Use of Private Cars on Delivery by Agency and Casual Workers

[TrueBlueTerrier]

No. 848/09
Ref V1
Date: 28 September 2009


To: All Branches
 
Dear Colleagues
Use of Private Cars on Delivery by Agency and Casual Workers:
Following a number of enquiries and complaints from Area
Representatives and further to LTB No 820/09 the following
letter has been sent to Royal Mail Letters Board Members
and senior managers.

Yours Sincerely


Dave Joyce                            Bob Gibson
National Health Safety & Environment Officer           Assistant Secretary
 
 
==========================================================
 
 
 
Our Ref: V1/DJ/kg
 
24 September
 
 
Norman Smith
RML Safety Director
 
 
 
Dear Norman
 
 
Use of Private Cars on Delivery by Agency and Casual Workers
 
Many thanks for your positive reply on the use of private cars on delivery, confirming the business’s intention to cease this practice in the future.
 
I hope and trust this occurs sooner rather than later. 
 
You may not have heard the news but further to the case of the Woodford Green Postman, another near identical incident has occurred in Runcorn in Cheshire where a Postman was stopped by Police whilst using their private car on delivery.  The Police found his RM and private motor insurance cover was not valid and it was also found that his car was without a current MOT which proves Managers are not undertaking safety checks.  The Runcorn Postman was heavily fined and had 6 points put on his driving licence as did the Woodford Green postman.
 
Turning now to another aspect of the plague of private cars on delivery which is the purpose of this communication.
 
CWU HQ is now receiving reports of agency staff, Royal Mail casuals and area reserve workers, who the business are now employing in large numbers and are apparently using uncontrolled and unchecked private cars on delivery.  These people are using private cars to deliver the mail, probably without insurance, no safety checks or driver legal compliance checks. 
 
It seems fairly obvious that these drivers obviously do not have business use commercial insurance cover and in all probability only have social, domestic and pleasure motor insurance if they have anything at all. 
 
We have now had 2 postman, one recently in Woodford Green and one in Runcorn stopped by the Police and found to have no valid insurance.  Both have had their cars impounded, received large fines and 6 points added to their driving licence.
 
Sometime ago an agency worker in Luton was stopped by the Police whilst delivering mail in his private car and was found to have no licence, no insurance and no MOT. The Manager had obviously not run any safety or legal compliance checks.
 
In the past we have had members of the public killed by private cars on delivery, we have had staff imprisoned as a result of accidents whilst using private cars on delivery and we have had postal workers killed whilst using their private cars on delivery.
 
The whole question on adequate insurance cover, legal compliance for these activities and adequate occupation road risk controls has been called into question time an time again.
 
I would like to know what action Royal Mail proposes to take to rectify this problem.
 
Yours sincerely,
 
 
 
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
 
Cc
 
Mark Higson Managing Director
Michael Stockdale Delivery Director
Ian Stockdale Head of Corporate Social Responsibility
Keith Scott Royal Mail Group Head of Safety
Rob Jenson Operations Director
Bob Gibson Ass/Sec.

[brothermagrew]

An admirable letter from our trade union's National Health, Safety & Environment Officer and the sentiments of which I fully endorse as a CWU health and safety rep.

However, and as has been argued or hotly debated via these forums the thorny issue of private cars / vehicles being used for delivery purposes is not solely confined to Agency Workers and Casual Workers far from it. What is obviously apparent is that a lot of Managers are not carrying out driver safety and legal compliance checks in line with existing Royal Mail Policy (RM Private Cars on Delivery Procedure).

Least we forget that to ensure that all criteria is complied with in the RM Private Cars on Delivery Procedure, Managers must undertake periodic checks as defined in form WE STD5. The RM PCoDP operates in line with the conditions of use as listed in the document and failure to comply in full with all of them is a disciplinary offence.

[Geezer]

An admirable letter from our trade union's National Health, Safety & Environment Officer and the sentiments of which I fully endorse as a CWU health and safety rep.

However, and as has been argued or hotly debated via these forums the thorny issue of private cars / vehicles being used for delivery purposes is not solely confined to Agency Workers and Casual Workers far from it. What is obviously apparent is that a lot of Managers are not carrying out driver safety and legal compliance checks in line with existing Royal Mail Policy (RM Private Cars on Delivery Procedure).

Least we forget that to ensure that all criteria is complied with in the RM Private Cars on Delivery Procedure, Managers must undertake periodic checks as defined in form WE STD5. The RM PCoDP operates in line with the conditions of use as listed in the document and failure to comply in full with all of them is a disciplinary offence.

What about this document where it says security check of vehicles (including private cars ) is carried out as a minimum of once a week.......http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 36&t=18797" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[brothermagrew]

Spot on Geezer and of course this poll reveals a lot as well.

http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... =1&t=19411" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[POSTMAN]

Many thanks for your positive reply on the use of private cars on delivery, confirming the business’s intention to cease this practice in the future.

I know i've seen the LTB/letter on this but can't rem where,any ideas anyone?

[rockytony67]

LTB 820/09 - Private Cars on Delivery - Police Warning to Members regarding Insurance & Road Safety: Royal Mail Confirm Intention to Remove the Us
To view this download, please click here

No. 820/09
Ref V1
Date: 22 September 2009

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues

Private Cars on Delivery - Police Warning to Members regarding Insurance & Road Safety: Royal Mail Confirm Intention to Remove the Use of Private Cars on Delivery:

On Tuesday the 18th of August, a Postman working out of the Woodford Green Delivery Office in Essex was using his private car on delivery. He was subsequently stopped in an Essex Police road safety spot check. Although he was an authorised user and believed he was covered the Police were not happy with his motor insurance cover and so they impounded his car. He got it back later that day for a combined fee of £350, including fine, towing and release fees. Plus he had to upgrade his motor insurance to include business use at a cost of a further £70 - (£420 in total) before the car was released by the Police.

The Postman also got 6 points put on his Drivers Licence.

Since then a further Postman in Runcorn was stopped by Police whilst performing his duty and using his private car. It was discovered that he had no MOT and no business insurance. He received an on the spot fine of £60 and had his car impounded which cost £200 to be released.

The Postman also got 6 points on his licence.

Royal Mail accepts no responsibility for either case or any future cases similar to these and clearly the Police are cracking down!.

The Union's firmly held view in that members should not use their private cars on delivery and that the Insurance issue is a 'minefield' which Royal Mail has never resolved. These are two cases in point that prove it!

A letter was sent to Royal Mail's Director of Safety Norman Smith on 2 September about the Woodford Green case, pointing out as follows "I have been told several times that Royal Mail intend to cease the use of private cars on delivery and perhaps you can update me as to when that will happen and with it Royal Mail will demonstrate they are serious about Safety and reducing occupational road risk".

Norman Smith Royal Mail Safety Director replied "Thank you very much for your letter of 2 September outlining your concerns about private car use. I can confirm that it is our intention to remove the use of private cars on delivery as part of the deployment of the new delivery methods, and so remove incidents like the example you cite. Our approach to the removal of private cars on delivery is one of the points for further discussion when the CWU is able to meet up with Tessa Fayers and Kevin O'Brien who are leading the deployment of new Delivery Methods. Having committed as you recall, to deploying this policy some time ago we are keen to involve the CWU and enlist your support in our communications approach to the removal of private cars on delivery, as we deploy the new delivery methods. The Delivery Methods team is currently arranging a date to meet the CWU with a view to updating you on project progress and this will be an opportunity to revisit discussions on the removal of private cars on delivery."

We welcome this statement which has also been affirmed in the National talks currently taking place between Royal Mail and CWU regarding the current dispute. We will see shortly how committed Royal Mail is to a fixing a timetable to remove private car use on delivery. In the meantime Branches may wish to bring the details of the above cases to their members attention as a warning and remind them that our view is - Don't use private cars on delivery. Why risk a prosecution, points on your licence, fines, fees, accident, injury, loss or theft of your own private property. Why foot the bill for wear and tear, fuel costs and any damage and losses like increased insurance premiums, loss of your no-claim bonus, fixed penalties and parking fines etc. When things go wrong and accidents happen, many members regret having used the car. When it is broken down, banged up or worn out and off the road, Royal Mail will not help out. Members are not paid for using their cars on delivery and they do not need to use the car - SO DON'T is our advice. Use only official means of transport at all times.


Yours Sincerely


Dave Joyce Bobby Gibson
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer Outdoor Asst Secretary

[POSTMAN]

Nice one,cheers rocky

[Geezer]

This is going on in our office by casuals and R/M staff from others offices looks like words will have to be said tomorrow. But seen as they are not in our union ( casual staff) how does the land lie.

Ask the manager if he has checked their cars and done all the document checks which he is supposed to do on a weekly basis.