LTB 512/21 - Christmas/Peak and New Year's Operational Arrangements

[POSTMAN]

https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-512-21-chri ... angements/

LTB 512/21 – Christmas/Peak and New Year’s Operational Arrangements
No. 512/21

26th November 2021

Dear Colleagues,

Christmas/Peak and New Year’s Operational Arrangements

We are receiving numerous enquiries into both departments in regards to this year’s Christmas/Peak and New year’s operational arrangements.

The purpose of this LTB is therefore to clarify the current position with regard to discussions with the business, as Royal Mail have issued a Christmas 2021 & New Year 2022 Document into the operation.

Discussions have taken place between RM/CWU regarding Christmas Arrangements for some months now and after presenting them with a draft document some weeks ago, we have today, received an unacceptable response document from Royal Mail, which will require further discussions to take place.

Given the timescales involved and the proximity to Christmas it is understandable that Branches, Representatives and members will want to know what their working and attendance arrangements will be over the Christmas and New Year Festive period to allow them to plan accordingly.

Unfortunately, there are several issues which still remain unresolved, including the attendance arrangements for the weekend of Saturday 1st January 2022 (New Year’s Day) and the resultant Bank Holiday in England on Monday the 3rd January (Scotland 3rd and 4th January) and the associated issues which flow from that.

We have made it clear to Royal Mail that we do not accept that our members should be compelled to work on either Saturday the 1st of January or Monday the 3rd (3rd/4th in Scotland). The Company have now, very late in the day, encouraged and requested that Ofcom should conduct a published consultation process, which states;

Royal Mail has requested that Ofcom issue a direction to make 1 January 2022 an ‘exception’ because this date falls on a Saturday. 1 January is generally a public holiday. However, in 2022, when this date falls on a Saturday, the following Monday has been designated as the official public holiday. This would mean that, in the absence of a direction from Ofcom, Saturday 1 January 2022 would be a normal working day on which Royal Mail would be required to deliver and collect letters. Royal Mail’s request is that Ofcom grants this exception in addition to it observing the non-working day on Monday 3 January 2022.

Offcom has stated they support granting the exception for USO deliveries and collections and a decision is due to be announced on the 13th December.

Notwithstanding the above, we have made it clear to Royal Mail that we are not in agreement and supportive of the Companies’ approach to the New Year Bank Holiday(s) and that they have failed to deal with the issue in good time with the Regulator despite the fact the precedent was set and the dispensation was granted in 2010/11. We have also made it clear that we cannot wait until the 13th of December which is just over a week before Christmas to deal with the issue and this needs to be reflected in any agreed set of National Guidelines. Further to this and should the regulator not grant the dispensation for the USO, the CWU will not agree a position which would entail mandatory attendance of our members who are covered by this agreement on either Saturday 1st January or Monday 3rd January (Tuesday 4th January in Scotland) 2022 and that in the event of this happening, there will need to be agreed contingency arrangements which may include incentives for any individuals who may wish to volunteer to attend on those days.

We have requested that an urgent meeting with Royal Mail is arranged early next week and further developments will be reported to Branches in due course.

Any queries to the content of the above please contact the Outdoor Department reference 170, email address: njones@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Mark Baulch

CWU Assistant Secretary

Davie Robertson

CWU Assistant Secretary

[yubin282]

Surely things like this should've been sorted with the "game changing agreement" that some of us voted for.

It's the same "problem" every year, but still takes months to sort out.

[fb1969]

Now that Terry Bullshitter spends more time being a company spokesman couldn't we ask him? Then again he'd probably say we've got to work it.

[ScousePostie]

Surely making January 1st a working day would cause more issues, such as what happens to colleagues who booked the week off as annual leave. On paper if you take that week off, you'll have 29th-31st, but in theory you'd have booked that week off believing that you'd be off from 27th December to 4th January. Not to mention the amount that would go sick for the day.

[Clappedoutpostie]

If you look on the RM app it has the 1st as a bank holiday.

[panzer4]

As usual Christmas and new year take RM management by surprise

[2yearpostie]

Im sure our customers would love to be knocked out of bed at 8am on new years day because we have something that wont quite fit thru the letterbox..its bad enough on a normal Saturday!

[poptart]

This has got to be a joke and we have to wait til the 13th December for a decision. Couldn't make it up

[Martin Walsh]

A Bank Holiday cannot be on a Saturday. There 3rd of January on Monday is the official bank holiday.

In the past when New Years Day fell on a Saturday then Royal Mail have agreed with Of com to have a non service day on the Saturday.

Royal Mail were late engaging with Of com this time but Of com is supportive of the request and this is expected to be announced on 13th December.

Royal Mail know no one is attending on the 1st or 3rd January in the UK and also the 2nd in Scotland.

[Marshamp11]

I know my Xmas operational arrangements, I will be starting on my time and finishing on my time. Merry Xmas.

[worktotime]

A Bank Holiday cannot be on a Saturday. There 3rd of January on Monday is the official bank holiday.

In the past when New Years Day fell on a Saturday then Royal Mail have agreed with Of com to have a non service day on the Saturday.

Royal Mail were late engaging with Of com this time but Of com is supportive of the request and this is expected to be announced on 13th December.

Royal Mail know no one is attending on the 1st or 3rd January in the UK and also the 2nd in Scotland.

so why was this left so late anyway ? surely it must have been a priority from the cwu for there members ?

[Martin Walsh]

The CWU raised it in September but only Royal Mail can request a non service day.

[world class male]

for once, this isn't a union issue, dec25 jan1 days off is nothing to do with them, well maybe 25th on religious grounds but what i'd really like them to do is put pressure on the staffing guys to ensure no reserves are given both dates as their days off, it's about time they started getting looked after with a fairer rota system and not open to abuse

[johnnylove]

Surely if this is the case then RM could make us work on Christmas Day. We have the Monday off to compensate after all.

[rambo1]

Surely if this is the case then RM could make us work on Christmas Day. We have the Monday off to compensate after all.

That's what I thought too. It's the same argument.