NEW START TIMES OFFICE BY OFFICE

[hans solo]

RMG/CWU Joint Communication on provisional Indicative Modelling of Delivery Offices Start and Finish Times within the timeframe of the Negotiators Agreement.

Following the release of the RM/CWU Business Recovery, Transformation and Growth Negotiators Agreement, both parties have agreed to share the indicative modelling for Delivery Office start and finish times before CWU members participate in the forthcoming ballot.

In producing the indicative modelling outputs both parties recognise that changes to start and finish times are of concern to many employees in all functions, particularly in Delivery and commit to seek to minimise change in start and finish times whilst still achieving the necessary improvements in cost and environmental impact due to reducing the reliance on air transport.

We have jointly produced a webpage enabling access to the following information which can be accessed at https://www.cwu.org/national-agreement- ... ish-times/ This supersedes what has previously been published. This will show:

The provisional and indicative start and finish times based on an up to 1630 last letter and up to a maximum of 60 minutes later
The provisional and indicative start and finish times based on an up to 1630 last letter and up to a maximum of 90 minutes later
The proposed start and finish times laid out in the agreement

The negotiators agreement between Royal Mail and the CWU states that:

Deployment approach-
It is agreed that:

“In 2023 in advance of the Network Window change there will be no change to delivery duty start times relating to this project. Where there are managerial proposals to alter start times these must be supported by changes to local workload, or productivity changes and be subject to the full terms of the IR Framework.”

“Both parties are committed to a joint programme of work designed to achieve the necessary Pipeline, work flow and Mail Centre cycle time improvements required to limit the change to start and finish times up to a maximum of 60 minutes. To achieve this, joint activity will be undertaken at a national and local level to review all such opportunities to advance workload and facilitate this outcome.

“Where improved product flow is consistently achieved as a result of the activity set out above and sustained for a period of 3 months prior to deployment in March 2024 then start and finish times will be moved accordingly. Performance during this period will be jointly monitored and reviewed by the Joint Working Groups with a view to resolving any issues.

“Where this programme of work does not make it possible to limit the change to up to 60 minutes, during March 2024 delivery start and finish times will move up to a maximum of 90 minutes later as a result of extended network window, the last letter delivery time at this point will move to up to 16:30.”

“Last letter Delivery completion times will vary up to 16.30 hrs though the majority of deliveries across the UK will be planned to complete before 15.30 hrs, with the vast majority by 16.00 hrs. It is recognised that a small exceptional number of rural deliveries will continue to completed later than 16.30 hrs.”
Provisional and indicative start times based on a change of up to 60 minutes

If through the joint programme of work designed to achieve the necessary Pipeline, workflow and Mail Centre cycle time improvements required to limit the change to start and finish times up to a maximum of 60 minutes the proposals would see:

19% of walks finish up to 30 minutes later
81% finish between 30 and 60 minutes later
Based on this analysis 64% of walks have a last letter time up to 15.30, with 93% up to 16.00.

Provisional and indicative start times based on a change of up to 90 minutes

Using the most up to date analysis of the data relating to the indicative later start and finish times using up to 90 minutes, the proposals would see:

19% of walks across the country finishing up to 30 minutes later
20% finish between 30 and 60 minutes later
And 61% finish between 60 and 90 minutes later
Based on this analysis 44% of walks have a last letter time up to 15.30, increasing to 76% up to 16.00. It is recognised that a small exceptional number of rural deliveries will continue to be completed later than 16.30 hrs.

How the proposed changes have been worked out

It is important to provide clarification that the indicative modelling assumptions have been completed using the following information:

Delivery Duty Set (DDS) data from May 2023,
Finish time is calculated as 15 minutes after last letter time
All associated data and times are for 1254 Delivery Offices and Large SPDO’s
All associated data and times are based on Wednesday attendance, using the dominant duty pattern for a Full-Time duty within the office
Both parties understand that there will be local factors and circumstances which have influenced the outputs of the indicative modelling that may not have been captured accurately, however those aspects will be addressed through the National & Local joint working groups and further reviewed in line with the deployment approach.

Working together to explore possible further improvements

The new national network will be designed based on an up to 3-hour extension to the network window at end state of the programme.

The degree to which this change will impact Delivery Offices will be different by Mail Centre, dependent on local arrangements and position in the network.

Between May 2023 and September 2023, newly established National and Local Joint Royal Mail/CWU Working Groups will explore if the modelled impact on Delivery start and finish times can be improved upon.

As set out above, both parties are committed to a joint programme of work designed to achieve the necessary Pipeline, workflow and Mail Centre cycle time improvements required to limit the change to start and finish times up to a maximum of 60 minutes.

Where this programme of work does not make it possible to limit the change to up to 60 minutes, during March 2024 delivery start and finish times will move up to a maximum of 90 minutes later as a result of extended network window, the last letter delivery time at this point will move to up to 16:30.

“Exception process for all employees (Delivery, Processing, Distribution) to accommodate caring and other requirements.

As a result of the above changes to working patterns many individuals will need to adjust their attendance times. Royal Mail will ensure that in the vast majority of cases these changes will be minimal and can be accommodated with enough notice and support. However, some employees will have responsibilities and commitments in their personal lives which may make this more difficult. Royal Mail will therefore strive to accommodate at all times the needs of individual employees, whilst also meeting the needs of the operation. Royal Mail and the CWU will jointly develop the process and guidance which will be used to support all front-line employees.”

Deploying the changes

It is important to confirm that the changes to start and finish times would be deployed in delivery in March 2024 and both parties will ensure that all employees will know the detail of the changes three months prior to deployment, recognising the degree of change in some delivery locations.

The high level timelines are:

National and Local Joint Working Groups established and will explore if the modelled impact on Delivery start and finish times can be improved –from June ‘23
Deploy solutions identified through Joint Working Group – by August ‘23
Delivery employee informed of change to start and finish times – December ‘23
Exception’s process opens – from December ‘23
Deployment of the Network Window Change – March 2024
In addition to the publication of the indicative modelling exercise both parties continue to work on an FAQ document (see appendix B) alongside the information and further information will follow including how the National and Local JWG will function going forwards.

Both parties have agreed that there will be a central contact point for questions and/or points of clarification to be sent to be dealt with by the National JWG and the email is: questions@royalmail.com

So how come our office finishes at 2.30
Going to 8 pm start and finishing at 4.30
Simple maths is 2 hrs , (120 min) later
NOT 60 or 90
And does not include flexing
We also have a return to office of approximately 15-20 min just now
In rush hour traffic that will get to over 30
Min

[LouBarlow]

So how come our office finishes at 2.30
Going to 8 pm start and finishing at 4.30
Simple maths is 2 hrs , (120 min) later
NOT 60 or 90
And does not include flexing
We also have a return to office of approximately 15-20 min just now
In rush hour traffic that will get to over 30
Min

It is an indicative final letter time. It will likely be the case, as it is in our office currently, that busier days will have later finishes and quieter days like Monday and Tuesday will be earlier. It would make no sense to have the same hours on a Monday as a Wednesday, but it is Royal Mail so sense doesn’t always come into play.

[hans solo]

We don’t have light mon /tue though
Due to lapsing to our time on those days
And how can they justify moving to later delivery model and still have people in on IPs overtime everyday to get you out early to enable lapsing
Can see loads going off with h&s issues ,stress ,anxiety
Not just for couple weeks either

[LouBarlow]

We don’t have light mon /tue though
Due to lapsing to our time on those days
And how can they justify moving to later delivery model and still have people in on IPs overtime everyday to get you out early to enable lapsing
Can see loads going off with h&s issues ,stress ,anxiety
Not just for couple weeks either

I can only speak as to how our office runs, and admittedly it is in the top 10, performance wise, in the entire country, so we are likely an anomaly. Our revision has just started in the last few weeks, and we no longer have any lapsing. Monday and Tuesday traffic is ridiculously light, and we currently have a finish time difference of an hour between Monday and Wednesday. It works in our office at least, and the earlier finish on the Monday means we would have no time for absorption anyway. The problem is more that there isn’t enough mail currently, to justify the later finish on the Wednesday, but that is another story.

[hans solo]

That’s because they are using deffered mail to manipulate the situation on the mon /tue
Come thur/fri/ sat we’re going to doors with 6,7,8 letters who have had no mail up to then
Sat is actually our longest day time wise

Again how can they justify people in on otime if their is less mail

[HTPostman]

.

The agreement states both parties will try and ensure that start and finish times are capped at no more than 60 minutes later than at present.

I’m always wary of wording like that. When I was a reserve, my previous manager always tried to get me 1 in 4 Saturdays off, and he did - 1 Saturday off every 4 years.

Anyway must get up and on with my day, I’ve got my Sunday league match soon. I’m still trying to get signed by my local team Chelsea, I’m 38 years old so fingers crossed it happens soon.

[Martin Walsh]

Hans if your unit is 08:00 to 16:30 then your working 8 hour and 30 day so are you on a 4 day week or are misreading it because if your currently a 14.30 finish you will move if it’s 60 minutes later to 15.30.

[Rommagic]

deffered mail should be on Thursdays and not the shorter Fridays.

[noggin1969]

I can see how these times will give later acceptance times and more processing time in the hubs and MC's. But any efficacy 'savings' will be lost in the DOs. Heavier traffic and re-routing your delivery to clear Specials on time. Town centre DO's are going to be snarled up with traffic on return at 16.30.

[zz666]

Ultimately we are working annualised hours, with later start times next year. To top it all, it starts ìn October, so working 2 hours per week for nothing.

[richietns]

People are taking the finishing times to actually mean 16.30 which what I can gather is more to the extreme side of finishing.

[SpacePhoenix]

That’s because they are using deffered mail to manipulate the situation on the mon /tue
Come thur/fri/ sat we’re going to doors with 6,7,8 letters who have had no mail up to then
Sat is actually our longest day time wise

Again how can they justify people in on otime if their is less mail

Deferred mail gets released after a maximum of 5 days (don't know of hand if that's calender days or working days). Don't know if it releases just the mail due for delivery that's hit the five day limit or if it releases all mail for an address where some has hit the five day limit

[ted_e_bear]

Can someone explain this as though I'm really thick (not far from the truth tbh)
Why are the times the same for both scenarios

Screenshot_20230618-093900.png

[Neverwasadoor]

Hans could be right as our latest finish time at the moment is 14.35, and these are our new times. Which to be honest I think are just guesses anyway. The mail will dictate and if these times don’t work they will go later no matter what.

[ted_e_bear]

Hans could be right as our latest finish time at the moment is 14.35, and these are our new times. Which to be honest I think are just guesses anyway. The mail will dictate and if these times don’t work they will go later no matter what.

Wow that's really s**t so they're moving your finish time over two hours later, are you a long way from the mail centre as I've looked at offices in my area and the furthest away it seems have the later times.