Joint Statement:Logistics Future Ambition

[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 Logistics Future Ambition

You will recall that a fundamental aspect of the recent dispute in Network (now Royal Mail Logistics) was what the Union perceived as a lack of vision and resourcing being applied to creating new products and services. Increasing our product offering would in the Unions opinion, ease the tensions of ‘empty legs’, the potential shrinkage in the RDC network and realise the full potential of this function.

Against that backdrop LTB 476/12 and the attached Joint ‘Statement of Intent’ demonstrated that this issue would form part of our negotiating agenda and we are pleased to attach for the information of Branches and representatives, the Joint Statement that has been concluded with the employer on this issue.

We are confident that Branches and representatives will acknowledge the importance of this progressive joint activity going forward, but we are also well aware that actions speak louder than words and it will be interesting to see how this work develops and what level of genuine commitment is given to it by the business.

The content of this LTB and the attached Joint Statement should be communicated as widely as possible to CWU members.

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: 211.01

Yours sincerely


Terry Pullinger
Assistant Secretary

Joint Statement between CWU and Royal Mail:
Logistics Future Ambitions



The ‘Modernisation – A Shared Vision’ section of the 2010 Business Transformation Agreement includes commitments to develop a greater and more dynamic range of products focusing on the opportunities that exist through fulfilment, tailored services, track and trace, hybrid mail and our unrivalled position in local communities.

Specifically the Logistics and Network section of the BT Agreement sets out the vision for the national network which is to provide a robust and reliable service which has an ambition to facilitate growth and innovate new products and services beyond the traditional core. This is to be achieved by strengthening the strategic partnership approach and through regular strategic dialogue between management and the union to jointly develop and deploy effective and responsive processes on the issues affecting the business.

The joint aim is to put in place an effective process to realise this vision and ambition for Network whereby the CWU has the opportunity to actively contribute to research and development and which allows for its views and perspectives to be meaningfully taken into account before decisions about the future are finalised.

This Joint Statement recognises the need to reenergise this process within Logistics and in particular to focus on future ambitions and commits to establish a joint Network Working Group (NWG) to look at this area. This will involve a proactive approach where market intelligence, competitor activity and benchmark data are used to assess the potential scope for developing the use of the fleet and RDCs.

The Future Ambitions NWG will look at the competitive position of Logistics in relation to potential market opportunities. Where appropriate it will generate ideas, consider opportunities and analyse and develop these into specific propositions. The outputs of the working group will be considered by the National Logistics Strategic Group (NLSG) and then forwarded as appropriate for potential integration into the main Royal Mail commercial strategy.
The NLSG and NWGs are not negotiating forums and do not replace collective bargaining or the IR Framework. When any issues being discussed have reached the stage where they require formal negotiation this will be done in the normal way between the Logistics Director and the CWU Assistant Secretary and their teams.
Information, commercially sensitive or otherwise will be shared in line with the commitments made in the ‘Engagement, Development and Planning’ process as detailed in the Network section of the BT Agreement and the disciplines for dealing with cross functional issues will be observed.
Any questions of interpretation, implementation or application of this joint statement shall be referred to the signatories as a matter of urgency for resolution.




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



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


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