Rebuilding Royal Mail Part 2

[TopperGas]

Why are the offices being slaughtered now in the trials not also being used for the incentives scheme ?

It will be like winning a prize draw if you work in one of the trial offices, as you'll be entitled to a nice bonus whilst every other office gets zilch?

[TopperGas]

[quote="Martin Walsh" post_

11. There is a firm commitment to reduce staff including allowing part timers to increase their hours where any agency has been in place over 13 weeks.

. Martin,
Obviously you mean to reduce "agency" staff.
At the RDC where I work there has always been an over reliance on agency staff in my opinion. A colleague is keen to uplift his hours from 35 to 37 .. is this the type of increase in hours which will now be honoured.
[/quote]

How many times have we heard over the years that PT's will get their hours increased but when we ask our managers they claim they haven't got a clue what we're talking about or suggest if we increase our hours we'll have to move to a new contract?

[theargyspy]

Another question RE Part 2 4.1

Royal Mail and the CWU have discussed and consulted on the current voluntary redundancy
terms with a view to helping avoid the need for compulsory redundancies in line with the
Framework Agreement. As a result, the following improved terms will now apply for any voluntary
redundancies:

- Tapering will be removed with immediate effect.
- A new formula increasing the maximum entitlement to 52-weeks
- An increase to the minimum entitlement from 8 to 13-weeks.
- An increase to the multiplier from 2 to 2.5 to enable faster acceleration for individuals to
progress through the ready reckoner. The new ready reckoner is in Appendix 1.
- PILON will not be payable in addition to redundancy payments.

So PILON will NOT be payable, this is a new! I messaged Martin about this and asked for clarification but so far not had an answer

[tonyt450]

Fair play Martin for coming on to write on here, the abuse you have got on here is out of order.

Thanks for clarifying a few things I was unsure on.

[Woody84]

Martin ....
As a part time new start 2 years now, might I add who has worked consistent sundays for the past 5 years for 12.60 an hour,coming in when asked to do different random days on top, this pay deal just isn't correct for what we do on a daily basis.. going out with over a 100 tracks and clearing them along with mail in 6 hours some cases even quicker just doesn't reflect what we should be getting in a world where stamps and what royal mail get for parcels over the counter isn't coming down the line..where does the money go?is it a case where there to many managers who are receiving astronomical bonuses and its the postperson who fits the bill?? In an ideal world an honest hardworking postperson coming in on a new contract should be on £15 an hour..why should the newbies be left behind? Incentive is what drives any worker and i dont see any of that with royal mail.. people are going to leave over this deal and most sucessful businesses are in the business of retaining staff not removing them.. enough is not being done to encourage anyone young to come into this job..

I second this, why are new entrants waiting till September and very little information about it? Will we be getting the delivery supplement as well and another pay rise up to the same as the legacy contract in September? If so, will it and the delivery supplement be backdated to April?

Come September it’ll be more BS and “wait until December “ etc

It’s an embarrassment and an insult and the legacy contract people in my office all agree that ‘new entrants’ should be made up and given the time frame now and not have to wait until December and beyond.

[fadetogrey63]

I second this, why are new entrants waiting till September and very little information about it? Will we be getting the delivery supplement as well and another pay rise up to the same as the legacy contract in September? If so, will it and the delivery supplement be backdated to April?
[/quote]

Hope I'm wrong but I can't see us getting the delivery supplement, not even paid breaks, they will just put us on the same hourly rate., the two tier workforce will still be in place

[postslippete]

The message feels more defensive than confident. A pay rise is a decent enough start but imho the real challenge is still the persistent 2-tier workforce and equalisation. Obviously, it's an emotive issue amongst staff (as we have seen on other threads) as it's clear that RM would like a cheaper, more flexible workforce en-route to the gig economy model. But in doing so, they risk a high turnover and any short term savings is money down the drain if they can't retain staff over the longer term.

There also seems to be a lot of promises around resetting industrial relations, myPerformance changes and new ways of working but nothing really concrete on how that is actually going to change management behaviours on the shop floor. I overhead one of the managers today talking about using myPerformance as a leaderboard and pulling staff aside if they are at the bottom to 'discuss' why they are underachieving. That's concerning, especially given the rising workloads, tracked volumes and tougher conditions and feels like a pretty big string attached - but it isn't really being addressed in any of the comms.

[Peabrain22]

Fair played to him of course you can't take that away from him..but lissen to the staff who are on the ground..the ones who take the slack if a parcel goes missing or if a special doesn't get delivered on time.. this is a responsible job so we should be recognized for that.. managers on a laptop firing out phrases like "dont forget to go onto my doorstep".. why what difference will that make.. Will it upset your bonus.... im more into real hardline stuff,where royal mail can invite new people in and offer attractive pay which inturn rallys the postperson and drives them to do there best when out on the roads..

[Scointer]

I second this, why are new entrants waiting till September and very little information about it? Will we be getting the delivery supplement as well and another pay rise up to the same as the legacy contract in September? If so, will it and the delivery supplement be backdated to April?

Hope I'm wrong but I can't see us getting the delivery supplement, not even paid breaks, they will just put us on the same hourly rate., the two tier workforce will still be in place
[/quote]


Make sure you read all the detail regarding what is being discussed for new entrants….
There will be a pathway to equalisation and time served on the new contracts will be used. This means they will be saying the first increment will be after you have been on a new contract for at least three years before you get the first step (paid breaks and a small hourly increase). Then another step after four/five years on the new contract to get to pay parity with the old contracts (there is no way they will backdate anything for two and a half years that some new entrants have already been on the new contracts hence my guess that three years will be for the first step and December 2025 date).

By this time the delivery supplement will have gone in exchange for 1.25 OT rate for old contracts.

[worktotime]

Whist I can predict the way the above will be received. Nevertheless as someone who has never hid from communicating with members of this board.

Whilst I am in a position which should face scrutiny and questions, I believe there is no place for just abuse.

Prior to the agreement yesterday this board was full of such things as the delivery supplement was going , paid meal reliefs were finishing and that any agreement was conditional on agreement of the USO.

None of that has been proven true.

A few facts about the agreement and next steps.

1. This is only the second no strings pay deal in over 30 years. All the others have been linked to change.

2. If Royal Mail had offered the CWU back in 2022 a no strings pay rise of 4.2% I would have a bet we would never have gone on strike. A strike which ended up a pay and change agreement.

3. Since privatisation only twice have pay rise been above inflation

4. The 4.2% flows through to all allowances and moves the legacy hourly rate for delivery staff to £15.04 per hour. The minimum wage is £12.21.

5. BT made a 13 billion profit and the pay award for open reach was 3.6%. Royal Mail are likely to make a profit of circa 15 million.

6. In year 1 the cost of the pay rise is £220 million which will increase in year 2 and 3.

7. The most Royal Mail will get from USO is circa 300 million pounds and that is possible not realistic.

8. Year 2 and 3 will at worse keep pace with inflation.

9. There is an improved VR terms. This removes the tapering which stops anyone over 64.5 from getting the full terms. It increases the maximisation payment to 52 weeks, it increases the minimum from 8 weeks to 13 and increases the multiplier from 2 to 2.5.

10. It commits to a pilot in a minimum of 12 delivery units and 2 mail centres a performance incentive scheme with the aim of rolling it out across the operation. Talks in the other business units will take place on separate schemes.

11. There is a firm commitment to reduce staff including allowing part timers to increase their hours where any agency has been in place over 13 weeks.

This is all your being asked to vote on in this agreement.

There will be a separate agreement on the USO which will be subject to a separate vote of the membership. The commitment is that the pilots have to be put right and us agreeing a sensible deployment plan and an agreement which will be a standalone vote. It is expected Ofcom will make their decision before the summer recess.

Further agreements will follow on the following :

1. The equalisation of new entrants pay , terms and conditions in incremental steps including the first in September 2025.
2 A review of SA and overtime to be completed by December 2025.
3.An improve sick pay agreement by September 2025.
4. A pilot on new ways of working to produce a more supportive approach to my performance app.
5. A total reset of employee relations and industrial relations by September
6. A new growth and investment strategy by December 2025.

These will be subject to separate votes.

EP have been in charge of this company since the 2nd June and have ageeed a separate pay deal and further talks on all the above.

It is a good start. More progress to come!

This is all your being asked to vote on which i think this is a bit of an insult to us as the only thing i can see is a 1 year pay deal and everything else included in section , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 or what will be dealt with later , and why would you think why we would be interested in what bt got or what it will cost the company when they have thrown money about like confetti but not to the staff , you and ward in all your live sections where telling staff nothing is agreed until everything is agreed so why has that changed and why ? i think its a joke to be honest and has the IHR and average holiday payments been changed ? ,

[fadetogrey63]

This means they will be saying the first increment will be after you have been on a new contract for at least three years before you get the first step (paid breaks and a small hourly increase). Then another step after four/five years on the new contract to get to pay parity with the old contracts

Heck that's even worse than I thought, I've been here a year so I would have to wait at least another two before any improvements? what a shambles of a deal.
I doubt very much I will be here by then, thanks for the clarification..

[postslippete]

On reflection, it’s odd that Martin Walsh is calling this a 'no strings' pay deal when it’s clearly linked to USO reform which will bring major operational changes. The fact that pay has only been above inflation twice since privatisation simply highlights how weak the union’s leverage has often been, especially considering the 'Drive to 35' push for a shorter working week which in reality just led to bigger duties. The CWU comparison with BT is convenient but backfires when Openreach staff got less of a rise despite their employer making billions. There is constant scrutiny with RM's finances imho but do we ever see the full picture? Likewise, even the £220 million 'cost' of the pay rise feels like PR to make the union look good while laying the groundwork for future cost-cutting.......

I have no doubts that USO reform will go beyond the claimed £300 million savings once delivery frequency drops further and this feels like softening us up for it. Managers have been saving money for years by not covering rounds daily and imho USO reform just formalises that. The VR terms sound good, but if it’s selectively offered, most won’t benefit, and those left working will simply face even more pressure. Any performance incentive schemes are classic carrot and stick and the vague 'supportive' approach to myPerformance? Well, the union previously opposed these apps but now it’s suddenly a 'pilot'? Without clear protections it’s just another tool for pressuring staff.

[norris9]

Obviously, it's an emotive issue amongst staff (as we have seen on other threads) as it's clear that RM would like a cheaper, more flexible workforce en-route to the gig economy model. But in doing so, they risk a high turnover and any short term savings is money down the drain if they can't retain staff over the longer term.

Where are the signs it wants, or is going for a more flexible workforce in relation to new starters contracts?

As far as I am aware people have set hours, strict start and finish times, which is actually ridiculous when the job does need flexibility as workload varies from day to day + we have the USO to adhere to. Why is the company so rigid with the contracts they offer.

[baldrick]

Another question RE Part 2 4.1

Royal Mail and the CWU have discussed and consulted on the current voluntary redundancy
terms with a view to helping avoid the need for compulsory redundancies in line with the
Framework Agreement. As a result, the following improved terms will now apply for any voluntary
redundancies:

- Tapering will be removed with immediate effect.
- A new formula increasing the maximum entitlement to 52-weeks
- An increase to the minimum entitlement from 8 to 13-weeks.
- An increase to the multiplier from 2 to 2.5 to enable faster acceleration for individuals to
progress through the ready reckoner. The new ready reckoner is in Appendix 1.
- PILON will not be payable in addition to redundancy payments.

So PILON will NOT be payable, this is a new! I messaged Martin about this and asked for clarification but so far not had an answer

I don't think PILON has been payable for many years. I took VR in 2013 and it wasn't paid then. I had to work the 12 weeks notice period.

I haven't read the Appendix 1 VR terms, but it sounds better than the £10k payment some people on here had said they would grab.
Don't know though how widely they will be offered.

[SkiSunday]

I stopped reading after the "legacy hourly rate is £15.04 per hour" Martin Walsh is an absolute shyster.