Attendances on the Forthcoming Bank Holidays

[Geezer]

Dear Colleague



A meeting took place with the business on Monday 28th March 2011 regarding the forthcoming Bank Holidays (including the additional Bank Holiday for the Royal Wedding).
We are advising Representatives to enter into local discussions immediately as part of the normal resourcing arrangements for Bank Holidays and in line with previous years.



The business have confirmed that on Friday 22nd April 2011 (Good Friday) there will be no change to the normal staffing arrangements that have been applied in previous years.
In Scotland the normal Bank Holiday arrangements/agreements for the Good Friday also remain unchanged.



In England the same resourcing principles that apply for Good Friday can also be agreed locally for the Bank Holiday on Friday 29th April 2011 as a result of the Royal Wedding.



Due to the removal of Sunday/Monday Night Shift duties who in the past would have attended on the Bank Holiday Monday/Tuesday,
there is still a requirement for traffic to be processed for Delivery on the Tuesday after the Bank Holidays, therefore discussions should take place to provide resource to process traffic.



Staffing requirements are identified and covered by volunteers which can include Day Shift staff attending for additional hours on Sunday/Monday where traffic is available as well as Night Shift workers volunteering to work Monday/Tuesday in order to provide sufficient cover to process the workload.
Where there are insufficient volunteers other measures should be considered such as additional overtime for Night Shift workers volunteering to attend and the use of casual staff etc.
Individuals whose rest day falls on a Bank Holiday will be credited with a day in lieu.



In Delivery normal Bank Holiday arrangements will apply in line with previous years and the 2004 Easter Agreement (copy attached), the same arrangements also apply for the Royal Wedding.



Any problems regarding the resourcing of the Bank Holidays should be dealt with in line with the IR Framework.



Regards

Phil Browne Bob Gibson

Acting Assistant Secretary Assistant Secretary


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NATIONAL AGREEMENT
EASTER/GOOD FRIDAY 2004 ARRANGEMENTS


1. Introduction

The purpose of this agreement is to deal with the arrangements for Easter/Good Friday 2004 following the decision taken in 2002 not to provide a delivery on Good Friday in England, Wales & Northern Ireland.


2. Operational Arrangements

2.1 Good Friday – in deliveries, taking into account forecast workload, there may be a need for levels of advance sortation and preparation to be undertaken in delivery units on Good Friday to assist Saturday deliveries. This will be performed on the basis of voluntary overtime.

2.2 Easter Saturday – normal Saturday deliveries will be undertaken on the basis of fair and manageable workload for all employees. Ahead of Good Friday and Easter Saturday, managers and union representatives will discuss the local delivery plans for Easter and in order to secure the customer service will review the forecast workload. If forecast volumes of mail require additional levels of overtime this voluntary overtime will be included in part of the plans. Employees will be advised of any overtime required prior to leaving the office on delivery.

2.3 Royal Mail will aim to better align staffing to the workload across all functions, including Processing, over the Easter period in 2004. Specific proposals for variation to staffing will be subject to local joint discussions, in accordance with the IR framework, to be concluded by end of March 2004. Otherwise, attendance is required for processing employees on both inward and outward functions for Thursday all shifts, Friday night and Saturday morning as in previous years. Lapsing of uncovered duties across all shifts wherever workload permits will take place. In previous years where there have been changes to outward processing patterns on Good Friday in accordance with the collection and despatch arrangements, these are expected to continue and will be discussed with the CWU as part of any forward plans.

2.4 Due to the fact that there is no delivery on Good Friday the workplan allows flexibility in when inward sorting can be done in delivery offices (see Para 2.1). Local arrangements should ensure that sufficient time is allowed for inward sorting either during the night or during the day for delivery on Saturday. This will be staffed by volunteers but in the event of insufficient volunteers Para 9 of the working time agreement/way forward will apply. These arrangements will also be applicable to delivery distribution drivers.

2.5 Normal Good Friday resourcing procedures will apply to distribution. However collections will be modified with the minimal requirement being Sunday style collections. As in previous years an amended network will operate on Good Friday, with these variations being discussed locally.




3. Duty Arrangements

3.1 Royal Mail and the CWU will co-operate fully to facilitate as smooth as possible operational arrangements over the Easter period. If not already progressing local discussions should take place immediately to provide coverage for the revised service standards in accordance with the terms of this agreement. Any difficulties will be urgently progressed through the IR Framework.

3.2 Normal bank holiday payments/day in lieu arrangements will continue to be available for employees who attend on Good Friday or Easter Monday in line with the nationally agreed terms of conditions.

4. Baseline Arrangements
The delivery baseline includes the impacts of Easter 2003, week number(s) adjusted accordingly.

5. Family Friendly Policy
Royal Mail and the CWU are still committed to providing improved family friendly attendances with an aim of maximising employees’ holidays, including Easter Saturday over the Easter period.

6. Savings
In recognition of the continued co-operation from the CWU and the employees with the new arrangements, the ongoing £1 million share of will continue to be paid into the National Pool.

7. Scotland
Following resolution of the outstanding issues in Aberdeen and Glasgow in 2003. Good Friday will be a normal working day with normal rates of pay according to whether it is/or not (as the case may be) a locally defined Public/Bank Holiday as per the Way Forward Agreement and the agreement reached for Aberdeen and Glasgow, dated April 17 2003.

8. Future Years
A national meeting will take place no later than January 2005 to share Easter operational arrangements for 2005. Specific attendance proposals will be subject to local joint discussions commencing no later than February 2005.

9. Review
A joint review will take place to evaluate the effectiveness of this year’s Easter arrangements in June 2004.


Royal Mail UK Communication Workers Union


Date: Date:

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Communication Workers Union


Date: ……………………………………..

[DGP1]

2004

[Geezer]

In Delivery normal Bank Holiday arrangements will apply in line with previous years and the 2004 Easter Agreement (copy attached)