Todays national briefing

[Tamsky]

Agenda for Growth, Stability and Long Term Success
A National Agreement between Royal Mail Group and the Communication Workers Union

Report from National Briefing, London 17 December 2013


Dave Ward DGPS
Thanked reps for their patience over the last weeks. He fully understood the position of local reps being faced with members questions when it was not possible to give answers during the process of negotiation.
The Agreement will be voted on in the New Year, it reflects the realities on a new era in the Postal Industry and to understand the achievements of the Agreement you must understand this new environment. We must lift members out of the workplace to consider the new ownership and buy into the challenges we face. Two British banks have gone into partnership with the competition to fund expansion on the delivery side. As far as we are concerned it is unfair competition right on our doorstep and will get bigger. There is more focus on customer expectations and RMG in the future will develop more products to meet this and may have to do the job differently.

We must view the Agreement against a background where the CWU protects members through a strategy for growth rather than managing decline.. We are not afraid of debate amongst all our reps and today is about putting you in an informed position to secure a Yes vote.

Pay and Rewards
From a good starting offer we have improved the offer through negotiation. It includes an increase in basic pay from 2.6% to 3% backdated to April 2013. An increase in basic pay worth 9% over 3 years. We have a re positioned lump sum and it is important to tell members that the strike breakers charter by the Chief Executive of £300 to walk away from your Union has been used to improve basic pay over the term. A £200 pro rata lump sum in recognition of the contribution members made to the success of the Company will be paid on 20th December whether the Agreement is approved or not, along with the £100 Xmas bonus and the additional negotiated £100. Overall £60 will go onto basic pay with the backdating to April and £90 to eliminate the shortfall from the shorter working week. We have secured a better formula for holiday pay and have committed the Company to further earnings opportunities through an incentive scheme from April 2014. In summary the pay and rewards section is the best deal amongst all other British industries. This has been delivered in an environment where British business is taking advantage of the UK Governments position on pay. In terms of the competition their workforce is paid 40% less than RMG, we are setting the benchmark for the postal industry.

Legal Protections
Section 3 of the Agreement deals with Legal protections and these will be explained by the CWU lawyer Ivan Walker in a later session. This is a very different agreement to what we are used to, where it holds people to account through a legal process, very different to what we had in the past where Managers could get out of national agreements at will. Now they will be held responsible through the Courts. What we started at the Liverpool and other policy forums has been achieved. The CWU campaign against privatisation has had to deal now with the realities of privatisation and have secured protections that no other privatised industry has provided. We still have concerns over privatisation and have no illusions that some on the RMG Board will not like this deal. Some believe that having achieved privatisation the time was right to smash the CWU.

Have a look at the commitments secured from the Company – there will be no break up of RMG, no franchising of delivery rounds, no zero hours contracts. Why, when this is exactly what has happened to the postal industry in Europe. They have been stopped going down the road of replicating the postal industry in Europe.

The existing IR framework has been refreshed and it's status embedded in the company. The Union has been given a major part to play in the future. We are not in the market for a deal which can be taken away at a certain point in time although some clauses allow for a review there is a restriction on the capacity for RMG to renege.

Industrial Stability
If we want to grow jobs we need industrial stability. Members do not want to work in an unstable environment with constant rows and strikes. So how do we deal with the l members face?

We need to face up to Managers who want the CWU dead and we will never get a better chance to force them through the proper process through enforcing the IR framework but don't misrepresent this deal. Both sides have signed up to the IR Framework before any industrial action. People feel that most managers do not play by the rules and I won' be signing up to any deal unless managers know that they need to do things differently. There must be no executive action, 99% of problems in the business are caused by managers ignoring the IR framework.

It is time for the CWU to regroup and give local reps a better chance to deal with managers. In too many offices the lack of a rep means members cannot register their right to disagree. Let's recruit reps to register the right to disagree with a managers decision at any point. Where there are no local reps or the IR Framework is not followed managers can too often do as they like. Make sure we recruit people and get them trained on the IR Framework. One significant shift in the IR Framework is the legal contracts which set out the procedure for registering disagreements. In too many cases we have managers pointing the finger and telling other managers what to do. We will be having proper joint briefings to let managers know that this is not the proper way to do business under this new agreement.

New Governance
This is not about CWU seats on the Board carrying out a role with Directors. What this is about, and I know of no other Union in the UK which has the right, is about being able to address the Board with concerns and proposals. We will develop new governance models at a further policy conference and decide. Ass RMG Mangers have moved role we need to determine proper interfaces at Unit, Area and Divisional levels. We have committed to a programme of work on the IR Framework and report back to a policy forum.

Our view is that there is nothing to be afraid of in industrial stability, we have nothing to fear from an IR Framework that will hold managers to account and create growth.

Over the coming weeks we will have an active debate, there will be briefings for every local rep. Far too often we have problems in local offices because of local managers who do what they want. Hopefully with this agreement command and control will go.

Bob Gibson – Outdoor
The Delivery section of the agreement, high on the agenda was concern over absorption and lapsing. HQ was already aware of this through members contacting HQ. It has to be said that RM do not share this view, citing a lack of disagreements or in principle disagreements to suggest everything was all right.

The first part of the agreement deals with resourcing to workload to conclude by May 2014 and starting in January. There will be joint workshops with Delivery Directors and Divisional reps who will carry out workplace visits to take the mood of reps and managers. No further absorption would have been a very popular decision to take, however RM will never accept this. We will review it and examine a resolution to absorption that allows people to identify how to deal with it.

The Strands
Each strand will have a working group, workload and resourcing will continue after May.

What have we achieved – we have avoided annualised hours which RM wanted, we have avoided monitoring of delivery staff by PDA which RM wanted, timing delivery workers from leaving the office to first and last letter times and monitoring going onto IPS and Prep. This is not agreed.

On the IWT RMG could switch it off and forget about it and we would agree, however don't forget that RMG have the technology to control the IWT centrally from business warehouse. We need to accept the challenges and look for a deal on what technology can do and what bargaining power this gives us.

On D2D we know that in some areas this has not been built into workload and people have been forced to absorb. We need to turn this debate around. Packet/ parcel growth has partly offset drop in letters there needs to be a re-aligment in offices.

Fairness, Dignity and Respect. This will be relaunched in every office across the UK. Last time it was launched Divisional Reps were reporting that Directors claimed not to know the agreement. This needs to be challenged.

30 minutes flexibility. A section has been added to the Agreement to clarify what is agreed.

We want the business to be in a different world from where we are now. The consequences for members of having no agreement is dreadful.

People will be involved in this deal, offices, a variation of offices will be visited, there will be focus groups and people out there will be able to influence the Review.

It's time to cut all the bullshit and explain in full the fruits of this agreement.

Terry Pullinger – Processing, Network, Area Distribution and Parcelforce.
Had been generally involved in most aspects of the agreement. The Union should be proud of this agreement. Coming from the dark days of 2003 where we got a No vote the CWU has built itself up to be relevant again in the workplace. Privatisation had happened, when we began these talks the Company was a public company and when finished it was a private one. Dave Ward told us he wanted more than 3 years legal protection, some people said he would never get it. We have achieved it. We were told that privatisation would reduce our influence and reduce membership, it hasn't. The Union has remained relevant, no other Union could lay claim to a Rep on every shift, we can. It has been a massive achievement to maintain check off, without it we would struggle. Get out and tell people about the agreement. Get out and challenge managers and make being a rep relevant. This agreement is not about the past it's about the future.

A recent article told us there are 13m people in the UK living in abject poverty, but in work. We have managed to protect terms and conditions for our members.

BT2010 we were lazy about bringing in, we allowed bad managers to succeed, we have to pull that back.

We have achieved this without our members losing a penny through industrial action.

The legal protections will be explained to you, we will be training members on the IR framework, you can imagine there will be some managers who hate this agreement.

On Processing in the last 18 months I issued a big challenge to processing reps to be challenging managers as they should be. Processing reps have been superb in their response and we have developed an agenda. 2010 saw an aggressive closure programme from RMG where managers ran away with casualisation, agency working and EVR's. We have concluded a new agreement on rationalisation and the strength of the position has changed from RMG would only say they were consulting the CWU to having to conclude agreements with us.

Processing reps will have the use of Industrial Engineering techniques to determine what is expected of staff. Parcelforce proved that we can win against the competition and have the best terms and conditions in the parcels business.

Network and Area Distribution – already had a progressive agreement in Network and Area Distribution. We will re negotiate the agreement from last year.

Parcelforce – talks are existing on the pay rise, proposals for a second tier workforce on lesser terms and conditions have been dropped. 25% owner/driver ratio has been cut. We have an excellent agreement which deals with a growth agenda for Parcelforce.

Privatisation cast a shadow over these talks, we have reported great progress in terms and conditions, pay and reward and industrial relations.

Ray Ellis – Engineering and Fleet services
There is wider significance to this deal. Dave eloquently explained how flashpoints have arisen over how people are treated. There is no no strike deal. The agreement is as far from no strike deal as you can get.

Under the IR Framework RMG could take executive action and the CWU could not take industrial action until the process was exhausted. There is no change to that but there will be an additional tier of mediation in flashpoints which will take RM into the process quicker, external mediation within a month. The CWU would be unable to ballot within a month anyway. Industrial action is still allowed, this is no no strike deal.

Reps will remember the punishment charter, where IA took place and after 3 – 4 days
sanctions would hold people out. We should be mature enough to recognise that IA will still happen and at the earliest opportunity there should be mediation to look at the issues and return people to work at the earliest opportunity. We will still be able to take IA to protect members.

Engineering
We now have a structure to interface with managers. There has been a rapid turnover of senior managers, more frequent than at Spurs!. We now have a manager we can work with and a technical joint group has been established.

Continuous improvement associated with total quality management has been a sensitive issue. There are words in the agreement to deal with this and we are talking about using best practise to establish a basis. There is joint activity to capture workload, on machine maintenance etc to be fully qualified. We have key commitments to give us a programme going forward to escape the cheese paring of some MC's.

Fleet Services
There is a commitment to review attendance patterns over 7 days. Current agreement on five days over six with sixth day on OT/ SA unless required to attend due to shortage of staff. Managers are looking to extend Saturday day working and in some areas Sunday. We welcome this where it avoids outsourcing but have made clear it should not reduce earnings. Attendance should be encouraged through time back or overtime, We are happy to go into discussions and happy to take back work where this has been outsourced.

BT2010 escalated work going outside, a recruitment campaign has begun and joint meetings are taking place over this. Where workshops closed and technicians moved to DO's we have established that this was not properly applied and a review is taking place.

I finish by commending the agreement to you.

Extensive Question and Answer session.

Ivan Walker CWU Legal advisor. Legal protections
He gave an overview of how the deal works and what makes it legally enforceable. This is a legally binding collective agreement between RMG and the CWU and would need to be enforced through the Courts by an injunction or court order to enforce RMG to stop an action if held in breach of the agreement.

There are two essential parts – protections and procedures and the IR Framework is now written into contract. If RMG in breach – for example, an manager in an office is in breach of the agreement RMG can be made to stop. If RMG agrees they are in breach they have 4 weeks to resolve if not the CWU would seek an injunction. If RMG does back down they would have to show that they have done enough to stop the injunction. Where a court is aware of an internal process to resolve disputes they will expect this process to have been used before a court order would be issued. If RMG are taking too much time to resolve a court order should be issued.

So why did RMG sign up to this?

There are 3 ways for RMG to avoid this agreement.
(1) If they can show the agreement is not working, for example, there is no industrial stability with constant industrial action taking place. They would sit down to get back on track. If not they have 3 months to walk away from the deal. RMG could not create a lack of industrial stability to encourage a break down, if they tried to do so a court order would stop them.
(2) If there is authorised national industrial action in a majority of workplaces or a significant minority of workplaces which would cause a break down in operations, for example all mail centres in the UK. RMG would have the facility to pull out of the deal.
(3) If exceptional circumstances apply. This would need to be something about which RMG has no current knowledge, for example if RMG is no longer the sole provider of the USO. Or if operating the agreement becomes unsustainable, not simply expensive, but would make part or whole of the business un-viable. Even then it could be that the protections could be withdrawn for that part of the business only and would still apply to other parts. Or if the company is hit by an unexpected event, in legal terms a force majeur, eg an asteroid hit RMG.
The legal protections are in place till 2019 or in some parts until 2017.

Legal protection - This is nothing more than a reworking of the Industrial relations framework, some of which determines a timetable for example of one week for a formal response, but some of which has no timetable. For example there is one week to agree issues to be resolved at Unit, Area or divisional level, if not it goes up to next level. The IR framework already has some mediation but this agreement builds it in. External mediation is not arbitration, if the mediator can't reach agreement they will hand down a formal record of both positions. The mediator will establish the facts of what happened, will make a recommendation in attempt to resolve. The CWU can take industrial action throughout this process and this is legally enforceable. This works in the CWU favour. RMG must maintain the status quo which means they must observe the working practises and agreements which were in place 7 days before the dispute. If not the matter can be taken to Divisional level and may seek external mediation. If RMG do not observe the status quo they can be taken to court.

This process applies to issues which are negotiable, where not negotiable for example under a national agreement, RMG should abide by national agreement.

Flashpoint procedure
This deal with situations where the CWU believe that managers are throwing their weight around. Mediation should take place by a person unattached to the dispute to get the parties to work together. If still no agreement the CWU can ballot for action.
This is not a no strike deal.



The delegation had to leave prior to the section on Pensions. However there will be a Scottish all Unit Reps briefing in Glasgow on 13th January when this issue will be covered.

[General Mannerheim]

The delegation had to leave prior to the section on Pensions

Wow impressive,what's up was the pies ready?

[POSTMAN]

Thanks Tam.

The impression I get is that Ward and Uncle Bob are aware that since P&M a lot of places are being done over and now don't panic,it's gonna be sorted.....soon ish.

It's pathetically embarrassing.

[musicmaniax]

Not only polishing a turd but putting glitter on it for Christmas.

When you've stopped patting each other on the back can you really be proud of yourselves taking nearly a year to get a pay rise to your members. With the ballot not even taking place till mid January and finishing on the 29th us monthly paid employees won't see anything till the end of February.

We already have to wait till the end of January to get our Christmas bonus and the £100 colleague share fiasco. If they can get the weekly paid empemployees bonuses sorted by December 20th why can't ours be ready for the 24th December.

[cloherty1976]

Not only polishing a turd but putting glitter on it for Christmas.

When you've stopped patting each other on the back can you really be proud of yourselves taking nearly a year to get a pay rise to your members. With the ballot not even taking place till mid January and finishing on the 29th us monthly paid employees won't see anything till the end of February.

We already have to wait till the end of January to get our Christmas bonus and the £100 colleague share fiasco. If they can get the weekly paid empemployees bonuses sorted by December 20th why can't ours be ready for the 24th December.

I am monthly paid and I am sure we are getting paid our bonus on 24/12/2013. Hope I am not wrong!

[musicmaniax]

Not only polishing a turd but putting glitter on it for Christmas.

When you've stopped patting each other on the back can you really be proud of yourselves taking nearly a year to get a pay rise to your members. With the ballot not even taking place till mid January and finishing on the 29th us monthly paid employees won't see anything till the end of February.

We already have to wait till the end of January to get our Christmas bonus and the £100 colleague share fiasco. If they can get the weekly paid empemployees bonuses sorted by December 20th why can't ours be ready for the 24th December.

I am monthly paid and I am sure we are getting paid our bonus on 24/12/2013. Hope I am not wrong!

Just arrived at work to be told we are getting £300 in December now so changed again since yesterday.

[cloherty1976]

Not only polishing a turd but putting glitter on it for Christmas.

When you've stopped patting each other on the back can you really be proud of yourselves taking nearly a year to get a pay rise to your members. With the ballot not even taking place till mid January and finishing on the 29th us monthly paid employees won't see anything till the end of February.

We already have to wait till the end of January to get our Christmas bonus and the £100 colleague share fiasco. If they can get the weekly paid empemployees bonuses sorted by December 20th why can't ours be ready for the 24th December.

I am monthly paid and I am sure we are getting paid our bonus on 24/12/2013. Hope I am not wrong!

Just arrived at work to be told we are getting £300 in December now so changed again since yesterday.

I think this was always the case and Royal Mail had said that. It does not matter as long as it goes in our banks on Xmas eve.
Hopefully wage slips will arrive shortly and we shall see. Merry xmas

[Cut Off King]

Thanks Tam.

The impression I get is that Ward and Uncle Bob are aware that since P&M a lot of places are being done over and now don't panic,it's gonna be sorted.....soon ish.

It's pathetically embarrassing.

Was he trained by the Nelson Mandela's funeral sign language expert ?