LTB 040/25 – Parcelforce – Building the Future Transformation

[POSTMAN]

https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-040-25-parc ... formation/

LTB 040/25 – Parcelforce – Building the Future Transformation
No: 040/25

24th February 2025

For the Immediate Attention of All:

Postal Branches
Parcelforce Regional Organisers
Parcelforce Representatives

Dear Colleagues

Parcelforce – Building the Future Transformation

Branches and representatives may be aware that briefings have commenced in Parcelforce on the Building the Future, Transformation programme.

The department has been in discussions with Royal Mail and Parcelforce for some weeks over this initiative, previously known as Project Daisy, which represents the first major investment in the Parcelforce business in many years and is intended to secure the future of the business for the next 20 years.

While much of the detail will have to be worked through, in the view of the department this commitment from Royal Mail Group to start investing in the Parcelforce infrastructure is welcomed and represents a major change in approach from the position taken by the RMG board at the commencement of the BRT&G discussions where the focus was on determining if Parcelforce had a future.

Instead, the current discussions have been around future proofing, the Parcelforce Network and updating business systems to allow the easier movement of workload between the Parcelforce and Royal Mail Networks, in line with the commitments in Section 5 and Appendix 3 of the BRT&G in relation to the creation of a single large parcel network and to utilising any synergies between the respective networks. The aim is to develop Parcelforce’s strengths whilst modernising the network to be able to win significant new volume and potentially double the size of the business over the next decade.

The initial phase of activity which will commence in June 2025 with major investment in upgrading Parcelforce’s IT systems and aligning capabilities with Royal Mail on a single IT Platform and shipping solution which will allow customers to seamlessly access Parcelforce and Royal Mail products and services. This will also harmonise operating procedures and equipment in both businesses. These changes will facilitate:

• A simplified product range avoiding internal competition between Royal Mail and Parcelforce.

• Enhanced Delivery features and the introduction of in-flight delivery options in Parcelforce.

• Adoption of enhanced barcoding and the introduction of Royal Mail PDA’s

Cessation of a number of end-of-life Parcelforce systems and replacing them with updated Royal Mail systems. In particular the much-maligned Rex Route Planner will be removed from service and replaced with the Loqus Route Planner supported by TomTom mapping capabilities and the Royal Mail Postcode database.
The change will also require changes to operational processes and ways of working to align with the new technology and maximise the commercial benefits and growth opportunities that they facilitate. Detailed discussions on these aspects are underway and the department will provide detailed updates as talks progress.

There is no doubt this is a major change which will affect the way our Parcelforce members interact with technology and perform their roles. Parcelforce have committed to providing comprehensive training packages which will be rolled out to ensure that our members are supported through this period.

For the avoidance of doubt this investment does not signal the full reinterrogation of Parcelforce back into Royal Mail. The Parcelforce Network will remain and expand maximising the advantages the Parcelforce model brings to the carriage and delivery of premium and large parcels and aligns traffic to the appropriate network based on the optimum delivery model for the product size and specification supporting the future growth of Parcelforce within the Royal Mail Group.

Along with the commitments secured in the Framework agreement with EP Group – Rebuilding Royal Mail, which restores the agreed resourcing mix in Parcelforce this welcome investment in Parcelforce provides the best platform in many years to grow the business and provide enhanced job security for our Parcelforce members.

Further update will be provided in due course as detailed talks on the changes required to deliver the commitments progress and we would ask that the contents of this LTB are brought to the attention of our Parcelforce members. Arrangements are being made for an online update for members on Thursday 27th February and a Parcelforce Representatives briefing will be held covering this issue, details of which will follow shortly.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to: Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: jrodrigues@cwu.org quoting reference: LTB 040/25.

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

[clashcityrocker]

"For the avoidance of doubt this investment does not signal the full reinterrogation of Parcelforce back into Royal Mail."

I think the word he was looking for was reintegration.
Unless of course they are going to bring in the Spanish Inquisition?

[Barnacle]

So it sounds like reintegration and it will seem like reintegration, but for the avoidance of doubt, don’t anyone call it reintegration.

[Valentina@1]

Project daisy

Do ma a favour

[Deadly]

Any truth to the rumour that Royal Mail will be collecting more parcels for Parcelforce?

[ariadne]

Parcelforce should be rebranded as a removals company with the stuff they carry nowadays. Fridges, wardrobes, treadmills, bed frames to name a few. Many drops are bulk consisting of numerous items. The days of single small item drops have gone. No consideration is given with regards to the time taken to make these stops. It seems if no one else will take Parcelforce will.

[Smoothbackground]

Parcelforce should be rebranded as a removals company with the stuff they carry nowadays. Fridges, wardrobes, treadmills, bed frames to name a few. Many drops are bulk consisting of numerous items. The days of single small item drops have gone. No consideration is given with regards to the time taken to make these stops. It seems if no one else will take Parcelforce will.

This is true, i have been surprised by the size and weight of items we’ve had delivered by PFW. One quite recent delivery consisted of several boxes weighing in total over 200 kg (not to mention volumetric weight). You would have thought sending it on a pallet service would be cheaper, but no, PFW is seemingly the most cost-efficient way of sending.

[SpacePhoenix]

Wonder if all the specials will end up being moved over to PF

[cantonkid1955]

Parcelforce should be rebranded as a removals company with the stuff they carry nowadays. Fridges, wardrobes, treadmills, bed frames to name a few. Many drops are bulk consisting of numerous items. The days of single small item drops have gone. No consideration is given with regards to the time taken to make these stops. It seems if no one else will take Parcelforce will.

This is true, i have been surprised by the size and weight of items we’ve had delivered by PFW. One quite recent delivery consisted of several boxes weighing in total over 200 kg (not to mention volumetric weight). You would have thought sending it on a pallet service would be cheaper, but no, PFW is seemingly the most cost-efficient way of sending.

I had 6 boxes of powder for a dentist which is located on the second floor ..the lift is broken so i refused to take them out,,I was threatened with all sorts of punishment,,including death by firing squad..since the depot management was heavily pushing the Health and Safety agenda,,I used that same agenda to excercise my right not to carry 6 boxes of 25 kilo powder up 4 flights
of stairs,one box at a time,..

[SMS1969]

.

[SMS1969]

Parcelforce should be rebranded as a removals company with the stuff they carry nowadays. Fridges, wardrobes, treadmills, bed frames to name a few. Many drops are bulk consisting of numerous items. The days of single small item drops have gone. No consideration is given with regards to the time taken to make these stops. It seems if no one else will take Parcelforce will.

This is true, i have been surprised by the size and weight of items we’ve had delivered by PFW. One quite recent delivery consisted of several boxes weighing in total over 200 kg (not to mention volumetric weight). You would have thought sending it on a pallet service would be cheaper, but no, PFW is seemingly the most cost-efficient way of sending.

I had 6 boxes of powder for a dentist which is located on the second floor ..the lift is broken so i refused to take them out,,I was threatened with all sorts of punishment,,including death by firing squad..since the depot management was heavily pushing the Health and Safety agenda,,I used that same agenda to excercise my right not to carry 6 boxes of 25 kilo powder up 4 flights
of stairs,one box at a time,..

Good, don’t go hurting yourself for these fcukers, as a RM delivery driver, I’ve refused to take out very heavy parcels in the past.