Local Branch Letter - Next Steps

[Geezer]

April 2011

Dear Colleagues


Yet again we find ourselves at a cross roads with Royal Mail.

Please take a little time to read through this and in particular the next steps listed at the end.

The Business Transformation Agreement was a difficult agreement for the CWU, covering as it did changes to the industry and recognition that closures of Mail Centres would happen and the introduction of walk sequencing machines etc would change our working lives.

In return and thanks to those who supported the strike action, the Union obtained pay rises, a shorter working week and lump sum payments to be made when change happened.

Crucially, the Union also obtained strong protections to ensure phased change and increased VR payments etc to prevent compulsory sackings and that D2D would be put into workload to be treated as normal mail, so as to protect jobs.

Honesty from Royal Mail

This Agreement also set out that trust and honesty were now paramount values. The phrase used in the deal was, “transforming relationships”.

After all how can we be expected to change if the company can just change the goal posts as they had in the past and if they can continue operating a bullying culture to get their own way ? Things had to change.

Royal Mail have now come up with a new business plan without any input from the CWU and which has been deliberately timed to get the company out of it’s obligations to you.

The new business plan has been agreed with the Coalition Government. They say the company is in crisis.

Yes, there are problems, thanks to unfair regulation etc. But let’s remember that only a few months ago Adam Crozier left with a £2.5million golden goodbye and comment that he had saved the Business!!

Of course, why on earth would they want to discuss with your union any changes and why on earth would they want to value your work for the company? What price trust and honesty now?

Compulsory Redundancies and Job Security

This is now becoming an extremely important matter not just for yourselves but for the CWU as it tries to protect your employment.

In London and elsewhere compulsory redundancies have arrived and there are no assurances that such redundancies will not take place.

The pace of change is meaning that together with the poor economic climate, postal workers no longer see VR as being a viable alternative. A long term job is worth more to you and your families.

So, how to protect your jobs against the backdrop of mail centre closures and in due course, Delivery Office closures?

Members need to appreciate that the principle of no compulsory sackings will be defended by the Union. If necessary jobs will be defended by Industrial Action.

Do not be in any doubt, Royal Mail’s view is still that you are overpaid and that if they can get rid of you on the cheap, they will do so. It has only been your support for the Union that has given them the power to protect your jobs.

The agreement covering job security is called MTSF (Managing the Surplus Framework). We will defend this agreement. Without it, you have nothing.

Colleague Shares

We are expected to believe that since September 2010, Royal Mail is now technically bankrupt as Colleague Shares are valueless.

Don’t believe it. Has this nothing to do with the shabby intention to sell off Royal Mail ? I think we all know the answer.

The CWU are demanding that Royal Mail’s accounts be independently audited

Make no mistake, the stakes are high to sell off the industry and far from us being sold to the highest bidder, it would appear that we are to be sold off for next to nothing.

Colleague Shares were NOT agreed with the CWU. The Union consistently argued that the money should go on basic pay and said they were a scam that could be manipulated by the company. This is exactly what has happened.

The only reason that you are getting some money now via lump sums is because the Union argued that such Colleague Share money be moved across to be paid as part of implementing the Transformation deal.


Business Transformation Agreement Update


Currently the Business are saying that lump sums etc will be paid, however the assurances are not firm enough and do not appear to cover pay for 2012.

Importantly, in 2012 Royal Mail have agreed a minimum pay rise of 3.5% + a “re-opener” clause if inflation is outside of the 2-3% range.

Will they honour this ?

What about shorter working week for those yet to receive it ?

In reality, the Agreement is now in the balance.

The ball is in Royal Mail’s court to state clearly that they will stand by their agreed obligations and they will not move to compulsory sackings.

Pensions

The future of the Plan is in some doubt. The CWU are in talks with Government and Royal Mail. There has already been unagreed change made to move the up rating of your pensions from the inflation index of RPI to the lower rate of CPI. People especially affected are those who joined prior to 1987. Over a period of 20 years it has been said you could lose about 20% of your pension according to estimates that have been mentioned.

Whilst the Government are to take over the running of the Plan, what they THEN do with it is unknown. Other Pubic sector Unions are in dispute over their pension provision and if Government take it over, then we will be in the same position as council workers , teachers and others etc.

There is talk that our Scheme will be ring fenced but nothing is yet agreed.

Next Steps

The Union will be talking to Royal Mail and the Government.

The attached Postal Executive Document sets out the CWU policies in full, however the headlines are listed below :

 The CWU reaffirms its commitment to Business Transformation Agreement and is seeking cast iron assurances that ALL elements of the deal will be honoured in full.

 The CWU do not accept the position on Colleague Shares and are demanding the accounts are independently audited.

 The CWU will be demanding assurances to ensure the new business plan will not adversely affect current national agreements on job security / no compulsory sackings etc

 The CWU will seek to improve and strengthen job security protections.

 Co-operation in World Class Mail is suspended forthwith for all future WCM sites.

 The Union will press Royal mail to ensure a joint action plan is agreed to tackle any problems with the Transformation Agreement.

 Any deviation from the agreed revision process will trigger registered disagreements (you local reps will be actioning this aspect)

 If satisfactory progress is not made on these issues by the end of April then there will be no further agreement to supporting or introducing revisions and / or industrial action will be considered.


It is a difficult time again, but support your union.

Without the Union you will be left alone to face whatever Royal Mail can again try and throw at you.

Keep in touch with the Branch and your local and area rep to find out the latest.

Thank you for your support.


**** ********
Branch Secretary
CWU ******* ******** Branch

[taurus88]

Hmm. Interesting stuff. Although actions will speak considerably louder than words should it come to the crunch (as seems likely).

[fishtank]

So, how to protect your jobs against the backdrop of mail centre closures and in due course, Delivery Office closures? Members need to appreciate that the principle of no compulsory sackings will be defended by the Union. If necessary jobs will be defended by Industrial Action.

Crucially, the Union also obtained strong protections to ensure phased change and increased VR payments etc to prevent compulsory sackings

So....what happened to the "strong protections"....and how do we get "stronger protections"?
Maybe leave out the words "overarching objective" this time.....

[jockstrapp]

How do I get tge enhanced VR payment I'm not kidding honest.

[jockstrapp]

How do I get the enhanced VR payment I'm not kidding honest.

[clashcityrocker]

I don't think you can get it twice.

[jockstrapp]

Oops done something wrong above.

[madmartin]

So basically if the cwu and royal mail dont reach an agreement by the end of this month delivery offices should stop going through the revision if they've started it or just not start any office revision?

[mailmonkey]

They're not going to stop.

The CWU won't even stand in their way.

Hot air and hollow threats.

[ldsposti]

To little to late from the CWU

[skull]

They're not going to stop.

The CWU won't even stand in their way.

Hot air and hollow threats.

The CWU members will be the ones who will decide if they stand in the way of RM carrying out anything they please . A union is only as strong as it's members .

[macphee1]

No need to worry,the business is fully committed to BTA 2010.


‘We have made several major announcements recently which demonstrate the scale of challenges we’re currently facing as we continue to modernise our company.

As we deal with these issues it’s important to emphasise that we remain 100% committed to Business Transformation and to the agreement we signed with the CWU which remains the framework for modernising Royal Mail. We are one year into the agreement, and while there is much more to be done, it is delivering results for both the company and individuals.

We have now completed over 700 revisions in Delivery and made major changes in our mail centre network and in Logistics. We’ve achieved this through co-operation. We’re keeping to all the commitments we’ve made – paying out the lump sums as targets are met and increasing front line pay from next week. £18 million has already been paid out in Transformation lump sum payments with more in the pipeline as further changes are completed.

But both the scale and pace of delivery are crucial. The issues we face are more, not less, challenging than in 2010. Revenues have fallen. We are losing money on letters and packets. So, just as we are fully committed to the changes in the agreement, we have to remain absolutely committed to the pace set in the agreement. We cannot pause now.

Our aim remains to work closely with the CWU to jointly ensure that all aspects of the agreement are being deployed as they should be, and at the pace we’ve agreed.

It is disappointing that there are now suggestions that Royal Mail’s actions are not consistent with the agreement. I can assure you emphatically that this is not the case. Everything we are doing is within the terms of the agreement.

We believe that we share a common objective with the CWU – to turn the business into the success story it ought to be. We know this is what our people, above all, want to see.

It is vital we all continue to do everything we can to deliver and support our modernisation programme and to deploy the Business Transformation agreement in the way we said we would’.

Mark Higson
Managing Director, Operations & Modernisation

[fishtank]

Oh well...that's fine then,stand down troops everything is A-OK.

[mvinny]

And what about the shares?

[Wild Rover]

We have now completed over 700 revisions in Delivery

And how many work?