CROWN MEMBERS PAY 2012 & BEYOND, AND FUTURE OF THE CROWN OFF

[POSTMAN]

Dear Colleague,

POST OFFICE: CROWN MEMBERS PAY 2012 & BEYOND, AND FUTURE OF THE CROWN OFFICE NETWORK

I would like to update Branches with regards to the current impasse in respect of pay for our Crown members and the future of the Crown Office Network.

Pay 2012 and Beyond

As you will be aware, our members working in Crown Offices, who have a pay date of 1st April 2012, have been waiting nearly ten months for their pay rise. As it currently stands, the Post Office is refusing to provide our members with a pay increase and, in fact, Paula Vennells, Post Office Chief Executive, has recently indicated that there will be no consolidated pensionable pay increase for the next three years. This is outrageous and effectively amounts to a pay cut in real terms, as the cost of living continues to spiral; also, a highly skilled job is being systematically devalued.

Inflation (RPI) was as high as 3.5% in April 2012 and currently stands at 3%. Our claim is not unreasonable; we are asking for just 3.5% from April 2012 and a further 3.25% for April 2013. If these increases were achieved, this would provide parity with our Admin and Supply Chain members, for whom we reached a three year pay settlement with the Post Office back in November 2011.

Post Office Half-Year Results – £61m Profit

The Post Office can afford to give our Crown members a decent pay increase. For the half year to September 2012, the Post Office reported a £61m profit, compared with £56m in the first half of the previous financial year. The company’s full year profit target is £84m, but they are expected to exceed this target and profits are forecast to be around £90m, yet they are unwilling to provide our Crown members who work in difficult customer-facing roles with the just reward they deserve for their excellent contribution.

Pay Meeting – Monday 28th January

Further to the numerous meetings in respect of Crown Transformation which have taken place since last Summer, our negotiating team, which includes Carl Maden and Ian Ward, Postal Executive members, and Andrew Towers, Research Department, has been invited to attend a pay meeting on Monday, 28th January, during which we are led to believe the Post Office will present us with a pay offer. We are anticipating that this offer will be in the form of one-off lump sums over a period of three years and linked to Crown Transformation. It is Union policy to achieve consolidated, pensionable pay increases and NOT to accept lump sums, which effectively dial down the value of our members’ total pay and their pensions. This is the only acceptable way forward in order for us to settle this issue to the satisfaction of our members.

Future of the Crown Office Network

As reported in LTB 594/12, the guarantee on the 373 Crown Offices was extended by a further six months and is due to expire on 31st March 2013. This guarantee has now been in place for nearly five years. However, it is looking increasingly likely that the Post Office will attempt to further franchise significant elements of the Crown Network as part of its drive to eliminate the c.£40m of Crown losses.

What the Post Office should be doing is concentrating on reducing the ever-increasing Head Office costs; a progressive company would also be investing in the Crown Network and should be seeking to open new Crowns in major cities where currently we do not have a presence.

Despite our opposition to franchising, in the event that it does transpire, in line with Union policy, we will be insisting that TUPE should apply.

Our members have fully co-operated with the Post Office on the Crown Transformation programme, including the Productivity Matrix and the resultant Voluntary Redundancies. Meaningful recognition for our members’ willingness to co-operate and for their dedication and loyalty is long overdue.

Ballot for Industrial Action

Our members deserve and require job security for the future and a decent pay rise. Therefore, we have told the Post Office that if pay and the future of the Crown Network remains unresolved by the end of January, we will consider that a formal trade dispute exists between us. In essence, this means we will have to ballot for industrial action – the appalling attitude of the Post Office towards our members has left us with no other option.

National Briefing

A National Briefing will be held on 6th February to discuss the above issues. The details are as follows:

Date Wednesday 6th February
Time 12 noon – 2pm
Venue: CWU Offices, Summer Lane, Birmingham B19 3TH

The following CWU representatives are invited:

• Regional Secretaries
• Branch Secretaries with Crown Office members
• All Post Office IR representatives

ColleagueShare (Crown, Supply Chain and Admin members)

Despite our continued efforts to get this payment made to members working for the Post Office, it is frustrating that the matter of the £100 ColleagueShare payment (pro-rata for part-timers) is still outstanding, especially as the payment was made to our Royal Mail members in June 2012. I, therefore, wrote to Paula Vennells on 18th January to let her know that this money should be paid to our members without further delay. Further developments in this regard will be reported.

Supply Chain and Admin members

Branches are reminded that we reached a three year pay deal with the Post Office back in November 2011 with regards to Supply Chain and Admin members (including Swindon Warehouse). LTB 932/11 advised that members in these areas would receive the following pay increases:

• 3.3% from April 2011
• 3.5% from April 2012
• 3.25% from April 2013

Therefore our members in these areas are due to receive the final instalment of 3.25% in April.

Membership Records Verification

Potential ballot for Industrial Action - It is vitally important that our membership records are up-to-date as we want to ensure not just an excellent YES vote but also the greatest possible turnout. The SDGS department has, therefore, sent a list of all members in each Branch area to the Branches for verification. It is imperative that this list is checked and returned to the SDGS department at the earliest opportunity or by 8th February at the latest. Branch Secretaries are encouraged to liaise with the relevant Area Representative in order to ensure maximum accuracy.

Next Steps

The Postal Executive will be fully documented on the state of play and next steps with regards to Pay and the Future of the Crown Office Network at the next statutory meeting on Tuesday 5th February. It is anticipated that a ballot timetable for Industrial Action will be presented to this meeting.

Further developments will be reported at the National Briefing.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be directed to Claire Sinclair, csinclair@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Andy Furey Dave Ward
Assistant Secretary Deputy General Secretary (P)

[fishtank]

It is Union policy to achieve consolidated, pensionable pay increases and NOT to accept lump sums, which effectively dial down the value of our members’ total pay and their pensions.

[toyraman]

Our branch is going to be a franchisee. We haven't been told when it is and how TUPE works. Management reassured everyone that the new employer cann't change the conditions of the contract unless they have a valid reason. this office has been on loss for many years and this is a service office which is located in a poor area. Please inform us the more details about the TUPE.
Thanks

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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