Processing Programme of Works – Manpower Planning/Resourcing

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Letter to Branches




No. 552/2014
Ref: 730.12
Date: 1st September 2014


To All: Postal Branches with Processing Members
Divisional Representatives
Area Processing Representatives



Dear Colleagues

Processing Programme of Works – Manpower Planning/Resourcing Trial Terms of Reference

Branches and representatives will be aware of the department’s strategy in respect of the Processing ‘Programme of Works’ and the commitment to a more collaborative working model, that respects the mutual interest of both Royal Mail and the CWU as detailed in the Agenda For Growth, Stability & Long Term Success Agreement.

In April 2014 the department provided Divisional and Area Processing representatives with an update as to how our strategy was developing and how their regular updates, support and assistance were assisting.

I also reported that progress had been made in moving forward the department’s agenda to effectively restore Mail Centres to ‘factory settings’ and ensure we have agreed joint practices for professional operational planning, which will guarantee that the CWU has a key strategic influence.

In addition, it was also stressed that the department viewed the issue of manpower planning/resourcing as being one of the central points of our Mail Centre Blue Print Vision development.

Representatives will recall that manpower planning meetings have been part of our National Agreements for a long time but, in real terms, in Mail Centres they have drifted into a non event in respect of information share and genuine immediate, short and long term planning.

This has resulted in the excessive use of agency and casual resources which have become an easy option for resource planning to the point that recruitment activity, forecasting and planning tools have fallen into disrepair.

It is a core belief of the department that in spite of the current downturn in traffic and the efficiency drive taking place across all functions of the Royal Mail operation, manpower planning is one of the areas where the mutual interest approach to planning and efficiency will be more tangibly evident as the pressures grow and our commitments force us to focus in ever greater detail.



It is against that backdrop that I can report that following protracted negotiations, the department has now concluded a Terms of Reference to cover a trial which will be undertaken at Edinburgh, Warrington, and Romford Mail Centres. A copy of which is attached for the information of the Branches and representatives. The salient points of the ToR are summarised below:

Full involvement of the CWU in all trial activity.

Details the specific forecast modules covered in the trial.

Full training of all CWU representatives who will be taking part in the trial.

Specifies aims and objectives for the trials, including commitments to full time employment, job security, maintaining standards of living and a mutual interest approach to resourcing.

Formal review of trial outputs.

The trial commencement date/s are still be to be finalised, however prior to any activity taking place a joint launch meeting will be convened with representatives from the trial Mail Centres and the appropriate Divisional Representatives.

Branches and representatives will be kept updated on developments associated with the trial via the usual channels.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Terry Pullinger, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org or shayman@cwu.org quoting reference number 730.12.

Yours sincerely


Terry Pullinger
Assistant Secretary

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JOINT WORKING GROUP TRIAL TERMS OF REFERENCE

PROFESSIONAL JOINT PRODUCTION CONTROL/MANPOWER PLANNING, INTERGRATING MUTUAL INTEREST SOLUTIONS & RESOURCING TO WORKLOAD TRIALS IN ROMFORD, WARRINGTON AND EDINBURGH MAIL CENTRES

Introduction

Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union are working together in developing key business policies, mutual interest solutions and a new culture, which is at the core of all the commitments contained in the BT2010 Agreement and the recently endorsed Agenda for Growth, Stability and Long Term Success Agreement.

Both parties recognise that creating the right IR and collaborative working environment is key to the general success of the Mail Centre Function/Operation, and are committed to achieving the above by resolving all local issues and concerns across the wider operation and this proof of concept trial, without recourse to disagreement wherever possible.

The key components of the joint vision for Mail Centre operations and our agenda going forward is to professionalise joint activity and equalise managerial and CWU knowledge & understanding on all operational planning and procedures. This TofR covers production control/manpower planning and resourcing to workload in Mail Centres. The aim of this activity is to develop and introduce standard systems, tools and processes that improve our efficiency in this regard and maintains the right balance of mutual interest in the Mail Centre operational environment consistent with our progressive national agreements.

This document represents an example of how this joint activity embraces and supports the commitment to integrate the interests of all parties and compliments the mutual interest based culture approach. This approach is enabled by commitments by both parties to transparency and shared information.

Both parties understand that this activity is only part of the professionalising joint efficiency/productivity planning in Mail Centres and that closing the knowledge gap and building consensus on planning values, and industrial engineering techniques will also be developed and trialled. The outputs of that activity will be merged with outputs from this trial to form a key component of the ‘Blue Print Mail Centre Vision’ being developed.

Against this backdrop it has been agreed to jointly test tools and processes for resourcing to workload and the provision of data transparency for daily, weekly and longer term resourcing planning meetings. These tools and processes will be tested in Romford, Warrington and Edinburgh Mail Centres.

The overall aim is to define standard tools, processes and ways of working, and training requirements that can be applied in all Mail Centres; and to identify further opportunities to improve the standard tools and processes to improve the effectiveness for resourcing to workload in an accurate mutual interest manner.

Joint Involvement/Information Share

Local managers and CWU IR representatives will be fully involved in all aspects of the trial. Appropriate Union release time will be provided for the CWU representatives to ensure meaningful involvement.

Joint involvement will enable the development of mutual understanding of the issues under consideration and the potential impact on both individuals and the operation. It will also enable us to identify any issues requiring clarification or further investigation.

The trials will be conducted on the basis of joint timely access to all relevant information.

Trial Details

The trial will take place at Romford, Warrington and Edinburgh Mail Centres.

The trials will commence from August 2014 and run until November 2014.

The aim of this trial is to test the Traffic Module (used for traffic forecasting), the Scheduling Module used for capacity planning & aligning resource to workload, and the Performance Module which is used to summarise resourcing decisions.

All CWU Grades working in Resourcing Units / Bookrooms, including reserves from the appropriate skill register and Area Processing Reps will be trained in the use of the tools and the application of the process. This training will also be extended to shift representatives where necessary to support the objectives of the trial.

Aims and objectives

The trials aims and objective to:

Define the standard toolset, process and way of working for resourcing to workload in Mail Centres.

Identify areas for joint improvement.

Establish a standard professional production control/manpower planning joint process for other Mail Centres to emulate.

Define an approach to ensure that Managers and Area Process Reps in all Mail Centres are trained in the application of the standard toolset, process and ways of working.

To define how effective planning can align resource to workload, as a route to productivity improvement enabling flexibility, maintaining a predominately full-time workforce and maintaining job security and the standard of living of all employees, into a coherent mutual interest resourcing approach.

Deployment and review

The trial will be formally reviewed by the signatories of this TOR. Local Managers and CWU representatives involved will feed into this process.

The trials will be overseen by Paul Tebbatt (Royal Mail) and TBC (CWU).

Any questions of interpretation, implementation, or application of these terms of reference shall be referred to the respective Headquarters for resolution.




Terry Pullinger
Assistant Secretary
CWU
Francis Williams
Head of Process Design
Royal Mail

Date: 5th August 2014