Removal of Monday 2nd Class Dispatch from Mail Centres

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Letter to Branches





No. 660/2011
Ref. L14.11
Date: 25th July 2011

TO: ALL BRANCHES WITH POSTAL MEMBERS & POSTAL DIVISIONAL REPS
For immediate circulation to all appropriate Area/Unit Representatives



Dear Colleague

Removal of Monday 2nd Class Dispatch from Mail Centres

Further to LTB 585/11 circulated to Branches/Representatives on the 30th June 2011 regarding the above.

Discussions have been continuing and the CWU have submitted a formal proposal (copy attached). Royal Mail have rejected the proposal however no explanation from the business has been given for that rejection.

The purpose of this LTB is to advise Branches and Representatives of this development and that local discussions relating to any proposals regarding the above must be dealt with via the IR Framework and the status quo applied until a resolution has been found.

We have taken the opportunity to remind the business that this is a National issue that requires a National solution as it involves both Mail Centre and Network functions and that the terms of the Business Transformation Agreement as well as the spirit and intent of that Agreement will be applied which means Managerial Executive Action and Industrial Action will become unnecessary on the basis that we are attempting to find a resolution.

We have advised Royal Mail that the CWU Nationally remain committed to have an agreed approach and we will advise Branches and Representatives of any developments in due course.

All enquiries regarding the content of this LTB should be addressed as appropriate to Phil Browne, Acting Assistant Secretary, Indoor Department quoting reference number L14.11 or Terry Pullinger, Assistant Secretary, Parcels, Network and Quadrant quoting reference number 516.


Yours sincerely

PHIL BROWNE TERRY PULLINGER
ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY ASSISTANT SECRETARY

[TrueBlueTerrier]

OINT STATEMENT BETWEEN RM AND CWU ON REMOVAL OF MONDAY 2C DESPATCH FROM MAIL CENTRES

Introduction
Royal Mail are proposing to cease the Monday 2c despatch from Mail Centres as part of discussions taking place on Network 2011. This paper describes the impact of that change and how Royal Mail and CWU will work together to consider the proposal, resolve any issues of concern and agree on implementation.

Background
Royal Mail currently operates a dedicated network operation for Saturday post 2c items. However, Saturday 2c posted volumes are the lowest of the week and work plan disciplines are poor with a significant % of Saturday posted 2c traffic travelling on other networks. There is an opportunity to put this low volume, low margin work onto other networks and standardise and maintain service

Operational Work Plan Change
All 2c posted stamp, meter and PPI traffic from outward Mail Centres on a Saturday will be processed and despatched on that day. The impact of this change will include:

Additional traffic sorted in outward Mail Centre on Saturday afternoon
Additional traffic to sort in inward Mail Centre on Sunday
No Saturday 2c processed on Monday morning in Mail Centres
No Saturday 2c keyed at MDEC on Monday morning
No 14:00 Monday 2c Network
Reduced volumes on Monday night inward
Later dispatches may be required from a number of Mail Centres as a result of more work and later collection arrival profile as a result of sequencing delivery revisions. These details will be confirmed locally on a site by site basis
Later last keying time for MDEC may also be required on Saturday dependent on the above
A small number of geographically remote Mail Centres may retain their outward 2c processing instead of sending to consolidation sites as they do at present.

Timescales
The deployment of this proposal is subject to Agreement being reached as part of the Network 2011 changes currently planned for 6th August to align with the 8th August deployment date for Network 2011. This whole package is subject to ongoing consultation between Royal Mail and CWU and will be deployed when the 14:00 Monday 2c Network ceases.

Out of Scope
This initiative covers only the operational work plan change for 2c stamp, meter and PPI posted traffic on Saturday into Mail Centres and the directly impacted Mail Centre duty schedules and Network changes. It is not envisaged therefore that this initiative will require full scale duty revisions in Mail Centres. Other changes and efficiency plans will be considered as separate projects in the normal way.
Success Criteria for Local Discussions
Local discussions should ensure that mutual interest solutions are developed making sure that the operational issues of Q of S and service standards are met and maintained consistent with providing acceptable duty patterns and earnings opportunities.

Deployment
Discussions should take place locally to identify the staffing requirements to implement this change in advance of the proposed cessation of the 14:00 Monday 2c Network. The current arrangements will continue to apply until Network changes have been introduced.

Those discussions should involve Local Representatives for both Network and Mail Centres using the existing National Industrial Relations Framework and other relevant Agreements.

[RTP]

Can someone translate that please, because unless I've read it wrong, what it actually means is that delivery offices will be busier on a Monday, quieter on a Tuesday and busier on a Wednesday

[SpacePhoenix]

Could this be the thin edge of a wedge of 2C being got rid off (and possibly with it early shift in most MCs)?

[chunk]

Can someone translate that please, because unless I've read it wrong, what it actually means is that delivery offices will be busier on a Monday, quieter on a Tuesday and busier on a Wednesday

I think your right as this was my first thought also!
second class items on a Saturday bumped up to first class so
to arrive on Monday?
this can only increase the "light Tuesday" volume disparity ?

Double absorption anyone?

Then overtime in the week...

[hubbahubba]

Could this be the thin edge of a wedge of 2C being got rid off (and possibly with it early shift in most MCs)?

Thought did cross my mind tbh.All monday morning SA holders were given 1 month notice of SA going at the beginning of this month,and told that this new system will commence 8th aug.

Funny how they dress this up as a network issue,when our MC is "saving" over 40hrs through this.Same as most RM ideas,its all about cutting duties/hours,not providing a service..............

[heathrow86]

I think that the deployment of Network 11, on august 6, is pushing it. In my Voc we have not even seen the duties yet!! But going back to the original thread, could the removal of the 2nd class on a Monday be classed as executive action, especially as it has not yet been agreed?

Also why is the business pushing all these changes so quickly?

[blackadder]

wont be long before we see the end of 2nd class mail

[Geezer]

Letter to Branches


No. 677/2011 Ref. L14.11 Date: 3rd August 2011

TO: ALL BRANCHES WITH POSTAL MEMBERS & POSTAL DIVISIONAL REPS
For immediate circulation to all appropriate Area/Unit Representatives


Dear Colleague

Removal of Monday 2nd Class Dispatch from Mail Centres

Further to LTBs 585/11 and 660/11 circulated to Branches/Representatives on the 30th June 2011 and 25th July 2011 respectively regarding the above.

Discussions have been continuing and the attached Joint Statement between Royal Mail and the CWU on the removal of 2nd Class dispatch from Mail Centres has now been agreed (copy attached).

The purpose of this LTB is to advise Branches and Representatives of this development and that local discussions relating to any proposals regarding the above must be dealt with via the IR Framework.

Representatives can now prepare in advance to have agreed arrangements in place in the event of the Monday 2nd Class 14:00 dispatch arrangement ceasing. The current Processing arrangements within Mail Centres will continue to apply until the Network changes have been introduced.

All enquiries regarding the content of this LTB should be addressed as appropriate to Phil Browne, Acting Assistant Secretary, Indoor Department quoting reference number L14.11 or Terry Pullinger, Assistant Secretary, Parcels, Network and Quadrant quoting reference number 516.


Yours sincerely

PHIL BROWNE TERRY PULLINGER
ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY ASSISTANT SECRETARY

[patrickstar]

how can this have been agreed at national level by our union without massive consultation in the mail centres?


i work mon to friday in a mail centre and there have been rumours for weeks with management refusing to discuss any details and the union refusing to discuss until agreement at local level have been achieved but the national position is that it is now agreed!!!
i am incredulous over this!!!

[fishtank]

[patrickstar]

are we saying there will be no monday duties at all on early shift even for dsa ,cut and tip?