extends to a possible 3 years ... And then expect local Reps the length and breadth of the country to sell the deal based on what is discussed in Lovejoy's report ...

No offence intended to all involved but ....

[jessicarabbit]

It says agreement has been reached on revisions and performance standards - Does that mean Pegasus is in or out have we all got to get in to training to get up to 4 mph? Can't understand why D2D is proving so difficult when the other stuff has been agreed thought it would more likely be the other way round....Hey Ho only 30 years to go til i reach 67 I can make it can't I??????????

[robd]

thanks for the update Lovejoy,whilst it doesn't tell us much,what it does tell us is that RM are not willing to make any major concessions.
the worry for me and thousands on delivery,is my worklife revolves around the school run,and this why i joined RM because it gave me that guarantee.
the combination of later arrivals into DOs plus longer deliverys,suggests i have no future with RM and their masterplan.

[dvbuk55]

"Whereas real progress had been made before christmas we have now run into a few problems" - No, really? now how unexpected was that.

There isn't going to be an agreement by the 22nd - we all know the litany, "Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed" - well everything isn't agreed obviously and the liklihood of an all encompassing agreement in the next 5 days? No chance.

A full time/part time ratio of 75/25% - is that a national average? or what? our office is already 60/40 - so are we going to get more hours in?

[stokes11eg]

just hope it does go to the vote! What a load of twaddle.nothing favourable at all. I've said it before, but no agreement will be reached before the general election.now---I very much want to see what the C.W.U draft proposal, just to see if their vision of what modernisation is--

[barkersboy]

Thanks to Lovejoy again. If not for him the members of CWU would never have any info.
I find the report absolutely demoralising. When we had the suspension of action for talks before Xmas there were a lot of posts objecting to the decision. Now it seems they were right.
After reading the report all I can see is that there no agreements on any of the major disagreements affecting all sectors of the business. I cant see anything that the membership would consider signing for.
Lord help us.

[Ahebban]

We don't need a draft .. we know what we want!

Get bums on seats at the negotiating tables and meet the needs and aspirations of the membership. If RM are being stubborn and non-conciliatory then we use whatever industrial action is appropriate from 25th January to focus their attention. We cannot keep putting back deadlines to suit either side.

As I recall, the wording on the ballot paper included the following - 'up to and including strike action'. As far as I am concerned that leaves scope for offices to use whatever means is as at their disposal to disrupt postal services short of stirke action. I refer, of course, to using H&S, non-working of day off, no O/T etc as being legitimate means of action. It took local action to galvanise HQ in the first place to bring it to national level .. WE, the members, are the CWU, and it is not solely the perogative of PEC members and national officers.

I do not honestly believe that there is ever going to be an all-encompassing Agreement that will satisfy ordinary members. It is clear already from Lovejoy's report that a revamped IR Framework is now being put aside, thereby putting members at risk of continued bullying/harrassment as has happened under the current agreement. None of the topics under discussion are new, they have all been kicking around for months and years, and in the case of D2Ds quite literally years!

What else is going to be put on the shelf I wonder?

[mitzi]

A full time/part time ratio of 75/25% - is that a national average? or what? our office is already 60/40 - so are we going to get more hours in?

I think we all know that this means 100% full time for London and 50/50 for everyone else.