LTB 581/21 - Resourcing Across Royal Mail

[Sundodger]

What Simon giveth in one hand, he taketh away threefold with the other and declares Merry Christmas.

[Sir Henry]

Fear not for Simoneezer will be visited by 1 spirit tomorrow night. That of his dead conscience, which he will ignore and then go have a J Arthur on a bed made from a huge piles of banknotes.

[POSTMAN]

SA is 'usually' determined during revisions, it's not a willy nilly 'We'll have that' thing.

[CharlesG]

Not sure how right this is...

CWU North East Divisional Reps.

Hi everyone,
We have had some clarity on the Royal Mail Finance strategy please see below and we have attached the LTB Terry has sent out on the subject below
Mail centres YDC’s and Distribution are not affected.
Scheduled Attendance will not be removed
Agency staff will be laid off in line with Xmas principles but where there is still a need they will be kept EG Coulby Newham and LAT work
FTC’s will be looked at but we have been clear that if through no fault of their own they are on a FTC and not permanent we will not accept them being dismissed
We have been assured there will be discussions at area level on this
There is not a total freeze on recruitment but they are reviewing it.
We must ensure wherever possible USO is not put at risk because of budget and if we need to challenge the recruitment process because there are too many vacancies which has an impact on USO we should use the IR Framework.
Thanks
Bob Mc / Gary H / Steve W

Seems much ado about nothing. What a strange time to give these mixed messages. Also could be a culture change between the union and RM, after reading Terry’s LTB.
Trouble in paradise and maybe moving back to business as usual

[EdRush]

eh? most of the new starters here jacked in the job after being s**t all over in the first few weeks anyway

[clashcityrocker]

That's fine until they then ask the p/t'ers to do it on the standard rate o/t rather than the enhanced SA rates presently being paid?

No you fail to understand.
If regular work is available it should be put in to contracted hours and not offered as overtime.
There is no such thing as enhanced SA rates - it is pennies above the overtime rate.
With the advent of holiday pay it is irrelevant.

The union should have scrapped SA years ago. Unfortunately it is in under the thumb of the London Division who want to keep SA for their own reasons. (Maybe Martin will pop up and tell us how the pound is worth different amounts in different parts of the country.)
However it has prevented part timers gaining improved contracts and as such is totally anti trade union.
Perhaps Terry could tell us what percentage of SA is in the hands of full time staff and what percentage in the hands of part timers?
My guess would be 95 to 5. I would be really happy to be contradicted.

[citypostie]

Not sure how right this is...

CWU North East Divisional Reps.

Hi everyone,
We have had some clarity on the Royal Mail Finance strategy please see below and we have attached the LTB Terry has sent out on the subject below
Mail centres YDC’s and Distribution are not affected.
Scheduled Attendance will not be removed
Agency staff will be laid off in line with Xmas principles but where there is still a need they will be kept EG Coulby Newham and LAT work
FTC’s will be looked at but we have been clear that if through no fault of their own they are on a FTC and not permanent we will not accept them being dismissed
We have been assured there will be discussions at area level on this
There is not a total freeze on recruitment but they are reviewing it.
We must ensure wherever possible USO is not put at risk because of budget and if we need to challenge the recruitment process because there are too many vacancies which has an impact on USO we should use the IR Framework.
Thanks
Bob Mc / Gary H / Steve W

So deliveries getting the shafting again? There's a surprise. We work the hardest all through Christmas and now they want to get rid of people in deliveries and expect us to clear the mess up?

[TopperGas]

That's fine until they then ask the p/t'ers to do it on the standard rate o/t rather than the enhanced SA rates presently being paid?

No you fail to understand.
If regular work is available it should be put in to contracted hours and not offered as overtime.
There is no such thing as enhanced SA rates - it is pennies above the overtime rate.
With the advent of holiday pay it is irrelevant.

The union should have scrapped SA years ago. Unfortunately it is in under the thumb of the London Division who want to keep SA for their own reasons. (Maybe Martin will pop up and tell us how the pound is worth different amounts in different parts of the country.)
However it has prevented part timers gaining improved contracts and as such is totally anti trade union.
Perhaps Terry could tell us what percentage of SA is in the hands of full time staff and what percentage in the hands of part timers?
My guess would be 95 to 5. I would be really happy to be contradicted.

SA is 75p p/h higher than the 10+ hours o/t rate, I wouldn't call that just pennies more? Personally I'd sooner earn SA than nothing at all, although I can't understand how SA can simply be stopped as surely the works there to be done in the first place. This sounds like the typical post Christmas freeze on o/t and recruitment, before the senior management realise the company can't function w/o o/t. Although god knows who we're expected to deliver all the LFT kits w/o any o/t.

[POSTMAN]

Achim 'wtf has Terry done' Dunnwald

Doms and reps decide

You may have seen today an LTB sent by Terry from the CWU
It is true that our team have done an excellent job during peak, against a background of recruiting and absence challenges. Thank you.

We totally agree that we should always follow our process, and our agreement.
Our IR framework is in place to ensure that we always work together to get the right outcomes for our customers and our team. This framework has worked very well this year.

As always, and in line with the DILO principles, it is important that resourcing decisions are taken locally. We know that our situation, office by office can be very different.

Therefore, DOMs and CWU Reps should work together to decide how best to achieve quality and productivity, whilst ensuring there is still the ability to flex up since the market remains volatile, as we are sure you will understand.

We still have much uncertainty as the Omicron situation unfolds, market demand is hard to predict.

Expected changes to workload in Q4 – January to March 2022

As is normal at this time of year, Christmas resources should be reviewed.
Also, we are expecting workload to reduce as we enter Q4.

But at short notice, volumes could increase, which means we need the flexibility from the core team, to manage any upward trend.

Recommended steps to take

We have held a series of briefing calls today to advise managers and CWU Reps on the steps that can be taken.
It is vitally important that DOMs discuss and agree, any changes with their local CWU Reps.

We understand the timing of these discussions so close to Christmas are not ideal, but we do need to get ahead to make sure we are resourced correctly as we enter the New Year.

We have worked well together all year, this is central to our Trust agenda, and we intend to continue to do so.

[Clappedoutpostie]

We understand the timing of these discussions so close to Christmas are not ideal, but we do need to get ahead to make sure we are resourced correctly as we enter the New Year.

Hrm no smoke without fire me thinks. Why not get ahead with these talks in the summer, it’s hardly our first ever Christmas it is, like it was not the 1st time New Year’s Day wasn’t a bank holiday.

[POSTMAN]

But at short notice, volumes could increase, which means we need the flexibility from the core team, to manage any upward trend.

[citypostie]

But at short notice, volumes could increase, which means we need the flexibility from the core team, to manage any upward trend.

We want you all to do lots of overtime in other words

[CharlesG]

Achim’s statement has less meat that Victoria Beckham. Whilst not dismissing anything he is not really saying anything either.

There is no smoke without fire and it seems CWU got wind of RMs plans and have to their credit acted very swiftly on what has potential to be a huge disagreement.

Plans to get rid of Fixed Term Staff seems very wrong, and many staff will be feeling anxious going into Christmas with stories about this.

Achim done the classic ‘everything agreed at local level’ line BUT when Area Managers refuse then that leaves little room for manoeuvre in reality.

Im more excited for 2022 now though

[crimson king]

But at short notice, volumes could increase, which means we need the flexibility from the core team, to manage any upward trend.

We want you all to do lots of overtime in other words

I'm so proud right now, to now be considered a member of the core team.

First, key worker; now core team. It just doesn't get any better than this.

Talk about Iiving the actual dream.

This is just, like, the best Christmas ever!

[HTPostman]

But at short notice, volumes could increase, which means we need the flexibility from the core team, to manage any upward trend.

We want you all to do lots of overtime in other words

I'm so proud right now, to now be considered a member of the core team.

First, key worker; now core team. It just doesn't get any better than this.

Talk about Iiving the actual dream.

This is just, like, the best Christmas ever!

I suppose you’ll be wanting the whole day off tomorrow too, Bob Cratchit. But be here all the earlier next morning.