LTB 566/18 - Joint Statement between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union in regard to a Joint Review of Annual Leave Arrangements

[TrueBlueTerrier]

LTB 566/18 - Joint Statement between Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union in regard to a Joint Review of Annual Leave Arrangements

No. 566/2018

5th October 2018

For the Immediate Attention of All:

Postal Branches

Divisional Representatives

JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL AND THE COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION IN REGARD TO A JOINT REVIEW OF ANNUAL LEAVE ARRANGEMENTS



Dear Colleagues

Branches and representatives will be aware that Section 8 of the Guiding Principles of Employment Security and Mutual Interest Approach to Future Challenges and Opportunities Agreement committed both parties to a joint review of annual leave arrangements.

Discussions on a review have been progressing on a cross-departmental basis and with the business and have now culminated in the attached Joint Statement.

Both parties recognise that at present an inconsistent approach is being adopted for annual leave which impacts on fair allocation and the taking of short periods of leave. It is also recognised that a fair and transparent approach, taking into account employee aspirations and entitlements needs to be put in place in line with resourcing to workload.

Joint review activity will therefore take place and the agreed annual leave guiding principles will then be incorporated into the mandatory weekly unit resourcing meetings to improve the annual leave allocation processes and opportunities for employees. Whilst the review is being undertaken it is confirmed that there will be no change of existing local processes in review to Annual Leave arrangements.

The main objectives of the review are:

 Establish the current state in regard to outstanding annual leave, the reasons there are problems and the local process for recording annual leave.

 Review current annual leave arrangements, to ensure they are fit for purpose and enable employees to use contractual and purchased annual leave entitlements within the entitlement year, take outstanding contractual and purchased annual leave and/or take odd days leave where required, in line with the Way Forward Agreement, a mutual interest culture of choice, maximising flexibility for employees, whilst resourcing to workload and ensuring operational needs and customer specification is met at all times.

 Jointly develop and agree guiding principles on the allocation/taking of outstanding annual leave via the JWG process.

 Embed guiding principles into annual leave allocation processes and weekly resourcing meetings.

 Ensure PSP is the sole system used for recording and managing annual leave and agree a process that enables National governance of arrangements.

 Enable a reduction in complaints and grievances related to annual leave allocation.

 Agree a process for dealing with any retrospective issues and non compliance to PSP recording of Annual Leave.

 Reasonable action plans will also be agreed to ensure outstanding leave is protected within reasonable timescales and which takes into account individual circumstances and customer service requirements.

 Where local processes have evolved since the Way Forward Agreement was made these will be reviewed to establish whether they are an improvement on the agreement and maximise opportunities for leave choice and allocation.

This review will be led Nationally and a Joint Working Group approach will be established and will include Royal Mail and CWU Leads, designated Divisional and Area representatives and Operations SME’s (Delivery, Processing, Logistics). At the completion of the review the JWG will provide recommendations for discussion and agreement at National level.

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 703.01

Or Mark Baulch, Assistant Secretary, email: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org quoting reference 445.

Yours sincerely



Davie Robertson – Assistant Secretary

Mick Kavanagh – Acting Assistant Secretary

18LTB566 http://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-nludhiy-ztkjiuyil-i/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Final JS Annual Leave Arrangements 03.10.18 http://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-nludhiy-ztkjiuyil-d/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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

[Celgar]

Not sure this one will win a clear English award.