Dave Joyce response to article in DM - Interesting

[TrueBlueTerrier]

21 May 2015

Shaun Davis
Royal Mail Group
Director of Safety, Health & Wellbeing
Royal Mail Group
Email: shaun.davis@royalmail.com

Dear Shaun,
Daily Mirror Report 19.5.15: “Mail Watch” Pilot Scheme in Winchester (SO Postcode Area) – Postmen and Women Now Reporting Suspicious Incidents and Crimes To Hampshire Police, Acting as The “Eyes and Ears” of the Community:

Please see attached copy of a report which appeared in the Daily Mirror’s 19 May edition. This has been greeted with nothing short of shock horror and universal condemnation across the CWU. Because the CWU hasn’t been consulted, we can only go on what we read in the press and Royal Mail intranet article (see attached).

My initial reaction is one of extreme concern regarding the irresponsibility of publicising such a scheme in the National press because of the risk this could potentially bring upon ordinary Postmen and Women, who are currently seen and accepted as neutral, friendly, innocent and harmless service providers and members of their local communities but, as a result of this scheme and the ill-thought publicity, could henceforth be regarded by miscreants and the criminal fraternity as a threat and a new arm of the Law, police agents, spies and informants who they may decide to mete out retribution, violence and abuse to.

The CWU has no problem what so ever with giving principled support to the police in their efforts to deal with crime and for everyone in society to play their part in a material way by reporting crime and assisting victims. However, we draw the line at giving the impression that Royal Mail has formalised arrangements with the Police for our members, ordinary Postmen and Women to go beyond that and make the wrong people think that Postal Workers are to become some kind of a ‘Plastic Police Force’ on some ‘Dads Army’ organisation basis.

In the past I and our field force of Area Health and Safety Reps have had to deal with the aftermath of undercover Police Officers dressing up in Royal Mail Postmen’s Uniforms or Parcelforce Drivers Uniforms whilst undertaking raids and undercover work. In the aftermath, the consequences were Postal workers facing confrontations, threats and intimidation, in certain areas of the country, as criminals thought our members were the Police or were working on their behalf and these people had to be convinced otherwise in order to diffuse the situations. The article in the Daily Mirror could reignite those type of problems and lead to flare ups if this ‘Trial’ is taken further.

Yesterday, I undertook extensive enquiries to find out just who Director of Security Tony Marsh had consulted on this scheme and found out that the answer was no one in respect of the obvious people that should have been consulted before launching the so called “Mail-Watch” scheme! I don’t know which operational people Tony spoke to but if they were to talk to the CWU they also failed dismally.

Nick Burns Royal Mail Group Safety, Health and Environment Engagement Manager, from your team confirmed that the RMG Central Safety, Health and Wellbeing Team were not consulted as far as he knew. From the Region, Kerry Whiteford the Safety Health and Environment Advisor who covers the Winchester (SO) area knew nothing about it either and neither did Jo Ferguson the HR Director.

On the CWU side Brian Quensell our CWU Area Health and Safety Representative knew nothing about it and neither did the CWU Area Delivery Rep or the CWU Unit Reps from Winchester. Terry Jackson CWU Divisional Rep also wasn’t consulted and knew nothing about it. So from my enquiries I’ve found that your Central or Regional Safety, Health and Wellbeing Teams were kept in the dark and not made aware of this scheme or asked to advise, or give comments and input before implementation and the CWU Health, Safety and Environment Department have not been consulted or involved in any discussions or provided with informed about this scheme in any way shape or form, neither was the CWU HQ Outdoor Department, or as detailed above, our Divisional and Area Representatives – absolutely shocking and appalling.

This is incredible, bearing in mind the possible implications and risks involved for Postal workers..

We are trying to get our customers to keep their dogs under control and Royal Mail and the CWU Nationally, Regionally and Locally will continue to work together during the forthcoming ‘Dog Awareness Week” to Promote positive messages to customers and keep their dogs under control when the Postman or Woman Comes to deliver the mail. That’s the way schemes should be developed and run, jointly with all stakeholders Fully involved and consulted. The Police are working with us as are many other organisations. The irony is that this ‘Mail-Watch’ scheme could encourage certain people not to control their dogs when the Postman arrives !

This ‘Mail-Watch’ Trial needs to be brought to an end promptly and the ‘Mail-Watch’ scheme should go no further in its present form. There should not be any further publicity of the kind that appeared in the Daily Mirror two days ago. Those involved in setting this ‘Mail Watch’ project up and making it high profile in the press need
to think carefully about what they’ve done here and how they’ve done it. They should answer the question as to why didn’t consult those they should have consulted. If they had done that, they would have received valid advice.

I’m happy to meet to discuss this matter and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

[fishtank]

Since this has been talked about on here for at least 6 months and has been mentioned in the courier many times it's absolute nonsense to believe that Dave Joyce and the CWU greeted this with "nothing short of shock and horror".
Dave Ward and Bob Gibson certainly knew about it.

[noggin1969]

Nothing new , seems to be a re hash of the Post Watch scheme from the late 80's early 90's. Some of my delivery still have the stickers on their windows which seem to have lasted longer than the scheme itself. But I sure any right minded person would call the police if they saw something dodgy going on scheme or no scheme.

[POSTMAN]

As per Fishtank.

I didn't want to mug myself off on Facebook when it 1st came up so I didn't respond too much in the FB threads.
The reason,it has to be a fake.....hasn't it...

Surely Shirley doesn't only read the DM for news.Teebs even put up news stories from other sources.

It has to be a fake/wind up cause if it ain't then god help us all and HQ need to start some sackings,starting with this pay per word knob and the whole outdoor dept,Mrs Slocombe ect

[POSTMAN]

PS: The CWU FB thread has kinda gone a bit off topic

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2369583 ... ment_reply" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;