Xmas Arrangements 2011 Incl New Year 2012

[brothermagrew]

LTB No. 1012/11 Ref. 170 206A.04 Date: 28th November 2011

To: All Branches with POSTAL Members, Divisional Representatives and CWU Area Representatives

Dear Colleagues,

Christmas Arrangements 2011 including New Year 2012

Please find attached to this LTB, the national agreement covering the Christmas arrangements 2011 and New Year 2012 which was concluded on Thursday 24th November 2011 and cleared with the Postal Executive today.

The discussions have been fairly difficult particularly with regard to the Bank Holiday arrangements, but the words now contained in paragraph 3.5 adequately cover this aspect and provide the flexibility to arrive at local agreement. We are aware that there are already a significant number of local agreements in place and it is not our intention to interfere in those arrangements that have already been agreed.

There are no USO non service days this year and normal Bank Holiday arrangements will apply. This year we have also specifically included reference to Mail Screeners in the introduction to be specific in terms of who is covered by the agreement.

We have acknowledged Royal Mail’s requirement to deliver the USO and consequential service requirements, and that this year there is likely to be a significant number of packets in the system which will require special attention and adequate arrangements to be in place to cope with this increased demand. We believe that the wording of the agreement provides sufficient scope for this to be achieved and where difficulties are encountered then recourse to the IR framework is available.

Where general difficulties are encountered regarding Christmas arrangements then these should be progressed as soon as possible to Divisional level.

Any enquiries to Bob Gibson’s Office, quoting reference 170
Email Address: hnutley@cwu.org

Any enquiries to Terry Pullinger’s Office, quoting reference 206A.04
Email Address: dwyatt@cwu.org


Yours Sincerely


Bob Gibson
CWU Assistant Secretary

Terry Pullinger
Cwu Assistant Secretary

Christmas Arrangements 2011

1 Introduction

This document summarises arrangements for Christmas 2011 and New Year 2012 based on the principles agreed for recent years. Robust staffing arrangements will be required during the Christmas period to ensure operational needs and USO obligations are covered in line with workload forecasts taking into account the aspirations of employees. It covers OPGs, OSGs, MGV drivers, Mail Screeners, MDECs, processing engineers scheduled to shift working, LAs whose conditioned hours attract assigned allowances and Network professional drivers as detailed below.

Network professional drivers, Bank Holiday attendance arrangements will be made in line with the terms in the national agreement on the introduction of the professional driver and will be covered off separately. The 2004 Christmas agreement abolished claw back of hours arising from public, bank holidays and no service days and these arrangements remain in place for Christmas 2011.


2 Enhanced Operational Arrangements Christmas 2011

The following enhancements will operate in 2011. These are intended to address customer concerns and provide an improved service.

Extended Enquiry Offices Opening Times

There will be extended opening times from Monday 12 to Saturday 24 December. A national specification has been issued categorising each Delivery Office and the required opening times. Some units’ times will vary depending on experience of previous Christmases and taking fully into account local needs and knowledge.

Supplementary Packet Delivery Service + Re Delivery

Most Delivery offices will introduce supplementary packet deliveries where required from Monday 14th November until Friday 23rd December; A packet re delivery service may also operate on Sunday 18th December in addition to the supplementary service. These supplementary packet delivery duties will form part of the normal local discussions covering Christmas arrangements and will take full account of local circumstances. They will usually take place between 0700 – 1000 and 1500 – 2100 subject to the local discussions.

In all circumstances employee safety and the security of mail must be assured. Areas/Addresses identified as high risk e.g. deliveries suspended due to attacks, robberies or problem dogs etc will be excluded from receiving this additional service.

Sunday Collections

Can be made on 27 November 2011 and will be made on 4, 11 and 18 December 2011, although not an advertised service. Staffing will be on a voluntary basis and the operational arrangements agreed locally.

3 Attendance and resourcing arrangements

3.1 Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 December are the Christmas Day and Boxing Day bank holidays. There will be no USO collections and deliveries on these days

3.2 Monday 2 January 2012 is the designated New Year Bank Holiday (and Tuesday 3 January in Scotland) There will be no USO collections or deliveries on 2 January (and 3 January in Scotland)

3.3 As agreed in 2004, people will not be required to make up hours they would have worked arising from the bank holidays or non USO days. Therefore people normally scheduled to work on any of the Bank Holidays in the provision of USO collection and delivery services will not be required to attend (with the exception of Network Professional Drivers) and not be required to make up the hours (i.e. there will be no claw back)

3.4 Rest days will apply in line with normal year round arrangements. Attendances may be varied by local agreement to take account of workload forecasts and service requirements. Where workload requires people can volunteer to work their normal rest day in return for a day in lieu or scheduled attendance.

Where a rest day falls on a bank holiday (i.e. 26, 27 December or 2 January, plus 3 Jan in Scotland) and it is not operationally sensible to transfer the rest day to another day in the same week people will receive an additional day holiday (including those working ‘a week off in six’ or other variations on this theme) in the form of a day in lieu or alternatively the excess hours can be taken as normal overtime

3.5 In order to comply with the USO night shifts should normally resume at the scheduled time on 27 December and 2 January (3 January in Scotland). Staff attending will receive the normal bank holiday premium for hours worked on those days. Local Christmas discussions/arrangements should ensure that staffing arrangements are in place to meet these obligations in full, utilising a full range of resourcing options.
Network Professional Drivers will be covered by separate arrangements.

3.7 Weekend duty holders (notional full timers and people who make three or less attendances each week) will have separate scheduling arrangements based on the same principles as in previous years.
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3.8 Local flexibility agreements and the National Pay and Modernisation agreement phase 3 annexes A and B will apply and be utilised during the Christmas period. Both parties will explore opportunities to give people time off where possible consistent with customer and operational requirements.

4 Christmas Bonus Supplement

The Christmas bonus supplement of £100 for full time OPG and OSGs (pro-rated for part timers) will be paid on Friday16 December. The eligibility criteria for the Christmas bonus payment will be the same as last year, based on the four December weeks (commencing 28 November). In the unlikely event of any industrial action the abatement criteria will be drawn from the PBS agreement.

5 Scheduled Attendances

Scheduled attendance rates can be paid for pre-scheduled overtime worked during the Christmas period. These do not attract paid meal breaks.

6 Local discussions

Discussions with local CWU representatives should ensure Christmas arrangements are concluded in line with national agreements. Details will be negotiated locally to secure reliable staffing, ensuring everyone has a fair and manageable workload, and will consider the following options

People to work their normal rest day in return for a day in lieu or scheduled attendance/overtime.

Pre-scheduling hours against forecast workload.

Scheduled attendance or pressure overtime.

Use of temporary / agency staff as supplementary resource.

Attendance arrangements on Saturdays 24 and 31 December which are not bank holidays or non USO days.


7 Pay Arrangements

The Christmas Pay Timetable is attached. .



Royal Mail CWU
28 November 2011






Pay dates during Christmas 2011

Pay dates and payroll processes remain the same for weekly paid employees, with current week basic pay, assigned allowances and previous week’s additional hours and ad hoc adjustments paid each Friday. Due to the impact of bank / public holidays on payroll operations, the following arrangements apply:

Weekly-Paid Contracted Employees

w/c 5th December (pay date Friday 9th December)
· Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
· Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 28th November

w/c 12th December (pay date Friday 16th December)
· Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
· Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 5th December
· Christmas Supplement

w/c 19 th December (pay date Friday 23rd December)
· Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
· Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 12th December

w/c 26th December (pay date Friday 30th December)
· Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
· Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 19th December

w/c 2nd January 2012 (pay date Friday 6th January 2012)
· Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
· Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 26th December

w/c 9th January 2012 (pay date Friday 13th January 2012)
· Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
· Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 2nd January

Monthly-Paid Contracted Employees
Cut-off will be Sunday 11th December
Pay date will be Friday 23rd December
These cut off apply to both those on the existing payroll system and the new PSP system.

[fishtank]

Incl New Year 20121

I don't think any of us need worry about that New Year brothermagrew.

[fishtank]

Where a rest day falls on a bank holiday (i.e. 26, 27 December or 2 January, plus 3 Jan in Scotland) and it is not operationally sensible to transfer the rest day to another day in the same week people will receive an additional day holiday

Naughty.
What if you don't want it transferred?

[brothermagrew]

Incl New Year 20121

I don't think any of us need worry about that New Year brothermagrew.

Oooooopppssssadaisy
Amended

[shepherdess]

how many hours should you get to work your day off over the christmas period?

[johnnyp]

how many hours should you get to work your day off over the christmas period?

I may be wrong as i aint done docket for ages,but the last time i worked a day off over xmas you got the duty time plus any pressure hours for that day.

[POSTMAN]

Where a rest day falls on a bank holiday (i.e. 26, 27 December or 2 January, plus 3 Jan in Scotland) and it is not operationally sensible to transfer the rest day to another day in the same week people will receive an additional day holiday

Naughty.
What if you don't want it transferred?

I see they didn't get the way forward rip off then.

[ldsposti]

Hi where will i get an official download of this LTB as my dom will not recognise this one

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Hi where will i get an official download of this LTB as my dom will not recognise this one

The CWU Website - you'll need your log in details but you can print off proper copies that have the CWU Headers and Footers on them.

[POSTMAN]

It's here...

cwu__1322498512_11ltb1012.doc

[royalmailpostieRG]

hi i started work for royal mail in september this year 30 hours a week do i still get the christmas bonus? thanks

[TrueBlueTerrier]

hi i started work for royal mail in september this year 30 hours a week do i still get the christmas bonus? thanks

Yes as long as your employer is Royal Mail and you are on full pay over the 4 week Christmas Pressure you should get it.

[scotboyblue]

I was on unpaid leave on w/c 28/11 due to wife being in hospital, does that mean ill lose out this year, even though i started back on 5/12.

[POSTMAN]

The eligibility criteria for the Christmas bonus payment will be the same as last year, based on the four December weeks (commencing 28 November).

For each full week an indivdual recieves no pay during the presure period ( eg unpaid special leave etc ) the indivdual will lose one quarter of the supplement.

For each full week where basic pay is reduced for sick pay pension rate the indivdual will lose one quarter of the supplement.

For each full week where basic pay is reduced for sick half pay the indivdual will lose one - eighth of the supplement

For each day counted midnight to midnight excluding bank holidays on which an employee takes unofficial industrial action their supplement will be abted by 10%
for official action it will be abted by 3%