LTB 343/24 – Royal Mail Introduction of New Drug and Alcohol Policy

[POSTMAN]

https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-343-24-roya ... ol-policy/

LTB 343/24 – Royal Mail Introduction of New Drug and Alcohol Policy
No: 343/24

25th October 2024

Dear Colleagues,

Royal Mail Introduction of New Drug and Alcohol Policy

We are writing to advise Branches that the Royal Mail Executive Board has made a decision to introduce a new Drug and Alcohol Policy.

Royal Mail initially approached the Union in August 2024 informing us that the new policy would include three distinct activities:

• The launch of a support and rehabilitation service.
• A pilot and roll out of for cause drug and alcohol testing.
• The introduction of random drug and alcohol testing.

Whilst we recognise that many companies operate test regimes for specific employee groups who work in safety critical roles, the current proposals go way beyond what could be viewed as appropriate or reasonable in our view.

The CWU has raised significant concerns around all three aspects of their proposals. The CWU have also stated that we will not support any launch of random testing.

Royal Mail have indicated they would listen to the CWU concerns and potentially change the way they were intending to introduce the rehabilitation process, the pilot on for cause and will delay the introduction of random testing.

We have further meetings with Royal Mail over the next two weeks and will update Branches in due course.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to hford@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (P)

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

Bobby Weatherall
Acting Assistant Secretary

Tony Bouch
Assistant Secretary


#We have the right amount of booze and drugs-just not in the right place Hic!

[Jb1969]

I do hope the Board of Directors are included in this.
No other explanation other than being just plain stupid for the way this company is being run!

[Valentina@1]

CWU just letting Royal Mail do as they please,they’ve become powerless to stop anything company do

Sad times 🥲

[tramssirhc]

Anyone would think the recruitment and retention crisis was bad enough.

[2chorizon]

Why delay it? Get in in and operational today.
I do not have to work with people who use illegal drugs.

[Sean06]

Why delay it? Get in in and operational today.
I do not have to work with people who use illegal drugs.

What about people who like a drink then?? Is that ok.surely in your mind one is as bad as the other.

[sweepster70]

That's half the workforce gone then! Postmen/Women have always liked a drink, but I'm going back to when we used to use bikes.

[2chorizon]

That's half the workforce gone then! Postmen/Women have always liked a drink, but I'm going back to when we used to use bikes.

It will be set at the uk drink drive limit, so you can still have a pint with lunch or a glass of wine etc
The only industries that have "zero" are safety critical like airlines / emergency servies etc

If you are a druggie, or a weed head you are going have a very bad time, and need to start quitting now to get the drug out of your body. (Thats why the cwu have asked for a delay in random testing starting)

[2chorizon]

Why delay it? Get in in and operational today.
I do not have to work with people who use illegal drugs.

What about people who like a drink then?? Is that ok.surely in your mind one is as bad as the other.

See above ^

It will be very difficult for anyone to fail on alcohol unless they are specifically drinking on the job, and even if so it will be around a 1 to 2 pint limit as per the uk drink drive laws.

The days of weed smoking are gone i'm afraid, need to accept it.

[Sean06]

Why delay it? Get in in and operational today.
I do not have to work with people who use illegal drugs.

What about people who like a drink then?? Is that ok.surely in your mind one is as bad as the other.

See above ^

It will be very difficult for anyone to fail on alcohol unless they are specifically drinking on the job, and even if so it will be around a 1 to 2 pint limit as per the uk drink drive laws.

The days of weed smoking are gone i'm afraid, need to accept it.

I don,t smoke weed but love a drink.but i think your getting above urself none of your business how other people live there lives.would like say what i really think but dont want to banned.

[2chorizon]

Why delay it? Get in in and operational today.
I do not have to work with people who use illegal drugs.

What about people who like a drink then?? Is that ok.surely in your mind one is as bad as the other.

See above ^

It will be very difficult for anyone to fail on alcohol unless they are specifically drinking on the job, and even if so it will be around a 1 to 2 pint limit as per the uk drink drive laws.

The days of weed smoking are gone i'm afraid, need to accept it.

I don,t smoke weed but love a drink.but i think your getting above urself none of your business how other people live there lives.would like say what i really think but dont want to banned.

Just sharing my experience's of random drug & alcohol testing being introduced to the workplace, fwiw i fought against it being implemented at my last place.
The union rolled over after agreeing a 6 week “get clean window” before the testing started.
It can’t be stopped, unless the CWU suddenly make a dramatic comeback and make a stand on this hill.

[Playmail]

Every company has this procedure nothing new can't believe it's not already procedure with us driving vehicles

[Rumple]

Not having 2 days off together doesn’t help. Too tired to go out when I finish on a Saturday. Won’t be able to “let my hair down” and have a good drink on a Sunday for fear of falling foul of the limits next morning (I’m a non driver).
Another nail in the work/life balance

[SpacePhoenix]

Every company has this procedure nothing new can't believe it's not already procedure with us driving vehicles

Think it'll be all distribution staff in MCs, all collections staff in both DOs and MCs, logistics/network staff. For delivery staff, don't know if it'll be just the drivers or everyone.

[ted_e_bear]

Why delay it? Get in in and operational today.
I do not have to work with people who use illegal drugs.

What about people who like a drink then?? Is that ok.surely in your mind one is as bad as the other.

See above ^

It will be very difficult for anyone to fail on alcohol unless they are specifically drinking on the job, and even if so it will be around a 1 to 2 pint limit as per the uk drink drive laws.

The days of weed smoking are gone i'm afraid, need to accept it.

I don,t smoke weed but love a drink.but i think your getting above urself none of your business how other people live there lives.would like say what i really think but dont want to banned.

Same, f**k me, after all this is a working class job, I look forward to going out with my mates Sunday afternoon for several pints.