JOINT STATEMENT – IMPROVED SCHEDULED ATTENDANCE HOLIDAY PAY

[Glenno]

Don't shoot the messenger

LTB 267/14

No:267/14

23rd April 2014





To: All Branches with Postal Members







Dear Colleague



ROYAL MAIL/CWU NATIONAL JOINT STATEMENT – IMPROVED SCHEDULED ATTENDANCE HOLIDAY PAY



Please find attached to this LTB a National Joint Statement confirming arrangements for implementation of improved SA Holiday Pay, a commitment made under the Agenda for Growth Agreement.



The Statement has been delayed due to the need for further discussions with the company to standardise the payment system. As part of these latest discussions the Union has now been successful in securing a further improvement through the inclusion of all Bank Holidays in the calculation for improved Scheduled Attendance Holiday Pay.



The enhanced arrangements, including the new Bank Holiday calculation, will all be backdated to April 2013. Given that this involves significant numbers of individual adjustments to pay, the aim will be for payroll to complete all back pay due before the end of June 2014.



Any enquiries on the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGS (P) Department.



Yours sincerely









Dave Ward
Deputy General Secretary (P)

ROYAL MAIL/CWU NATIONAL JOINT STATEMENT



Agenda for Growth Agreement - Improved Scheduled Attendance Holiday Pay





The purpose of this National Joint Statement is to clarify how improved Scheduled Attendance Holiday Pay will be implemented and what the arrangements are for backdating these payments to the 1st April 2013.

We can also confirm that it has now been agreed that Scheduled Attendance due to be performed on public Bank Holidays will also be included in the calculation for improved holiday pay and again this will be backdated to the 1st April 2013.



The terms of this National Joint Statement are applicable to all Royal Mail employees currently in receipt of Scheduled Attendance payments. This Statement does not determine the operational requirements for Scheduled Attendance in any unit. If there are any operational issues relating to Scheduled Attendance this is a matter for local discussion in accordance with the Industrial Relations Framework.



THE AGREEMENT



The Agenda for Growth, Stability and Long Term Success Agreement provides for improved levels of holiday pay in respect of Scheduled Attendance in the Core Business. Currently the first four weeks of annual leave qualify for Scheduled Attendance Holiday Pay which is paid, depending on the unit, either in lump sums of 2 x 2 weeks in May and August each year or as leave is taken.



The relevant paragraph in the new agreement says:



Scheduled Attendance payments in Royal Mail core operations during periods of annual leave will be improved from four weeks a year to the employee’s annual leave entitlement, up to a maximum of six weeks a year. Once the payroll system is adjusted this will be backdated to the 1st April 2013.



For clarity, the intention of the agreement is as follows:



Payment will be made in relation to the hours that would have been worked on Scheduled Attendance had an individual not been absent on contractual annual leave or on a public holiday on the day or days they are otherwise due to work Scheduled Attendance. As a result, individuals holding an agreed Scheduled Attendance undertaking will receive the same amount of



Scheduled Attendance payments in weeks or months when they are on leave or there is a public holiday as they earn when they are at work. This does not apply to additional annual leave purchased as the purchase price does not include the cost of Scheduled Attendance.

IMPROVED HOLIDAY PAY ARRANGEMENTS GOING FORWARD



In order to standardise payment arrangements the following will apply. From 31 March 2014 payment of Scheduled Attendance holiday pay will be triggered as it becomes due, and paid in line with normal arrangements for additional payments. Payroll processes and payslips will be modified to indicate ordinary Scheduled Attendance payments and any Scheduled Attendance Holiday Pay separately.



An exercise in refreshing the standard documentation for Scheduled Attendance arrangements will be now be undertaken in local units in order to ensure that correct holiday payments are made.



Where employees perform Scheduled Attendance on a rotational basis the amount of Scheduled Attendance holiday pay paid during annual leave will be the average amount of Scheduled Attendance payments for the rotation.



Further discussions will take place to ensure there is no adverse impact with these new arrangements on employees who perform Christmas specific Scheduled Attendances.



BACKPAY



As with the rest of the agreed reward arrangements these improvements are backdated to April 1 2013. Scheduled Attendance holiday pay for 2013/2014 will be recalculated against the new entitlement using April 2013 rates, and any early additional Scheduled Attendance holiday pay for the first part of 2014/15 will also be calculated and paid. The aim is to pay all arrears due before the end of June 2014.



REVIEW



These new payment system arrangements will be reviewed at the six month and twelve month stage to ensure they are working as intended and deal with any issues identified.







Peter Walls Dave Ward
Director Employee & Industrial Relations Deputy General Secretary
Operations & Modernisation CWU
Royal Mail

[aiden01]

will sa payments still be paid in may and august.

[broughts]

Doesnt look like it sa paid when ur on holiday

[broughts]

As i see it any extra sa ot u do will not now qualify for your sa bonus only what you are contracted for

[badtrinity]

well n truly been shafted by the union...alot of members are expecting those lump sum payments for holidays and bills...this should not have been introduced until next year so that members where given notice well in advance of the changes...up to last week our union reps where still telling us we were getting lump sum payments. i also do alot of extra SA at weekends and through the week all of which now will not be recognised .....a hell of alot of upset members at our mail centre ...plus the fact that buying up to 6 weeks leave does not qualify you for 6 weeks sa holiday pay is a joke in itself because its not paid for? of course you dont pay your own bonus thats why its a bonus!! ...i am on annual leave this week so i should get holiday pay in my wage next week...yeah right . like i say this should have been brought in next year with notice to members that this is the final year of lump sum payments so staff can prepare now alot are left in worry !

[broughts]

I totally agree well n truly shafted again i think there are more losers than winners again out of this deal

[midegarelu]

will sa payments still be paid in may and august.

Uh ...................................NO...NO...NO...NO...NO

[windermeredave]

So when do we get it then?, all this fancy writing gives me a headache

[TrueBlueTerrier]

So when do we get it then?, all this fancy writing gives me a headache

Yes back Pay for SA from April 2013 to April 2014 by end of June. But then that's it SA will be paid when your on leave rather than as 2 lump sums.

[loserx1]

Well in our office we have never signed up to do SA's - they are just allocated on a weekly basis, so does that mean we will lose out on any holiday pay

[broughts]

Yes

[postie222]

So we used to get the xmas weeks thrown in , which worked out at about £100 .So now if I am right I will only get any sa due while on annual leave. As we only do one every two weeks could be unlucky if annual leave falls when you are not scheduled to do your sa.

[redrobber]

What is the amount of SA you can contract to? Is it still twelve hours?

[arnold cheshire]

does the dom have to input the sa when your on annual leave then or hr ? if down to the dom you can guarantee it wont be in your wages

[Glenno]

does the dom have to input the sa when your on annual leave then or hr ? if down to the dom you can guarantee it wont be in your wages

This is a very valid point in the process, WHAT TRIGGERS THE PAYMENT ?????