Hot (Management) Topics in the North Geography.

[fishtank]

. Staff Contracts - staff are keen to upgrade from part-time to full-time in Tyneside Mail Centre. Discussions are progressing with the CWU about better aligning workforce to workload. This may or may not result in part-time to full-time.

. Duty Resign - staff keen to move now to the duty picked through the mail centre closure programme. The duty revision is aligned for deployment on Monday 12th August.

. Lack of space in Tyneside Mail Centre - We are currently working through a range of solutions to increase space on the mail centre floor. The CWU are fully involved in this.

. Royal Mail and CWU jointly sponsored "Relationship Project" - Hartlepool delivery office in the TS postcode is the nominated office in the North and as part of the project they are using specific tools and approaches to build stronger relationships moving forward. It is the intent once positive results are seen from the project the approach will be expanded to other units.

.Delivery Methods - a few people are not embracing new delivery methods and believe it slows down their duties. We are reviewing some of the early deployment offices to improve the outdoor element of the role.

.Industrial Relations-Delivery - is relatively balanced across the patch. Some rumblings about simulator and the occasional die hard units are using the IR framework as we progress through the transformation plan.

.World Class Mail - people are questioning why we are doing it and what is the business benefit vs cost.

.Manager's Pay - the pay deal for managers is now overdue. Why and what are we doing about it? There is a view that we would not allow discussions on frontline pay to take so long.

.IR Landscape - Key challenges are the North East Mail Centre Strategy programme completion,the delivery transformation programme,WCM deployment and frontline and management headcount reductions. Key priorities are continuing on the journey of maintaining industrial stability,upskilling our managers on industrial relations process and knowledge,embedding partnership working with our unions at all levels,delivery of the transformation programme and the North East mail centre strategy.

.Property and Facilities - some ROMEC issues exist,particularly around cleaning standards within sites and cover when the cleaner is on leave. Response times to helpdesk events and lack of communication from the contractor on current status/completion of works. Service levels are currently being discussed at Director level.

.Space Deficiency in Caller's Office - In some of our older delivery offices we are having problems with space. This can become problematic at peak posting times such as Christmas when packet volumes increase. We are looking to review our caller's office estate to prioritise the need for investment and development required.