LTB 078/25 – ROYAL MAIL: DRUGS & ALCOHOL – FOR-CAUSE TESTING PILOT – FURTHER EXTENSION

[POSTMAN]

LTB 078/25 – ROYAL MAIL: DRUGS & ALCOHOL – FOR-CAUSE TESTING PILOT – FURTHER EXTENSION
No.078/25 

16th April 2025

Dear Colleague 

ROYAL MAIL: DRUGS & ALCOHOL – FOR-CAUSE TESTING PILOT – FURTHER EXTENSION

Further to LTB’s 001/25 dated 2nd January and 035/25 dated 19th February. (

The Drugs & Alcohol For-Cause Testing Pilot originally commenced in Wales on Monday 13th January, then was extended to include Anglia and the South West, along with the English units in the Wales ROD area from Monday 11th March and was due to finish on Friday 2nd May. As it currently stands, there has only been one For-Cause Test initiated and this was a negative result.

The Postal Executive has now agreed to extend the duration of the For-Cause testing Pilot (for drivers only) until Friday 5th September and has also agreed to extend the geographical boundaries so that the Terms of Reference (ToR) previously agreed will be extended to include South Central, South East and Northern Ireland ROD areas from the following dates:

• Monday 9th June – South East

• Monday 16th June – South Central

• Monday 23rd June – Northern Ireland

The ToR in full is applicable into the extended Pilot, and this includes the safeguards surrounding the Support and Rehabilitation programme rather than Conduct. There are two caveats to this – a positive drug/alcohol test on the roadside following an accident/incident where the police are involved, or an individual being found in the possession of illegal drugs in the workplace.

It should also be noted that the extended Pilot does not include Parcelforce.

Briefings for South Central, South East and Northern Ireland Representatives

We will be holding three briefings for our Divisional Reps, Branch Secretaries, Area Reps and Area Safety Reps in the South Central, South East and Northern Ireland ROD Areas as follows:

South East ROD Area

Tuesday 27th May – 11.30am – 2.30pm
CWU Headquarters
150 The Broadway, Wimbledon, SW19 1RX

South Central ROD Area

Wednesday 28th May – 11.30am – 2.30pm
CWU Headquarters
150 The Broadway, Wimbledon, SW19 1RX

Northern Ireland

Thursday 29th May – 11.00am – 2.00pm
TBC (Provisionally The Innovation Centre, Queens Road, Belfast BT3 9DT)

We will be presenting the full details of the ToR for the extended Pilot and the protections and safeguards we have secured for our members in both the ToR and the Colleague Framework document. Obviously, there will be an opportunity for a Q&A session at the Briefings. In this regard, Royal Mail and Abbotts Laboratories have been invited to attend a session of the Briefings to demonstrate the equipment and to answer any technical questions. This is in keeping with the arrangements we undertook for the Wales and Anglia Briefings.

Andy Furey, Assistant Secretary, continues to lead on this matter on behalf of the Postal Executive, supported by Rob Wotherspoon, PE member.

The Postal Executive will be closely monitoring the Pilot and all Branches will be kept informed of any key developments as the extended Pilot progresses.

Yours sincerely,

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

Tony Bouch
Assistant Secretary

[Londonsburning]

How many so called pilots and extended pilots are needed?

[ted_e_bear]

How many so called pilots and extended pilots are needed?

I know, wonder how much wasted time is spent when surely there must be something more important to concentrate on

[Mr Rush]

How many so called pilots and extended pilots are needed?

As many as it takes to get the pot to boiling point.

[Valentina@1]

The timing of this makes feel like it’s just another way to get rid of people.

[2chorizon]

Just stalling again, get the full policy implemented, and to the CWU stop trying to "mitigate" & delay every single little thing the company want to bring in, you have obviously agreed to it so why the stalling?