LTB 056/26 – DRP Extended

[POSTMAN]

https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-056-26-drp-extended/

LTB 056/26 – DRP Extended
No. 56/26

27th February 2026

Dear Colleague,

DRP Extended

The purpose of this LTB is to advise Branches, Reps and members that we have agreed with Royal Mail an extension of the two DRPs on USO and Equalisation until 16th March 2026. This will run in line with the process agreed with the Government.

Please see below the agreed statement.

Royal Mail and the CWU agree to extend both Achieving National Agreement procedures

This week, the two Achieving National Agreement procedures for the deployment of Universal Service reform and Equalisation were due to conclude.

We can confirm that we have agreed with Royal Mail to extend the two processes until 16th March 2026. Discussions have been constructive and we look forward to continuing the talks to hopefully reach agreement on both topics as soon as possible.

We will provide an update in due course.

Whilst this is positive news and there has been a level of progress in the talks, several issues still need to be resolved before we can reach an agreement.

Any enquiries relating to the content of this LTB should be referred to the DGSP department hford@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

[funkflex55]

I don't think they had any option as they couldn't end the DRP whilst the government thing is ongoing. That extra time just gives more offices time to get ready for ODM. If that wasn't coming all the works preparing for it would have stopped.

[Playmail]

Yeah we getting 2 new duties put in for it Monday so its defo not stopping

[roadrunner bill]

Let's hope royal mail see sense... and adopt the unions model.. of heavy and lights....

It's the way forward...

[ted_e_bear]

Let's hope royal mail see sense... and adopt the unions model.. of heavy and lights....

It's the way forward...

I hope so too, can't see it though it doesn't save much compared to what RM want, the other good thing is it's driven by the union so there's conditions like a repick that our office will be against but if it's set then it should happen.

[yellowbelly]

Let's hope royal mail see sense... and adopt the unions model.. of heavy and lights....

It's the way forward...

I hope so too, can't see it though it doesn't save much compared to what RM want, the other good thing is it's driven by the union so there's conditions like a repick that our office will be against but if it's set then it should happen.

Will RM be ok with the reduction in staffing from the heavy and light method or what else will they want? Or will they say you can heavy and lights but you're not getting equalisation then as these two issues are the ones always mentioned in whatever briefings the CWU push out.

[Playmail]

We are defo getting one or the other get ready for a union spin it will be we've got the heavy and light and we've agreed that royal mail will up the terms and conditions in the future (future never comes)

[Acca Dacca]

We are defo getting one or the other get ready for a union spin it will be we've got the heavy and light and we've agreed that royal mail will up the terms and conditions in the future (future never comes)

Well things staying as they are was NEVER an option

The union wouldnt have to spin Royal Mail going with heavy and light instead of their ODM as a good thing as it WOULD be a good thing in comparison and most people would know that

[bowie]

Start time finish time,simple

[clashcityrocker]

Simple until they bring in commit to deliver.

[Rommagic]

What about a mixture of odm and heavy and light still giving them savings and most people staying where they are.Yesterday a bulk posting of a4 flats and they turned off the deferred mail terrible with parcels arrive late in meaning work left over bought back and we all left the office close to 11am.

[Rommagic]

The revision of three years ago killed my office lots still suffer ,rm and cwu not fixed it,odm worse still.

[qwerty2]

Simple until they bring in commit to deliver.

That’s forced OT - we’re not slaves

[SpacePhoenix]

What about a mixture of odm and heavy and light still giving them savings and most people staying where they are.Yesterday a bulk posting of a4 flats and they turned off the deferred mail terrible with parcels arrive late in meaning work left over bought back and we all left the office close to 11am.

It's doubtful the DTS was turned off, any MC has to get permission from higher up (think no lower than the regional director level) to turn the DTS off. More likely it was just a load of stuff being released, a combination of loads hitting the time limit and a load of DPs having 1C items.

[clashcityrocker]

Simple until they bring in commit to deliver.

That’s forced OT - we’re not slaves

You have all these people complaining about how poor a "vital" service is and remember Pullinger describing us as the 4th emergency service?
If it really is a vital service it would make sense for us to be treated like the other emergency services.
The fire brigade don't put their hoses away when it is home time if there is a blaze somewhere.

If I understand correctly the union idea of "heavy and light" involves lapsing walks.
There are many posts on here from people saying they don't ever do lapsing, they just walk slower to fill their time.
So the USO, a vital service, is going to fail as some people walk slower to avoid doing any extra?
How could you avoid that situation?