Revision Process & Indoor Mail Flow Improvement Process

[Glenno]

Letter to Branches





No. 875/11 Ref: 230.03 Date: 18th October 2011


To: Branches with POSTAL Members

Dear Colleague

Revision Process & Indoor Mail Flow Improvement Process

This LTB is to inform you of the current situation regarding both of the above.

On the Revision Process we have made it clear to Royal Mail that there is only one revision process and that is contained in the BT 2010 national agreement. Any other version being touted by Royal Mail out in the field is not agreed with the CWU and should be rejected forthwith. Any attempts by Royal Mail to pursue revisions outside of the 6 phase process should be met with a registered disagreement, unilaterally if necessary, and reported to your CWU Divisional Reps and the Outdoor Dept at CWU HQ without delay. This will then be raised with Royal Mail at national level.

In the event of there being any agreed changes to the revision process these will be communicated by the CWU. Anything else should be ignored.

As far as the Indoor Mail Flow Improvement Process is concerned this also is not agreed with the CWU.

For clarity the CWU are not objecting to uplifts in Delivery Offices and we have made this clear to Royal Mail, in fact the following words were sent to Royal Mail as part of an overall document to try and agree a sensible approach to the flow process.

“Royal Mail managers and CWU representatives including employees can discuss general non operational improvements in the working environment such as painting walls and ceilings, new chairs, toilet facilities, rest rooms, messing areas and general uplifts to buildings in the context of what is realistically affordable. This will sit outside of what is generally recognised as Industrial Relations but it is jointly recognised that full consultation should take place between local management and the CWU in advance of any change to the working environment. A joint approach should be taken and Health & Safety representatives will need to be involved to ensure safety standards are maintained”

We did make it clear that after that any discussions to alter the floor layout and change the indoor content of duties should be subject to the 6 phase revision process and IR Framework which is something Royal Mail seem reluctant to agree; it is our opinion that they wish to introduce changes in Delivery Offices unilaterally and without agreement.

However we have attempted to move things on and despite a number of meetings, exchanges of documents and what we [CWU] thought were verbal assurances on certain aspects we have been unable to conclude a satisfactory agreement. The difficulty in reaching agreement is not helped by Royal Mail constantly changing their position, giving the impression they do not want an agreement or a process that fully involves the CWU, with a right to disagree.

Over the last month or so the CWU have moved considerably to try and avoid a breakdown over this matter, which for the record and contrary to the BT 2010 agreement was developed unilaterally and introduced into the field without our knowledge. Also it is not the CWU who are attempting to introduce a significant change to the 6 phase revision process. We have already stated that we are content to stay strictly with the terms of the national agreement and that remains the case. We have also informed Royal Mail in writing that anything other than the agreed 6 phase process, without our agreement, will be deemed as an abrogation of the national agreement and executive action on the part of Royal Mail.

In the last few days following a telephone conversation on Saturday morning a final document has again been sent to Royal Mail to see if we can reach agreement on this matter. Branches will be updated in due course if there are any further developments on the Indoor Mail Flow Improvement Process. In the meantime the process remains un-agreed and should also be met with a registered disagreement, unilaterally if necessary, and reported to your CWU Divisional Reps and the Outdoor Dept at CWU HQ without delay.

Any enquiries to Bob Gibson’s Office, quoting reference 230.03
Email address: hnutley@cwu.org

Yours sincerely

Bob Gibson
CWU Assistant Secretary - Outdoor

[Cut Off King]

I do believe that what has been going on at ground level for the last 18 mounths or so, is finally becoming clear to CWU HQ !

A BIT LATE IN THE DAY.....

[pop it in pete]

What is the Indoor Mail Flow Improvement Process? How does it differ from the 6 step revison?

[DGP1]

What is the Indoor Mail Flow Improvement Process? How does it differ from the 6 step revison?

I once had an indoor flow process................wife wasn't happy to clean up but that's life

[POSTMAN]

Well,when your screw next says let's go with the flow,tell em to feck off.
Never heard of it though...on a serious note.

DG,only you mate,only you.

[fishtank]

It's basically the start of WCM for D.O.s
Wait till you see the backless IPS frame idea.
Sorter fills it....porter empties it.

[keithposty]

INTERESTING THIS

THE PLANNERS LAST WEEK TOUTED THIS BACKLESS FRAMES FIASCO LAST WEEK AND WANT TO BRING IT IN WITH THE IWT

OH WELL

TIME FOR ANOTHER DISAGREEMENT IT SEEMS

[Big Daz]

It's basically the start of WCM for D.O.s
Wait till you see the backless IPS frame idea.
Sorter fills it....porter empties it.

I was briefed on that yesterday by a member who transfered in earlier in the year.

[Big Daz]

Big screens are saying a new approach is being launched to delivery revisions and 3rd phase starts next month.

[fishtank]

Big screens are saying a new approach is being launched to delivery revisions and 3rd phase starts next month.

Doesn't sound like this new approach has a lot of union involvement since we haven't heard a word about it from our end.
Still...i'm sure everything will be just fine after the "talks".

[jessicarabbit]

Basically this is something that has come from the WCM site in Burgess Hill. A 'porter' clears the back of the frames while the 'super sorters' remain rooted to their designated spots sorting. This prevents any one clearing down and talking to the 'super sorters' There is unagreed performance standards plastered all over the IPS frames encouraging 'super sorters' to sort quicker. Double Preppers never need to leave the prep frames as the 'porter' feeds them mail and the 'porter' divides the mail between the 'super sorters' so it makes some look quicker than others. Who do you think the 'porter' is in Burgess Hill? Yes it's the CWU rep...........What chance do we have when the reps are against us. This is not rumour. I have been to Burgess Hill and witnessed it for myself. In my old office they were trialing the backless frames. We all laughed as the letters flew out the back onto the floor for the DOM to pick up after the sorting finished.

[clashcityrocker]

We all laughed as the letters flew out the back onto the floor for the DOM to pick up after the sorting finished.

I wondered about this but didn't dare ask the question for appearing foolish. I thought I must have misunderstood.
The only thing you hear on the IPS (especially the flats) is thud thud thud as the mail hits the back of the frame.
If you take the back away........
And given that mail comes in different shapes and sizes, you frequently have to tilt the mail to prevent it falling out the front.
If you take the back away........

[fishtank]

You know when you stop at motorway services and there's that crappy eating place with all the food in little plastic compartments where you have to lift the plastic front bit up to get at the muck.....

[Big Daz]

Welwyn Garden City use the "Flows" System (Sorters and Porters)

[clashcityrocker]

Should you not get paid more if you are a super sorter?
And a special cap if you are a porter?