LTB 102/25 - USO Reform – National Joint Statements/Updated Communication

[yellowbelly]

Due to Hobnob shortages at the local Co-op in Manchester (supply chain issues still), both parties had to put their noses
to the grindstone and came up with the following statement (there are also several linked attachments, perhaps one of the admins knows how to paste them into the thread if deemed appropriate):

https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-102-25-uso- ... unication/

LTB 102/25 - USO Reform – National Joint Statements/Updated Communication

No. 102/25

22 May 2025

Dear Colleagues,

USO Reform – National Joint Statements/Updated Communication

Further to LTB 098/25 regarding updates to Pay, Section 5 and the USO, in advance of the National Briefing for CWU Representatives and Branches.

As outlined in recent weeks numerous discussions have taken place with the business regarding seeking to provide clarification and resolutions to a number of areas linked to USO pilot activity, as well as additional pre-deployment activity across the remaining circa 1,200 delivery offices.

As a result, we have agreed a number of Joint Statements which are attached and outlined as follows:

National Talks Update

Confirmation that a full agreement on pay and Section 5 will be sought to be concluded by 30th
A full National Agreement on USO will be concluded by 30th
Additional protections in that the business have committed to honour the no compulsory redundancy commitment throughout USO implementation and deployment which is expected to conclude in 2028, and provide employee benefits.
Confirmation that the USO change will only be deployed if a decision has been made by Ofcom and a full National Agreement is in place with the CWU. Both parties will ensure that the issues on attendance patterns will be unlockedby 30th May 2025.

USO Pilot Offices

Includes an update in relation to improving attendance patterns and ensuring that better flexibility is applied against the 7 options within an agreed criteria linked to compliance with safety and working legislation, Saturday coverage, quality of service and the cost basis is the same, which will be reviewed by the National Delivery USO Group.
In addition, the ability to review reserve level coverage, including where absence rates need to be planned in.
Ensuring all offices review their resourcing base to establish the status of either surplus staffing and/or the need to increase PT employee hours or recruitment.

USO Work Package – Pre-Deployment Activity

A jointly agreed 12-part deployment planning process for each delivery office in the lead up to any potential ‘go live’ date and ensuring the status of resourcing/recruitment is reviewed and included in the attached flow charts (Resourcing & Recruitment).
In line with the agreed process for the 37 pilot offices, a need to complete agreed frame moves in all delivery offices before their scheduled deployment date, to make better use of the space available to be able to sort and store parcels more efficiently.
In preparation for the proposed changes, validation exercise to gather and better understand information on non-drivers across all delivery offices.
Agreed process for better strategic involvement across all levels and ensuring the suitable release for CWU representatives as part of planning arrangements, which will be agreed between RODs/General Managers (GMs) and Divisional Reps alongside the OPLs and Area Reps.

Clearly the ongoing Pay, Section 5 and the USO are crucial to both parties and the release of the attached joint statements and wider clarification is intended to assist and give those negotiations the freedom to continue.

Both parties have agreed to hold a joint session with Regional Operational Directors and CWU Divisional Reps next week to run through all of the above and ensure that the same information is cascaded down to all levels of both structures as part of the improving strategic involvement and ways of working.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be referred to the DGS(P) department.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

Davie Robertson

Assistant Secretary

Tony Bouch

Assistant Secretary

[SkiSunday]

Every single sentence in that statement is ridiculously ambiguous. We are being shafted

[Perseus]

Pay is being linked to USO reform.

[tramssirhc]

Martin Walsh agrees to interrogating workers with contract variations:

"In preparation for the proposed changes we need to gather and better understand information on non-drivers. This builds on an exercise carried out earlier this year and to validate the information provided previously so we can understand the reasons why people do not currently drive as part of their role and identify any opportunities to support them to do so in the future".

[Valentina@1]

At least they got the reps released

Whole thing stinks

Sad times

[Perseus]

Martin Walsh agrees to interrogating workers with contract variations:

"In preparation for the proposed changes we need to gather and better understand information on non-drivers. This builds on an exercise carried out earlier this year and to validate the information provided previously so we can understand the reasons why people do not currently drive as part of their role and identify any opportunities to support them to do so in the future".

Has the penny finally dropped that not all offices are like the first pilot one, where they have 20 duties and 20 vans and 20 drivers?

CWU are painfully out of touch if they don't understand why people don't want to drive/change their contract.

[A2B]

Very few non drivers with years of service are going to suddenly decide to drive a RM van and that's just the ones who hold a license

[tramssirhc]

At least they got the reps released

Whole thing stinks

Sad times

The reps weren't released for the members benefit.

[SMS1969]

Very few non drivers with years of service are going to suddenly decide to drive a RM van and that's just the ones who hold a license

Our manager wants anyone who can drive, who currently don’t for RM, to make themselves available to drive. I don’t see a queue forming tbh.

[A2B]

Very few non drivers with years of service are going to suddenly decide to drive a RM van and that's just the ones who hold a license

Our manager wants anyone who can drive, who currently don’t for RM, to make themselves available to drive. I don’t see a queue forming tbh.

Some will feel pressured and start driving but not many and who can blame them

[Perseus]

Very few non drivers with years of service are going to suddenly decide to drive a RM van and that's just the ones who hold a license

Our manager wants anyone who can drive, who currently don’t for RM, to make themselves available to drive. I don’t see a queue forming tbh.

You know why that is. Because the much heralded 'more Saturdays off' becomes a non starter without a high % of an office staff driving. People shouldn't be blackmailed into it.

[Mr Rush]

and resolutions to a number of areas linked to USO pilot activity, as well as additional pre-deployment activity across the remaining circa 1,200 delivery offices.

Pre-deployment across the country for a trial that isn't even fully up and running let alone concluded? Told ya it's a foregone conclusion

[tramssirhc]

Very few non drivers with years of service are going to suddenly decide to drive a RM van and that's just the ones who hold a license

Our manager wants anyone who can drive, who currently don’t for RM, to make themselves available to drive. I don’t see a queue forming tbh.

It's what Martin Walsh signed up to.

[Pidleypoo]

I have a driving license and I got that a few years after I joined rm.

My contract doesn’t have it in there and I’ve never driven for Royal Mail in any capacity or done any changeover.

I also got the call from my manager about it and picked the last option I was given and that was I’m not a Royal Mail driver and do not want to be.

I know this upsets some people and I agree that if you drive you should get paid more.

But there’s not a single reason for me to drive for this company in those broken down and god awful vans and I won’t.

Unless rm go down all duties will be singleton duties then there’s still a role for us.

I don’t really want just a mon-fri duty either which is usually the gripe about us.

I’ve accepted that I’ll be more tired or fatigued as they keep putting it with these changes and no matter what they say , the Cwu will not in any reasonable way address it.

[Perseus]

I have a driving license and I got that a few years after I joined rm.

My contract doesn’t have it in there and I’ve never driven for Royal Mail in any capacity or done any changeover.

I also got the call from my manager about it and picked the last option I was given and that was I’m not a Royal Mail driver and do not want to be.

I know this upsets some people and I agree that if you drive you should get paid more.

But there’s not a single reason for me to drive for this company in those broken down and god awful vans and I won’t.

Unless rm go down all duties will be singleton duties then there’s still a role for us.

I don’t really want just a mon-fri duty either which is usually the gripe about us.

I’ve accepted that I’ll be more tired or fatigued as they keep putting it with these changes and no matter what they say , the Cwu will not in any reasonable way address it.

What reason do they even give for asking you?