Talks have ended - no agreement : Added RM's improved offer to 1st post

[Grads75]

Talks with CWU conclude without agreement

After 11 months of talks, including mediation by Sir Brendan Barber and Acas, we are deeply concerned that our talks with CWU have concluded without an agreement.

Where did we get to in the talks?

We thought we were making progress. The CWU seemed to understand the serious financial situation we are in.

They seemed to recognise that change is needed. We understood that agreement was within touching distance, and we were hopeful that the CWU would finally put a deal to its members.

We made substantial efforts to reach an agreement, including making a number of further improvements to our offer. These improvements were all based on feedback from the CWU.

As we continued talks late into last night, whilst we had made progress on a number of issues, the main sticking point was new contracts for new starters.

These contracts were introduced last year, and we had offered to level up over five years. The CWU did not accept this proposal.
The offer

Some of the improvements we made in the recent talks include:
Pay - We increased our pay offer, and extended the offer until April 2025. We offered two options to the CWU:
o Option A: 10% three year pay deal, plus £500
- 2% pay rise from April 2022 (already paid), 6% from April 2023 plus a lump sum of £500, 2% from April 2024
o Option B: 10% three year pay deal, plus £1,500
- 2% pay rise from April 2022 (already paid), 2% from April 2023 plus a lump sum of £1,500, 6% from April 2024
- Plus achieving pay parity for new starters over a five year period

Allowances – We said that all allowances would remain for existing employees
Profit share – We proposed a significant profit share arrangement for employees, so that we all benefit when we get Royal Mail back to profitability
Later start times – We amended our proposal so that start times in delivery offices would move 60 minutes – 90 minutes later (instead of our original proposal of up to three hours for everyone), with a last letter delivery time of 4.30pm. We also said that no start time changes would happen until March 2024, to give everyone time to adjust
An independent review of conduct cases led by a senior lawyer

These improvements are designed to reduce the impact on you, whilst ensuring the business can transform and survive. This builds on other improvements we have made earlier in the talks, including:

Job security - Commitment to no Compulsory Redundancy for the life of the agreement
Sunday working – Remains voluntary and we keep the Sunday Premium for existing employees

Where do we go from here?

In the end, the CWU were unable to agree to the change needed to ensure the future of this company.
There is nothing left to give.
We urge the CWU to agree the deal, and put it to a vote.
That is in the best interests of Royal Mail, our customers and all our employees.

Simon Thompson
Chief Executive Officer

Zareena Brown
Chief People Officer

Ricky McAulay
Operations Development Director

Announce strikes if still no movement go ahead with strikes it's gone beyond pay now anyway it's been more about rm lack of respect for employees terms and conditions if it goes bust it goes bust statutory redundancy pay

[Splappy_McSplap]

Option B please

Doesn't that work out at £500 less?

[claystones]

where are they finding this money all of a sudden they didnt have any last week cant believe a word they say

[redlen]

Royal Mail have previously stated they have funding in place on acceptance of the agreement

[Kenfandango]

Didn't the CWU tell us about a week ago that all the cries of "but they're doing it already" are false, and they alone have been holding back the tide?
Now RM are openly saying they have already implemented the new contracts for new starters last year, which makes the union look like they either A) lied about how much they've stopped or B) never gave a hoot about new starters in the first place....

[redrobbo]

I'd like to know what exactly did the cwu propose maybe these terms offered by RM should be put to the members and then we can vote yes or no , in our office we already start at 7.30, 8.00 on Tues it used to be 5 but the union agreed to later start times with RM I'd like to know what times other offices start the changes to sick pay I agree with there's far too many glass backs milking it I definitely don't agree with annualised hours option B the better of a shite offer we deserve more but if RM are in financial trouble maybe that's the best deal we can get Sunday working stays voluntary

[parforthewalk]

Royal Mail have previously stated they have funding in place on acceptance of the agreement

But where is the money coming from?

I do agree with the suggestion that it's put to the 'membership' to vote either yay or nay, with the union not endorsing it.

For what It's worth, on what I've read & seen re the 'deal' to quote the line in 'dragons den' I'm out!

[needadvice]

Guys all of you quoting £1,500 and £500 it wont be
Those 2 amouts will be subject to 20% tax
Its same as Christmas bonus and other lump sums offered to striking workers
All lump sums subject to tax

It’s basically £1200 after taking of 20% tax

You forgot to deduct National Insurance, which is effectively just another income tax, can’t remember what the rate is.

14% nat insurance. 20% tax. So basically it's a grand for full timers

[guardianangel]

Not good enough ,
minimum week long strikes required .
DO NOT DO 1 OR 2 DAY STRIKES THEY ARE POINTLESS .
DO NOT DO SATURDAY STRIKES THEY ARE ALSO POINTLESS .

[guardianangel]

Pay offer shite
Get the strike dates up now CWU
No more f***ing about
2% already imposed .£500 lump sum and 6% for next year
That’s a massive pay cut in real terms
Forget about 2024 we will be carved up by then

[Clappedoutpostie]

Wasn’t the “best and final offer” 9% over 2 years. Now it’s 10% over 3

[guardianangel]

We had a massive yes vote for strikes ,nothing has changed call them now,its not our fault they nicked all the money,ricky simon and zareena do the right thing resign you will never move this company forward without the workforce ,ALL OUT !!!

[guardianangel]

Wasn’t the “best and final offer” 9% over 2 years. Now it’s 10% over 3

Exactly its worse ,strike now and start preparing for another ballot to carry it on towards xmas.

[pieoftheday]

Who the hell would trust a letter with the CEO's name to it?

[miles_peters]

its a scam and very scary for us all if that offer as it is gets through