JOINT STATEMENT REGARDING PARCEL PROCESSING STRATEGY

[TrueBlueTerrier]

No. 650/14
Ref: 732.02
Date: 20th October 2014



To: All Postal Branches
Area Processing Representatives
Area Distribution Representatives
Divisional Representatives


Dear Colleague

JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL PROCESSING AND THE COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION REGARDING PARCEL PROCESSING STRATEGY

The Union has recently been engaged in dialogue regarding the development of parcel processing strategy following the recent trial/proof of concept activity which has taken place at selected Mail Centres in line with previously agreed terms of reference.

The culmination of this activity has resulted in the business now looking to jointly expand the development/deployment of parcel handling technology including scanning and tracking across the Network.

A Joint Statement is attached which clarifies the current position going forward.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Terry Pullinger, Assistant Secretary, e-mail: dwyatt@cwu.org or shayman@cwu.org quoting reference number 732.02.

Yours sincerely



Terry Pullinger
Assistant Secretary

[TrueBlueTerrier]

JOINT STATEMENT BETWEEN ROYAL MAIL PROCESSING AND THE COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION REGARDING PARCEL PROCESSING STRATEGY

Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union are working together in developing key business policies, mutual interest solutions and a new culture, which is at the core of all the commitments contained in the BT2010 Agreement and the recently endorsed Agenda for Growth, Stability and Long Term Success Agreement.

Royal Mail and the CWU have been in discussion in respect of the Parcel Automation Project in relation to the Mail Centre network, which is part of the Royal Mail Parcel Transformation Programme. The aim of the project is to develop a future parcel processing plan, including automated and manual interventions for all bar-coded parcels in the Royal Mail operation. We have been fully engaged at National level on the scope and details of the project and a National Engagement Forum is to be established to enable detailed sharing of information. Existing National groups, such as the National Processing Group (NPG), Growth Forum and the Parallel Ops Executive will review the progress of the project.

Royal Mail is embarking on a tender process inviting machine suppliers to bid to provide Royal Mail with a parcel sorting machine solution and the project team are currently formulating a business case to secure the funding for investment. Supplier bids will be returned on the 29th December 2014 and it is currently envisaged that a business case will be submitted to the Royal Mail Board in early 2015. If funding is secured, the intention will be to start deploying machines in 2015 with the aim of completing this activity in 2016. The introduction of scanners into manual parcel sorting is planned to follow a similar timeframe.

Even though Royal Mail has yet to pick a supplier or approve the business case some local planning and testing will be commencing in Mail Centres, which will follow agreed terms of reference for the activity with the CWU. This will be focussed on gathering information to inform the business case and the practicalities of deployment, i.e. where the machine will fit in the Mail Centre, what capacity is needed, how processes may change etc.

The Royal Mail project team, local management and local CWU representatives will work together to ensure we get local site specific information to inform the overall design and business case assumptions.

Against that backdrop it is acknowledged that the Parcel Automation Project is still at a very early stage with a significant amount of joint development activity to be concluded going forward. As the project evolves issues, such as Manpower Planning/Resourcing at affected sites, will require further discussion at the relevant phase of deployment.

We will of course update you further as the project progresses.


Andrew Forbes Terry Pullinger

Head of Processing Design Assistant Secretary
Royal Mail CWU

Date: 20th October 2014

[hubbahubba]

Packet sorting is by far the most labour intensive operation in MC's,so any large-scale investment in mechanisation will no doubt lead to a further cut in FT jobs in mailcentres.

As with FSM's I would envisage a select few MC's to get parcel sorting machines,and for RM to fully utilize them by doing the 2c packets for many postcode area's on a regional basis,encompassing many postcode area's in a small number of national sites.

Question is,what will the CWU do about the resulting loss in jobs.If it's anything like the MC closure's then we're in for a rough ride.

[SpacePhoenix]

Packet sorting is by far the most labour intensive operation in MC's,so any large-scale investment in mechanisation will no doubt lead to a further cut in FT jobs in mailcentres.

As with FSM's I would envisage a select few MC's to get parcel sorting machines,and for RM to fully utilize them by doing the 2c packets for many postcode area's on a regional basis,encompassing many postcode area's in a small number of national sites.

Question is,what will the CWU do about the resulting loss in jobs.If it's anything like the MC closure's then we're in for a rough ride.

A big part will be down to how big the machines end up being. Anyone know the manufacturer and model number/name of whatever they use at HWDC?

[britwrit]

Siemens made it. Sorry. Don't know the model. But it's at least a decade old. Any PSM selected would be jumping several generations ahead. Also, HWDC was designed and built around it. So it's apples and oranges with anything coming on down the line.

[SpacePhoenix]

Siemens made it. Sorry. Don't know the model. But it's at least a decade old. Any PSM selected would be jumping several generations ahead. Also, HWDC was designed and built around it. So it's apples and oranges with anything coming on down the line.

If RM intend for the new gen PSMs to have the offices design and built around them is it possible that there could be a second round of closures and mergers, as smaller MCs probably have got no hope in hell of being able to fit one in

[dvbuk55]

Siemens made it. Sorry. Don't know the model. But it's at least a decade old. Any PSM selected would be jumping several generations ahead. Also, HWDC was designed and built around it. So it's apples and oranges with anything coming on down the line.

If RM intend for the new gen PSMs to have the offices design and built around them is it possible that there could be a second round of closures and mergers, as smaller MCs probably have got no hope in hell of being able to fit one in

Well if that modernisation takes as long as the 2010 agreement then most people will be retired before it ever affects them.