LTB 020/18 - JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AND THE CWU COVERING THE EXTENSION OF USE OF GRAVITY ROLLERS FOR LARGE PARCEL, PERSTORP TRAYS AND DTRE SORTING IN THE MAIL CENTRE NETWORK

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LTB 020/18 - JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AND THE CWU COVERING THE EXTENSION OF USE OF GRAVITY ROLLERS FOR LARGE PARCEL, PERSTORP TRAYS AND DTRE SORTING IN THE MAIL CENTRE NETWORK

No. 020 /18

12th January 2018

For the Immediate Attention of All:



Postal Branches

Divisional Representative

Area Processing Representatives



JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AND THE CWU COVERING THE EXTENSION OF USE OF GRAVITY ROLLERS FOR LARGE PARCEL, PERSTORP TRAYS AND DTRE SORTING IN THE MAIL CENTRE NETWORK

Dear Colleagues

Branches and representatives will be aware that LTB 420/16 communicated the Joint Statement between Royal Mail and the CWU Covering the Deployment of Gravity Rollers for Large Parcel Sorting in the Mail Centre Network. In June 2017 following further trial activity it was agreed that the Gravity Rollers are also suitable for use with DTRE strapped bundles (LTB 352/17 refers).

Additional activity has now established that the use of Perstorp Trays with the Gravity Rollers is also suitable. To facilitate the inclusion of this traffic stream into the existing agreement it was deemed appropriate to revise the original agreement and therefore a further Joint Statement and amended deployment agreement have been concluded and endorsed by the Postal Executive and are attached for your information.

Colleagues will note that while the differing traffic streams must be processed separately there is no change to the manning levels currently required and that apart from the amendments in respect of the additional traffic stream that may be processed, there have been no changes to the original principles agreed in respect of deployment activity.

The relevant H&S compliance documentation is also attached for your information.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org or shayman@cwu.org quoting reference number: 711.02.

Yours sincerely



Davie Robertson

Assistant Secretary

JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AND THE CWU COVERING THE EXTENSION OF USE OF GRAVITY ROLLERS FOR LARGE PARCEL, PERSTORP TRAYS AND DTRE SORTING IN THE MAIL CENTRE NETWORK

In June 2017 the Joint Statement between Royal Mail and the CWU Covering the Extension of Use of Gravity Rollers for Large Parcel and DTRE Sorting in the Mail Centre Network was agreed and communicated.

Since then there have been requests from the field to utilise the Gravity Rollers to segregate Perstorp Trays and subsequent testing has now confirmed that the Gravity Rollers are suitable for this activity.

It should be noted that while the differing traffic streams must be processed separately there is no change to the manning levels currently required.

It has therefore been agreed that the original agreement in relation to Gravity conveyors will be updated to reflect this extension in use. A copy of the revised agreement is attached to this Joint Statement and supersedes earlier versions.

Any questions of interpretation, implementation or application of this Joint Statement shall be referred to the respective Headquarters for resolution.

Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary

CWU

Francis Williams
Head of Parcel Design

Royal Mail

Date: 12th January 2018

JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AND THE CWU COVERING THE EXTENSION OF USE OF GRAVITY ROLLERS FOR LARGE PARCEL, PERSTORP TRAYS AND DTRE SORTING IN THE MAIL CENTRE NETWORK

Background

The Business Transformation Agreement 2010 commits Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union to work together at the development stage of key business policies which are best supported by transparency and good information share. This commitment is acknowledged as the key enabler for Royal Mail and the Union to engage and to develop mutual interest solutions that will aid/improve efficiency within the operation while responding to the needs of CWU represented grades.

In keeping with the National Generic Trial/Deployment Frameworks both parties have agreed to jointly assess potential ways and automated handling solutions to improve the flow of mail through Mail Centres from both a Health and Safety and operational aspect. Both parties recognise that in a highly automated and modern Mail Centre working environment there may be potentially better alternative solutions available in relation to the efficient processing of mail.

Introduction/Scope

The overall aim of this project is to enable an agreed portfolio of equipment to be identified and agreed as fit for purpose to fully support all aspects of the Mail Centre Operation and will culminate in this information being published and made available as fully tested solutions to support the standardisation of equipment.

Gravity rollers have been in use in the Mail Centre and RDC environment for many years. Peterborough Mail Centre have taken these standard rollers and developed a new method for sorting large Tracked and Untracked parcels, perstorp trays and DTRE strapped mail bundles, which will be sorted as separate traffic streams.

The trials have been reviewed Nationally by Royal Mail and the CWU having embraced all aspects of safety, engineering and IR. This review has highlighted the method developed at Peterborough Mail Centre as the best method. Mail Centres will be expected to adopt this new method for the sorting of large parcels (Tracked and Un-tracked), perstorp trays and DTRE strapped mail bundles.

The overall aim is to enable an agreed portfolio of equipment to be identified and agreed as fit for purpose to fully support all aspects of the Mail Centre and will culminate in this information being published and made available as fully tested solutions to support the standardisation of equipment.

Operational Process

The Gravity Roller Conveyor is the standard equipment for the sorting of large parcels that come in bags or sleeved Yorks.

Annex 1 provides an illustration of the Standard Gravity Roller and the Workplace Organisation:

Medium Parcel Layout
Perstorp Trays Layout
DTRE Bundles Layout
The table below sets out the manning level associated with the standard method for sorting parcels using gravity rollers.



Operation Medium Parcel Layout Manning levels
Minimum Maximum
Load 2 2
Sort & Scan 3 3
Porters 1 2


Operation Perstorp Trays Layout Manning levels
Minimum Maximum
Load 2 2
Sort & Scan 3 3
Porters 1 2


Operation DTRE Bundle Layout Manning levels
Minimum Maximum
Load 2 2
Sort & Scan 3 3
Porters 1 2


Job rotation on the equipment in line with the Safe Working Instructions.

The asset maintenance associated with this change will be carried out by the local Royal Mail Engineer maintenance teams. The routine and performance workload time to fully support the completion of all maintenance tasks will be reflected in the local engineering workload measurement tools.

Deployment

There will be effective meaningful consultation between local management, CWU representatives and employees/members on the changes to be deployed with this equipment. The introduction of any revised duty/attendance arrangements will be negotiated at local level in line with the IR Framework.

Safe Systems of Work, standard operating procedures and maintenance schedules have all been agreed and will accompany any local proposal to deploy.

The deployment of the equipment will need to consider the impact on working conditions and wherever possible take consideration of employees’ concerns in respect of any impact e.g. earnings, attendance patterns, etc.

The deployment of the equipment will ensure all new working arrangements and equipment have been fully risk assessed locally and the agreed Safe Systems of Work are in place. In addition Operators and Workplace Coaches will be trained in the changes to the operation, loading and unloading the equipment etc.

Training will be provided in the form of WTLL (Work Time Listening and Learning), and subsequently supported by Workplace Coaches. The Operators and relevant Workplace Coaches will be trained in the operation of the equipment by an authorised trainer or a suitably accredited Royal Mail trainer.

A local deployment programme will identify any requirement for transitional arrangements to ensure there is no adverse effect on quality of service and/or health and safety and/or security standards within the Mail Centre.

The proposed local deployment plan will be subject to local discussion as detailed above prior to implementation and will take into account/focus on all possible concerns, risks or difficulties associated with this project. This will ensure any unforeseen employee concerns are also resolved as quickly as possible, local parties will also meet regularly to monitor and review deployment arrangements.

Timely negotiations will take place between local managers and CWU IR, Engineering and H&S Representatives will be fully involved in all aspects of the planning for and actual deployment of the required new arrangements.

CWU Representatives shall be given appropriate additional release to facilitate this and enable them to consult with members on the proposed change.

Any questions of interpretation, implementation, or application of this Joint Statement shall be referred to the respective Headquarters for resolution.



Davie Robertson – Assistant Secretary, CWU

Francis Williams – Head of Parcel Design, Royal Mail

Date: 12th January 2018

Annex 1 – Standard Gravity Rollers & Workplace Organisation

Medium Parcels Layout

Tracked Medium Parcels

Annex 1 cont. – Standard Gravity Rollers & Workplace Organisation

DTRE BUNDLES LAYOUT

LTB 020-18 – Extension of Use Gravity Rollers for Perstorp Trays – 12.01.18 http://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-oowhd-ztkjiuyil-i/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Gravity Skate Rollers – Trays http://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-oowhd-ztkjiuyil-d/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

View Online http://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-oowhd-ztkjiuyil-h/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[redheadedwoman]

We have had these at Medway for months now maybe longer.
At first, we used them for Heavy and Large parcels both Tracked and Non tracked which went OK but not as good as management were hoping for so we stopped using them and went back to the old way of sorting in yorks.
The DSA area now uses them for bundles which as far as I know is working OK.