LTB 336/24 – Royal Mail: BRT&G Agreement – Section 6.4.1 – Sick Pay

[POSTMAN]

https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-336-24-roya ... -sick-pay/

LTB 336/24 – Royal Mail: BRT&G Agreement – Section 6.4.1 – Sick Pay
No: 336/24

17th October 2024

Dear Colleagues,

ROYAL MAIL: BRT&G AGREEMENT – SECTION 6.4.1 – SICK PAY

Branches and Representatives will recall that as part of the Business Recovery, Transformation and Growth (BRT&G) Agreement, we included within Section 6.4.1 a review clause in terms of the revised sick pay arrangements. Essentially, Section 6.4.1 specifically states that sick absence levels will be measured over a six-month period and the levels need to be below 5.5% on average for that period for the former sick pay arrangements to be reinstated.

We have met with Royal Mail on a regular basis to discuss the absence rates and the trends since the new sick pay arrangements commenced on 1st October 2023. We also have in place a Joint Working Group (JWG), including Postal Executive members and Royal Mail management, who jointly monitor sick absence levels and discuss how steps can be taken to reduce it. The JWG continues to meet regularly and overall it is moving forward in a positive way.

Six-Monthly Reviews – Outcomes

The first monitored six-month period from the commencement of the new sick pay arrangements, 1st October ‘23 to 31st March ‘24, ended with an average sick absence rate of 7% (compared with 7.2% for the previous six months). Whilst this was a downward trend, the target of 5.5% was obviously not met.
The second six-month period commenced on 1st April ‘24 and ended on 30th September and we can report an encouraging further improvement on sick absence rates with a six-month rolling average of 7%. Although the trajectory has been positive throughout the last six months, we have nonetheless not quite achieved the 5.5% threshold for triggering the restoration of full sick pay. Whilst we are closer than we have ever been, the current sick pay arrangements in line with the BRT&G will continue going forward.
The JWG will continue to monitor progress and we hope that the outputs of this group and the plans put in place to help support our members and improve sick absences will enable us to continue to improve the trends in order to hit the 5.5% target. Further developments in this regard will be reported.

Yours sincerely,

Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

Bobby Weatherall

Acting Assistant Secretary

[TopperGas]

Is the latest "7%" figure a typo given the suggestions are it's reduced from the previous "7%" figure for the first quarter's review?

[toonshola]

The target was never going to be achieved. That’s why Royal Mail happily signed up for it. Just another of a million issues that the CWU threw the towel in.
We walk round in all weathers for 5 hours per day and constantly told we are too slow and inefficient, to achieve a sick percentage of around 5% is laughable.
If by some miracle we hit the target I would put my mortgage on Royal Mail just ignoring it anyway, what’s the union gunna do….a Facebook live and a letter that goes straight in the bin?

[mozilla]

Is the latest "7%" figure a typo given the suggestions are it's reduced from the previous "7%" figure for the first quarter's review?

It's a typo it should say 5.7%

[mozilla]

And the first figure should read 6.7%

[mozilla]

It really doesn't inspire confidence .....if you click on the link at the top of the post you get this version of the LTB but then if you scroll to the bottom and click on the next link to the same LTB you get the version with the correct sick percentages .
I have time to do this as I'm off sick at the moment .

[funkflex55]

It really doesn't inspire confidence .....if you click on the link at the top of the post you get this version of the LTB but then if you scroll to the bottom and click on the next link to the same LTB you get the version with the correct sick percentages .
I have time to do this as I'm off sick at the moment .

So you're to blame for us failing to hit target and not getting our old sick pay rules back!


I am of course joking, get well soon.

[chickenwittle]

Remind us again of what good came out of that agreement you recommended to your members ?

[TopperGas]

Is the latest "7%" figure a typo given the suggestions are it's reduced from the previous "7%" figure for the first quarter's review?

It's a typo it should say 5.7%

It all seems a bit convenient that we were just 0.2% short, did RM use the Horizon system to calculate the % figure? I although I guess the big reduction in sickness supports the stance RM took to try and reduce sickness payments.

[matthew68]

Absolutely a joke how can you compare delivery to mail center or driver job, so many people have injuries and get far more illnesses because of constantly being outside, I had 2 days in March with sickness bug and last week following a trip had 3 days off after injuring back so they don’t pay me yet only had 2 days in previous 2 years. This company is a disgrace the way it treats people and my manager just shrug he shoulders and says nothing I can do

[world class male]

Absolutely a joke how can you compare delivery to mail center or driver job, so many people have injuries and get far more illnesses because of constantly being outside, I had 2 days in March with sickness bug and last week following a trip had 3 days off after injuring back so they don’t pay me yet only had 2 days in previous 2 years. This company is a disgrace the way it treats people and my manager just shrug he shoulders and says nothing I can do

quite frankly they are bringing us all in line with the majority of companies going now re "perks"
little do they know,or any business to that fact is that if you look after the staff then the staff will look after you,
that ethic is now long gone within most UK companies

[Mr Rush]

quite frankly they are bringing us all in line with the majority of companies going now re "perks"
little do they know,or any business to that fact is that if you look after the staff then the staff will look after you,
that ethic is now long gone within most UK companies

In a few years time with the current turnover the company will be able to spin this state of affairs into some national award for employee satisfaction. If no-one lasts longer than five years then whatever misery they endure will be less than any soon-to-be-gone OPG's experience of the last decade. A net decrease in management's despisal rating!

[Londonsburning]

quite frankly they are bringing us all in line with the majority of companies going now re "perks"
little do they know,or any business to that fact is that if you look after the staff then the staff will look after you,
that ethic is now long gone within most UK companies

In a few years time with the current turnover the company will be able to spin this state of affairs into some national award for employee satisfaction. If no-one lasts longer than five years then whatever misery they endure will be less than any soon-to-be-gone OPG's experience of the last decade. A net decrease in management's despisal rating!

Remember when Royal Mail wasn't allowed to advertise at Jobcentre Plus because the turnover of staff was too high? Pepperidge Farm remembers

[Mr Rush]

Remember when Royal Mail wasn't allowed to advertise at Jobcentre Plus because the turnover of staff was too high? Pepperidge Farm remembers

I was on JSA when I applied for this. When I told them at my fortnightly check-in that I had an interview scheduled they told me not to bother! Handed me a bunch of printouts for call centres I was to ring-up. f**k that. Unfortunately too many new colleagues seem to have that reaction to this line of work.

[abuch1980]

Absolutely a joke how can you compare delivery to mail center or driver job, so many people have injuries and get far more illnesses because of constantly being outside, I had 2 days in March with sickness bug and last week following a trip had 3 days off after injuring back so they don’t pay me yet only had 2 days in previous 2 years. This company is a disgrace the way it treats people and my manager just shrug he shoulders and says nothing I can do

Was the trip at work ? Thought that was payable if it was a work accident ? Was it put through Erica..