Joint Statement - Developing The Catering Vision In RM

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Letter to Branches




No. 677/14
Ref: 311.02
Date: 29th October 2014


For The Immediate Attention Of All Postal Branches





Dear Colleagues

Joint Statement - Developing The Catering Vision In Royal Mail

Please find attached for the information of Branches a Joint Statement and terms of reference that has been agreed with Royal Mail in relation to a review of catering services.

Branches are asked to ensure that representatives and members are made aware of the contents of this LTB.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Terry Pullinger, Assistant Secretary, e-mail: dwyatt@cwu.org or shayman@cwu.org quoting reference number 311.02.

Yours sincerely



Terry Pullinger
Assistant Secretary









JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AND THE COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION REGARDING THE REVIEW OF CATERING SERVICES


We are pleased to announce that the CWU and Royal Mail have agreed a joint review of the provision of Catering Services in Royal Mail which will inform any changes to the way these are provided in future.

The purpose of the review is to engage the CWU, Royal Mail employees as customers of the service and Quadrant employees as providers of it, in addressing the issues facing catering at this time.

A copy of the agreed terms of reference is attached which sets out in more detail what the aims of the review are and how it will be progressed.

 









Peter Walls Terry Pullinger
Assistant Secretary
Royal Mail CWU


Date: 29th October 2014




AGREED TERMS OF REFERENCE BETWEEN THE ROYAL MAIL AND THE CWU FOR JOINTLY DEVELOPING THE VISION FOR THE PROVISION OF CATERING SERVICES WITHIN ROYAL MAIL


Introduction

Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union are working together in developing key business policies, mutual interest solutions and a new culture, which is at the core of all the commitments contained in the Business Transformation 2010 Agreement and the recently endorsed Agenda for Growth, Stability and Long Term Success Agreement.

We have now agreed to use the spirit and intent of those agreements to conduct a ‘root and branch’ without prejudice review to improve and sustain the long term provision of catering facilities for the employees of Royal Mail Group.

Backdrop

Both parties recognise that the current approach in Royal Mail to the provision of catering services has not been strategically reviewed for many years, during which time there have been huge operational changes in Royal Mail, a shift in individual and social attitudes to eating, larger ranges of choice and intense competition. Quadrant’s unique situation in respect of being a sole provider with a restricted customer base brings with it additional issues of governance and organisation that also need to be considered.

The Quadrant Joint Venture has been in place since 1998 and the contract is due for review. The outputs from this review will inform the decision about the future provision of catering services and the future of the contract. Both Royal Mail and CWU acknowledge that dealing successfully with any people issues will be a prime consideration.

In undertaking the review Royal Mail have committed to continue to support and subsidise catering provision in the future, whilst continuing to review the level of such support against the need to balance expenditure priorities and ensure value for money from such investment.

Against that backdrop and in order to inform decisions about the future provision of catering services to all Royal Mail employees, we have agreed to initiate a joint review of catering within Royal Mail. We have agreed a review methodology involving a holistic approach which will include the full involvement of the CWU, targeted face to face RM and Quadrant employee input, the opportunity for all employees to express opinions electronically, specific site trials and the use of consultants to help inform design and innovation.

During the review period Quadrant will be invited to be involved in aspects of this approach and encouraged to demonstrate how they can become more responsive to the needs of customers and Royal Mail. The review will inform decision making about the preferred way to provide catering services in the future.



Developing the Vision

Providing catering, vending and/or self messing facilities is seen as a valued contribution towards the wellbeing of Royal Mail Group employees and an important part of the overall employment package. The diverse and dispersed nature of Royal Mail operational activities and the variety of needs of employees who work in different facilities lead to a requirement for any solution to be flexible, cost effective taking into account the subsidy and tailored to meet the needs of a busy and varied workforce. The catering service needs to adapt to business changes, the changing needs of employees and prevailing food trends, for example increasing health concerns. This includes range, value for money and types of food offered, and how and when services are delivered, to result in a positive customer perception and experience, which encourages greater and repeat use of the service.

The aim is that following the conclusion of the review and the implementation of any changes that result from it, there is a stable platform on which to develop and market products and services in a way that encourages confidence and growth, without the necessity for repeated site reviews to respond to continuing decline in takings. The objective therefore is to create a business model approach which enables complete central focus on providing a catering solution which delivers the spirit and intent of this vision.

Key Objectives

Commitment for Royal Mall Group and the CWU to work together to develop a new specification for catering and vending using all the mediums described above.

To review and establish consensus on the purpose, role and extent of the catering subsidy

Commitment by Royal Mail to review how the cost to the business of providing this new service specification over and above till receipts – i.e. a subsidy - is accounted

To inform the development of a superior offering based on excellent quality of service, a flexible and responsive quality product offering/range, and a new focus/review of restaurant ambience and regional/local innovation

To design an approach that enables regular joint review of the future service and of further development opportunities

To take due account of the requirements of current Quadrant employees for continued job security and employment standards going forward

To achieve these objectives it is recognised that any activity engaged upon will fully involve the CWU at all levels.





Joint Understanding

This Joint Working activity is not a negotiating forum and does not replace national collective bargaining or the existing IR Framework, but it will serve to focus sharing of all information relating to project activity and develop potential consensus on future catering provisions.

The joint programme of activity will involve sharing information, working through the development of ideas for the new vision and identify when formal negotiation is required.

Timescale

The intention is to work together to enable the focus groups to be held during November 2014, for a quantitative survey in January 2015, trials of alternative product offerings to begin in April 2015, and for talks on the new specification to be concluded by May 2015.

Conclusion

Any questions of interpretation, implementation or application of this agreement shall be referred to the national signatories of this agreement as a matter of urgency and will be dealt with under the provisions of the National IR Framework Agreement. This Joint Statement will inform all joint activity and further documentation.





Terry Pullinger Peter Walls
Assistant Secretary
CWU Royal Mail



Mumtaz Arif
Director of Workplace
Royal Mail Group Property

Date: 29th October 2014

[dvbuk55]

Well that's one hell of a wordy document for a coffee machine at 40/50p a pop and a machine that provides crisps or chocolate and a tin can pop machine. TBH we'd be much better going solo and have an outside caterer providing healthy options as well as hot food in the winter months. As for subsidies I don't think the prices charged reflect that at all.

[Lincox]

We haven,t got clean water, so no progress for us.