Scotland and NI division :Shared Vans

[Woody Guthrie]

Dear Colleagues,

Divisional Update following RM’s Unilateral announcement that, without agreement with the CWU, they will seek volunteers to operate two in a van delivery from Monday 12th October. This is despite active talks with CWU Health and Safety reps having reached no conclusion.
As senior Divisional Reps we are strongly advising our members not to accept this position and not to volunteer for shared van return. We have advised the RM Service Delivery Leads in the Division of this.

RM claim they have completed risk assessments to support the reintroduction of shared vehicles. This includes keeping the van windows open when in use. No air conditioning on, no breaks or lunch in the van. If the Covid-19 does not kill you, the hypothermia might.
Terry Pullinger, Deputy General Secretary Postal condemned the Royal Mail’s position in his recent Facebook broadcast.

On the day that further restrictions in Scotland (possibly Nth Ireland also) were announced the Divisional Reps have challenged the SDL’s on the issue of further increases of COVID-19 Related Absences within all functions throughout the business.
In the preceding four days there were nine Covid related cleans in RM Workplaces.
In our view the introduction of two in a vehicle does not meet social distancing regulations.

We posed the question of what would happen if staff refuse to volunteer and were moved from their duty to accommodate, we would see this as a flashpoint/executive action, if staff were disadvantaged by refusing to ‘volunteer’.

We asked the question that if members inform their local manager, they refuse to participate in vehicle sharing, what is RM’s next move? Informed it is Voluntary? Will they be disciplined?
We have made the forceful point that this is the wrong time to introduce shared vehicles into Delivery.

Finally, if our members voluntarily agree to vehicle sharing and the member your sharing with has COVID-19 Symptoms or is tested positive you then need to self-isolate, will RM pay your sick pay and will any absence be excluded from that attendance process.?

In the absence of any clear answers Divisional Advice is Absolutely Clear. Do not Reintroduce Shared Vehicles.
Do not put your Health or the Health of Colleagues or Family at Risk.

DON’T VOLUNTEER TO SPREAD COVID SAY NO TO TWO IN A VEHICLE



A STATEMENT by the SCOTLAND & NORTHERN IRELAND DIVISIONAL COMMITTEE

[ninja]

http://e-lawresources.co.uk/Volenti-non-fit-injuria.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Woody Guthrie]

http://e-lawresources.co.uk/Volenti-non-fit-injuria.php

It's a very good point and leads to the biggest question of all.

IF ROYAL MAIL REALLY BELIEVES THAT VAN SHARING IS NOW SAFE WHY IS IT VOLUNTARY?

Why aren't we just back to van sharing from Monday no ifs buts or maybes?

[whatshappening1]

Postman in our work tested positive today. He was in yesterday while waiting results, putting us all at further risk he clearly must have had symptoms for a day or two to have got a test and after telling us this bring up the van sharing from monday.

[matthew68]

Surely leaving the window open is a health and safety breech I mean it’s starting to rain a lot and with windows open you will not only get soaked but struggling to see properly if left open plus all the fumes coming directly into the van this is farcical

[Cucumber]

Postman in our work tested positive today. He was in yesterday while waiting results, putting us all at further risk he clearly must have had symptoms for a day or two to have got a test and after telling us this bring up the van sharing from monday.

Working?

Either way they should have not left their house when waiting for a test result.

[whatshappening1]

Yeh he was in working when he got the result. I'm a part timer and new to the office so I dont even know if I had contact with him or not. Did here someone coughing and saying I'm f****d stay away from me to someone in a joking way but it was the next row of frames over so couldnt see his face but it was only us in the office at the time. Who turns up to work after getting tested

[steve1873]

Postman in our work tested positive today. He was in yesterday while waiting results, putting us all at further risk he clearly must have had symptoms for a day or two to have got a test and after telling us this bring up the van sharing from monday.

That should be a conduct case and at best a 2 year serious warning or suspended dismissal. Outrageous.

[wf]

Don’t make me laugh ,
Who exactly is going to stand up for you when the bullying starts
Social distancing is still non existent 6 months later
People had to use ,in some cases 3 or 4 months leave to shield And get government money !
Offices aren’t closed for cases
Vans are filthy and used by many Who will never clean them
No one wears masks
Vanshare volunteers,is the way to create another toxic environment
Why put these letters out ,when the s**t hits the fan .nothing ever ever gets done !

[gand]

And let's not forget that northern ireland currently has the fastest infection rate in the UK and europe.