London briefing 8 feb

[hans solo]

London National Briefing 8th of Feb:

Dave Ward start's off by saying change is the only way forward for RM to survive and we all must recognise it.

The old executive have all been removed
from the company this includes CEO, Operations Director, Financial Director, Indistrial Relations Officer and HR Peoples Officer. This needed to be the case.

New executive seem to be willing to work with the union and conversations that have taken place intially have been possitive according to Martin Walsh.

USO discussions are starting to take place and a slide presentation was shown briefly. We'll be well into 2025 before any decisions are taken on the USO.

Dispute was the most bitterest in RM memory with the executive's only intent was to completely destroy the union forever.

Reps and members were used as hostages in the dispute from a vindictive employer and it has had a significant impact on the people involved mental health and their families. Tactic's included introducing that much unilatreal change quickly it caused so much infighting, Agreed joint statements with CWU HQ in the room to then go out and tell managers just to ignore them.....

A consquence of the dispute has also led to less trust in the CWU HQ executive and they certainly could have explained the agreement better after it was concluded, but local Reps.Area Reps, Divisional Reps have still regained the support of most members.

Members also have to remember RM were introducing a business plan agreed or not and if it came to it and Goverment had to intervene no goverment would have proped up a business when only 14% of the USO is under the Goverment's direct control.

Another point to remember is CWU members not working on a Sunday ( 3rd biggest parcel day of the week) when it was the growth part of the industry in some ways led to an alternative resourcing model imposed

New entrants T&C need to be a priority commitment of the union to get these levelled up and a lot of work is ongoing in this area with a JWG set up.

Recruitment...

On recuitment of new members the CWU won't survive and its apon us all every rep, every branch other businesses represented by the CWU to be proactive every day.....an example would be we have the lowest number of employees in RM and highest non members!!!

Transfers, Job Shares, PT/FT...

With regards to Transfers, Job Shares, Part-Time to Full-Time RM is not implementing this agreement as laid out but there is an LTB 199/23 that reps can produce to supplement any conversation on this topic. Escalate as a point of principle if need be if you don't beieve RM is complying. Any transfers will still take place on current terms and conditions.

Reps should also be discussing local uplifts for P/T members before outside recruitment when they here of that possibilty Exsisting members first should be the message.

USO...

Cwu will go head to head with Ofcom. Ofcom are only doing big businesses bidding and not interested in the USO. Growth plan must be looked at as part of any USO change. Also the impact on any job losses.

The CWU understand the USO can't stay the same as it is currently.

CWU have also agreed a set of words in Labours manifesto on the USO and Post Office with the election looming large.

Any change in the USO as well would impact on Tracked 48 on a Monday moving to a Sunday.

A worry also is any 2nd class mail moving to 2 days a week.

Ofcom in there report suggested this and it doesn't need Goverment approval. This would have an impact on MC/DO
closures. CWU think at this time they've headed this off.

The 14% of the USO workload also is 29% of RM's revenue too.

CWU has ruled out anything less than 5 days based on Ofcom's report. One day less equates to £150-200 million saving for RM but RM are currently losing 40O million on the USO so you can understand the difficulties and why RM keep pushing for change but it's there own financial mismanagement that's caused it. CWU- No change is not an option.

98% of vehicles are parked up as well by 3pm. As the business needs to grow the only logical point is RM have to work later.An uncomfortable message but a factual one never the less.

Saturday would not automatically be a USO reduction day depending on workload coming into the network.

Better regulation is needed for parcel couriers by Ofcom and supporting the DSA product financially.

Most importantly QOS needs to be the main driver in any negotiation of the USO and RM need to commit.

CWU HQ also believe their is a better social role for postmen/women and hope to develop new product/services to sustain quality jobs. The postal role has to be relevant to society too and society has changed so much since the USO was introduced.

Network Window....

85% of the network seems to be moving positively but Scotland still has major issues with a lot of units still looking at a full 90 min change. This is unacceptable and HQ need to intervene. TD- divisional rep spoke at the briefing on this topic.

Sick Pay Calculations...

Last year RM was 7.7%
Last 6 Months to period 10 7.0%
Period 7-10 1% lower on average
Jan alone average sick absence 6.7%
To restore full pay nationally is 5.5%

Sick Pay Repayment
5,700 members impacted from 1st of Oct- 7th Feb

1,000 members owe less than £50

4'700 members owe on average £130

92% will have paid back what they owe in two weeks 99% will have paid all monies owed within 8 weeks.

Meal Reliefs....

CWU think a review of M/R is needed. Way Forward is out of date with how RM is evolving.

Falconer Review....

Two cases heading for internal appeal
CWU near to an agrrement on compensation for cases short of dismissal.
HR team have been nothing but a disgrace in the treatment of members.
CWU asking for a re-launch of the 2015 conduct agreement.
Overall the Falconer review had been a succes but there was no need for it to happen in the first place.

[hans solo]

Saturday would not automatically be a uso reduction day depending on workload coming into network

Reads as no busy the day
So we will send 30 staff home come in tmrrw and cover double duties

[qwerty2]

Saturday would not automatically be a uso reduction day depending on workload coming into network

Reads as no busy the day
So we will send 30 staff home come in tmrrw and cover double duties

Tuesday everyone’s day off

[Mick100]

What do they mean meal relief is out of date and needs reviewing

[Duesouth]

What do they mean meal relief is out of date and needs reviewing

That's what I was thinking. It only means one thing that in the next agreement the paid meal relief would be abolished and we will be like all the other new contracts where they of course don't get paid.

If this is the case it's an absolute disgrace from the union to mention that its out of date. You will probably see either more members leaving the union or people leaving the business.

[scotchy1962]

Has to be one of the worst reads in a long time, the union are heading for oblivion.
They have admitted that the companies reaction to the dispute meant that they threw the towel in, rather than escalating the same as RM did when they had the support, now RM know exactly what to do every time there's a dispute.
Now they are struggling for members and in turn are worried for the future, boo hoo! You should have looked after us in the first place or at least showed a bit of backbone.
All that i read into this is that no matter what comes our way they are going to have no answer, reason being they can't try any sort of industrial action as nobody will support them.
So where do the union go?
Nowhere i fancy, new starts on lesser terms could care less, RM could care less and worst of all most of us members could care less.

[SpacePhoenix]

The union sold deliveries down the river big time. Think the union is probably finished in deliveries

[sindba]

CWU had a legally binding agreement but allowed RM to insert a "no strike" clause in it

This rendered it null and void, allowing RM to impose unilateral changes during the last dispute.

CWU commited suicide, basically.

[mark.cup]

The union are as corrupt as the regulator....

2 billion to share holders as detailed by themselves and going along with the USO has to change!

It's all designed between them,offcom and Royal Mail.

Put out the option that would never happen 3 days a week so all 3 of the above can say what a massive victory keeping 5 days a week USO is

How many times have we seen this tactic,then the union stamp their feet and say things like a no strings pay deal then the middle option is agreed....

All of these people are parasites and killing our jobs to make a miracle recovery and line the shareholders and their own pockets all over again! Scum

[dazzler123]

Royal Mail execs set out to destroy the union, CWU said we'll do it ourselves. Feels like a cat toying with a half dead mouse

[worktotime]

so basically things are going to change so like it or lump it , and whatever happens you have to just accept it or leave , what a weak union and no wonder they have lost so many members and i reckon more will follow when there start time changes come in .

[Celtic warrior]

Network Window....

85% of the network seems to be moving positively but Scotland still has major issues with a lot of units still looking at a full 90 min change. This is unacceptable and HQ need to intervene. TD- divisional rep spoke at the briefing on this topic.

Thanks CWU..... Let's see how many members you will have north of the border if this is true.

[hans solo]

Myself and George Ross met with Martin Walsh and Tony Bouch prior to the meeting. We reinforced our position, endorsed by every Area Delivery Rep in Scotland, that a default 90 minutes is not acceptable and will cause untold damage to the Delivery function. We will not accept a second class service in Scotland. I said so at the brief. We believe there are actions which would mitigate later starts to a maximum of one hour. Talks continue.

[hans solo]

I dont know where the 1 hr came from either

[hans solo]

Have just been informed scottish mgmt told were starting 1.20/1.30 hr later min some later than that
Only scotland getting hit with this
Not a happy place at ours
Union reps not happy
More to follow