Joint Statement:VOC Resourcing

[fishtank]

FOR THE URGENT ATTENTION OF ALL:



Postal Branches
Divisional Representatives
Regional Organisers
Area Distribution Representatives
LGV Representatives
RDC Representatives




Dear Colleague

National Network Dispute Resolution:

Joint Statement between Royal Mail and the CWU on the Review of Resourcing in Royal Mail Vehicle Operating Centres and Manpower Planning/ Development Opportunities Going Forward

Branches and representatives will be aware that LTB 476/12 dated 20th June 2012, contained the following reference to one of the issues the CWU included in the high level discussions that were to take place:

“enhancing job security, employment and career path opportunities for CWU grades and so minimising use of external resource.”

Branches and representatives will be aware that the 2007 Professional Drivers Agreement (PDA) contained a generic commitment by the business in regard to the training and development of internal applicants to ensure that a robust resourcing process and adequate reserves were available. The BT2012 Agreement also contained a commitment in the Generic Operational Transformation section to provide greater long term job security and more rewarding employment.

It was the CWU’s opinion that focus had been lost in regard to resourcing in Network which maximised the utilisation of directly employed staff prior to any external resource and responded to personal development and genuine career path opportunities for CWU represented grades. Against that backdrop we are pleased to attach the Joint Statement that has been agreed with the employer, which will re-invigorate the commitments we had made in our National agreements and enable the introduction of a genuine development driver training programme and a robust resourcing strategy going forward.

Further information/updates will be circulated to Branches and representatives on the activity of the respective Working Group in due course.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Terry Pullinger, Assistant Secretary, e-mail: dwyatt@cwu.org or lwright@cwu.org quoting reference number: 216.01


Yours sincerely




Terry Pullinger
Assistant Secretary







Joint Statement between Royal Mail and the CWU on the Review of Resourcing in Royal Mail Vehicle Operating Centres and Manpower Planning/ Development Opportunities Going Forward


Royal Mail Logistics and CWU have agreed that the time is right to re-affirm the commitments made in the Professional Drivers and Business Transformation Agreements in the context of Professional Driver Resourcing.

Both parties recognise that the future of the business depends upon the ability to improve operational viability, beat competition and increase market share and to achieve this in a manner which supports ongoing improvements to employee terms and conditions, greater long term job security which sets the benchmark for our competitors and provides career path/development opportunities to all employees.

The Professional Drivers agreement recognises that precise and flexible operational/resource planning in each VOC is key to meeting the challenges of fluctuating workload, efficient use of employee resource and maintaining excellent and responsive customer service. The agreement outlines a process for changes to workload supported by resourcing solutions to cover foreseen and unforeseen workload. Priority will be given to Royal Mail Network drivers provided they are available at the required time and are within the legal parameters and that they can provide the cover at the same or fewer hours than the external solution.

Non-directly employed resource may be considered where it is not feasible to use directly employed staff on permanent duties or extra duty, for example in order to maintain flexibility and the potential to cushion the effect of future transformation, or if the resource requirement is of a short-term nature, or is of a level which cannot efficiently be met by RM employees (e.g. seasonal peaks).

It has been agreed that the resourcing mix should be regularly reviewed in each unit in line with the commitments made in the existing agreements listed above and within the spirit and intent of this document.

Equally both parties have considered the question of career path opportunities for CWU represented grades and have agreed to reinvigorate the resourcing processes, reserve ratios, personal development and job security commitments as detailed in current national agreements.

Royal Mail Logistics and the CWU recognise the need to respond to personal ambitions and aspirations. In line with the Professional Drivers’ Agreement duties will be viewed as desirable roles within the business and Royal Mail is committed to providing development opportunities for internal applicants to ensure a robust resourcing process and adequate resource is available.

The PDA recognised that investment in driving training is a significant cost to the business and that it is essential we ensure that it achieves the best return overall, taking into account all relevant issues e.g. mitigating the cost of agency and contractor resource in covering unforeseen traffic peaks, foreseen traffic peaks, directly employed resource short falls, future Network changes and avoiding future surpluses.

Both parties agree that training plans have a clear link to meeting future job requirements and structured manpower planning in all VOC’s and RDC’s. Indeed the Professional Drivers Agreement provides for structured and systematic processes which support the aspirations of individual employees in conjunction with the needs of the business to maintain an efficient operation.

Against that backdrop a Network Working Group (NWG) will be commissioned and work to the NLSG, as detailed in the Engagement, Development and Planning paragraph of the Network section of the BT Agreement. This group will develop processes for succession planning to enable the business to recruit from within and for interested employees to record, as part of their personal aspirations for development, their desire to be a professional driver or improve their skills where opportunities exist.

Resourcing of each unit on a daily and weekly basis is considered a key activity and reinvigorating the joint manpower planning meetings as referred to in the PDA is an important next step.

Both parties recognise that to enhance job security, development opportunities and to provide directly employed resourcing opportunities to meet new products and services and more effective alignment to traffic flows, the time is right to consider possible new, more imaginative duty and resourcing options. These would supplement our current arrangements and these discussions will be progressed as part of the on-going Progressive Agenda talks as detailed in the Network section of the BT Agreement. The National Logistics Steering Group (NLSG) will determine how these talks shall progress.

Both parties are committed to support the aims and ambitions of this Joint Statement, and to supporting local managers and representatives in applying them in a way which appropriately balances the operational requirements of the business and the aspirations of employees.

Any questions of interpretation, implementation or application of this agreement shall be referred to the signatories of this agreement as a matter of urgency.








Phil Murphy Terry Pullinger
Network Operations Director Assistant Secretary
Royal Mail Logistics CWU






Peter Walls
Director Employee and Industrial Relations
Royal Mail Operations & Modernisation