LTB 451/20 - CWU/RM Joint National Agreed Framework for Dealing with Delivery Office Mergers/Closures

[POSTMAN]

https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-451-20-cwu- ... -closures/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

No. 451/20

15th September 2020

Dear Colleagues,

CWU/RM Joint National Agreed Framework for Dealing with Delivery Office Mergers / Closures

Branches will be aware that the Department have been pursuing a new agreement on the subject of dealing with Delivery Office Closures, as instructed by Annual Conference 2017 – Motion 28.

The main issue of concern and difficulty expressed by Branches and representatives with the current existing National DO closures/mergers agreement, is that the involvement process does not kick in until Royal Mail has made the business case decision to close or merge delivery units. Therefore, the resultant local discussions are effectively to move forward the issues that result from the decisions taken by Royal Mail and not influence this before it is made, and this in many examples has led to a “fait accompli” situation.

Accordingly, as part of the National Four Pillars Agreement, highlighted in section 19.3.1 and in order for us to progress the conference policy, we insisted on a commitment from Royal Mail to review the current National agreement and in line with this, a Joint working group with Royal Mail was established which was headed up on behalf of the Outdoor department by Mick Kavanagh, along with Divisional Reps and also involving representatives from the field, who have had recent experience of dealing with closures.

The attached National agreement covers everything tasked to the department by Conference and delivers a comprehensive framework, that allows for the fullest possible consultation in every aspect of a potential Closure/Merger, from the initial thinking, to the effect of a closure some way down the line.

We believe that the agreement builds in significant improved safeguards to those within the current framework and enables our Field Officials, Local Branches and representatives to gain much better understating of the rationale behind any such proposed moves, whilst allowing full input and discussions at all stages, along with the opportunity to influence the outcome prior to any decision or announcement.

This National framework agreement which has been endorsed by the Postal Executive will therefore replace the existing National Agreement and be used with immediate effect.

There are a number of Delivery Offices involved within a bulk lease expiry and high level scoping has identified 12 units across the UK, of which there may be potential merger impacts.

Accordingly, the respective SDLs will be contacting the appropriate Divisional Reps during the course of next week in order to initiate consultation on the sites appropriate to their areas and localities.

Any queries to the content of the above please contact the Outdoor Department reference 555, email address: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Baulch

CWU Assistant Secretary

See the link for all the Annexe's, national agreement ect.

[Janet Brum]

Accordingly, as part of the National Four Pillars Agreement

The same agreement RM chose to ignore regarding our working week hours, pay and so on?

Either they ignore whole 4 Pillars Agreement or just parts of it?

I still don`t get why the union is still so soft about it, covid or not?

[Cedar_Room]

Accordingly, as part of the National Four Pillars Agreement

The same agreement RM chose to ignore regarding our working week hours, pay and so on?

Either they ignore whole 4 Pillars Agreement or just parts of it?

I still don`t get why the union is still so soft about it, covid or not?

A very valid point

[Sugar]

Office mergers and closures is the thin end of the wedge. The company is going to push this through like crazy to centralise as much as possible, reduce running costs and pay for the new hubs being built. The union have got a big fight on their hands with this agenda.

[ted_e_bear]

Anyone got any inside info on which offices could be in the firing line ?

I mean already being earmarked rather than its a possibility if you've got a bigger one not too far away.

[SpacePhoenix]

Office mergers and closures is the thin end of the wedge. The company is going to push this through like crazy to centralise as much as possible, reduce running costs and pay for the new hubs being built. The union have got a big fight on their hands with this agenda.

Where big towns have multiple DOs, RM might merge them into 1 really big DO (new build) covering the whole town

[wallan]

Office mergers and closures is the thin end of the wedge. The company is going to push this through like crazy to centralise as much as possible, reduce running costs and pay for the new hubs being built. The union have got a big fight on their hands with this agenda.

I think you will find that this was the plan in the 1970 / 80 ,s
Phase 1 was the introduction of Mail Centers , Phase 2 was to rationalize delivery offices

[Sugar]

Office mergers and closures is the thin end of the wedge. The company is going to push this through like crazy to centralise as much as possible, reduce running costs and pay for the new hubs being built. The union have got a big fight on their hands with this agenda.

Where big towns have multiple DOs, RM might merge them into 1 really big DO (new build) covering the whole town

Saw that happen with a number of DO's all merging into a single unit. There are others in the area that could be added to those if they did move to an even larger unit and centralise it a bit more. A lot of that would depend on LAT's and how they move the larger parcels on to alleged driver only duties.

Office mergers and closures is the thin end of the wedge. The company is going to push this through like crazy to centralise as much as possible, reduce running costs and pay for the new hubs being built. The union have got a big fight on their hands with this agenda.

I think you will find that this was the plan in the 1970 / 80 ,s
Phase 1 was the introduction of Mail Centers , Phase 2 was to rationalize delivery offices

It looks like they are going to get their way and possibly centralise everything into super hubs delivering mail to a number of areas and large enough to cope with LAT's and the possible influx of parcel only drivers.

Time will tell. Obviously whatever they do will pi$$ off the workers and probably customers but as always profits above everything else.

[k979aaa]

Bonuses breed hubs and hub's spread viruses far and wide beware of the hubs!