PRIVATE CARS ON DELIVERY

[Geezer]

Please take the time to read this email from an ASR in South Yorkshire..

Yet again it is quite clear that members are putting themselves in potentially serious difficulty and Royal Mail are not telling people of the consequences.

Please try and take this matter up in the way described, especially if you have an area where people are regularly using thier own cars.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


TO ALL BRANCH SECs / ADRs SW/SW

Please find below report from Darren Bennet ASR - South Yorkshire

Could all branches make sure that the content of the report is passed onto ASRs and ask that a similar approach is adopted in all areas. This is further evidence of how ASRs have a critical role to play in the forthcoming dispute.

................................................................................................................................

Quick summary of where we are with the above and of course, what our work has lead to.
I now meet on a weekly basis with both the CWU ADR's and RM DSM's.
At this mornings meeting the issue of PCOD was discussed. DSM's were announcing that they viewed our members, declaring on Friday's they were not using there private cars, as a form of un-official industrial action, as well as refusing to perform overtime.
From a legal perspective, the following was made very clear to the DSM's of which they fully supported and agreed with.
If any offices did not have the correct risk assessment and authorisation for using PCOD then the manager would not allow the individuals to take mail out in there cars and I expected this to be fully adhered to.
As a consequence, both Steve and myself visited Halfway DO. After reviewing the PCOD materials, Risk assessments, Authorisation forms, they were found to be out of date by 2 years.
I asked the manager to announce to his staff that they could not use there vehicles, for acceleration, with immediate effect and that he should also check with his DSM before doing this. Two minutes later this was agreed and he briefed all of the staff that they could not take there mail out. Chaos!!!!
In addition to this, he gathered them in the room to discuss and invited me to speak with the staff. I used the opportunity to explain to people there insurance arrangements and the consequences of using PCOD. Most did not realise that they were covered only for third party by the business and that they ran the risk of having there own insurance being made null and void for failing to disclose that they use there cars for business purposes.. Shock Horror!!!!!
The following comments began to echo around the room " that's it, im not using my car anymore", "why did they not tell us this before", "I've been using my car for 10 years, as of now that stops"......
Both the ASR's and the ADR's should do the following:
Meet with the DSM's and gain there support and agreement in ensuring ALL legal requirements are completed (they have no choice but to agree to this).
If compliance is not performed or assessments are out of date, the use of the PCOD is stopped with immediate effect. (get the ASR's and ADR's to site the effect this will have on a manager by allowing employees to go out without the correct authorisation, Corporate Manslaughter etc, etc)
Jointly visit every office within the next 7 days and check for compliance. Any irregularities advise the manager, ask him/her to halt PCOD with immediate effect and that this has been agreed with his/her DSM.
The CWU are not instructing anyone. Royal Mail are doing it for us due to the fear of Corporate Manslaughter.
We also get the unique opportunity to outline the insurance elements of PCOD with the full support and thanks of RM.
So to recap:-

* Meet with the DSM's
* Get them to agree that vehicles can only be used if they have full authorisation, have been assessed, with insurance, licence and MOT
* Go to the offices check compliance and where they fail inform the manager that he/she must pull the plug with immediate effect
* Use the WTLL's to highlight the Insurance anomalies

This mornings action has caused chaos and vehicles have had to be drafted in from the mail centre.
Tomorrow morning will be even better...and it's RM that have taken the action.

Thanks

Darrell Bennett
CWU ASR
South Yorkshire

Chris Webb
Divisional Representative
South Wales / South West

[brothermagrew]

what must be done to meet the standards to allow the use of PCOD? would like to know so i could challenge the d**k sorry pr**k sorry dom

Sure you will find your answer in the original post. Something like risk assessments, documentation checks, manual handling checks but you may be missing the point the CWU position is clear an immediate ban and to ultimately end the use of private cars on delivery.

Small articles from CWU Voice (Postal) Jan/Feb 09 & Nov/Dec 08:
Car is our only option:
I read with interest Bob Gibson's
reply to the employee who voiced
his concerns about the use of private
cars on delivery (Voice letters
Nov/Dec 2008). Many of my
colleagues and me use our cars on
delivery because it wouldn't be
logical to use the vans.

Postmen and postwomen travel as
far as 20 miles to get to work and
there is no form of public transport
before our shift starts at 6am. We
have to then travel four or five miles
across the city to do our rounds. If
we didn't use our own cars then we
would have to travel on two buses to
get back to the office and then travel
home, many of us having to pick our
children up from school.
So the fact is that many of us use
our cars because we have little
choice not to, not because we want to.
Name and address supplied

Assistant secretary Bob Gibson replies:
Firstly, neither I nor anyone else is saying
that you should not use your car to get to
work. I was explaining CWU policy, which is
to end the use of private cars on delivery.
Secondly, if you have to travel back to the
office after your delivery then this should be
included in your duty as would travel time
out to your delivery.

Royal Mail Taking Advantage of Own-Car Drivers:
Working out of a West Country sorting office, I and around 20 other delivery
workers use our cars on a daily basis. Royal Mail’s policy states that we do this
voluntarily and do not consider the vast savings that they gain from this,
including acquisition and running costs of extra vehicles to distribute delivery
persons and the employment of extra personnel to drive these vehicles. Also, a
longer working day would have to be attributed to delivery workers so as to
include take out, pick up and mail supply as numerous walks do not have
pouch boxes of safe drops. Further savings are made on the planning
application costs to local councils for the sighting of pouch boxes and on their
upkeep and replacement. My fuel costs have risen considerably recently and it is
about time that Royal Mail changed its "voluntary car use" policy.
Name and address supplied

Assistant secretary Bob Gibson replies:
Royal Mail will not do anything about this while our
members continue to use their own cars, saving the business both time and money. In an
increasing number of cases, our members are driving around uninsured which can have serious
and far reaching consequences. There is really only one answer – don’t do it!

[Geezer]

Please see attached. You will note a crash involving a postman who was not properly regisetered to use his own car. People should NOT be using their own vehicles. if they do then they MUST ensure they are properly covered. If anything goes wrong RM will disown them and possibly sack them.

TO ALL BRANCH SECs / ADRs SW/SW

Please can you pass the attached documents onto all of your ASRs. They have kindly been distributed by Mick Gledhill, CWU Area Safety ,Bradford & District Amal Branch.

It is vital that they get involved ASAP with checking the registration of PCOD in all units. This dispute calls for all CWU reps to work together and this is a great way to use the powers that ASRs have - IN LAW.

Chris

Chris Webb
Divisional Representative
South Wales / South West


Sorry they are PDF files.

But if anyone can copy and paste them feel free.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Copied 3 most relevant posts and moved into downloads for ease of reference.

[POSTMAN]

Made it an announcement as well,anymore teebs and we'll update this post.

See this thread for discussion.

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 15&t=17849" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;