LTB 014/19 Four Pillars Agreement: OPG 35 Hour Full-Time Duty Deployment – RM/CWU Joint Communication

[TrueBlueTerrier]

LTB 014/19 Four Pillars Agreement: OPG 35 Hour Full-Time Duty Deployment – RM/CWU Joint Communication

LTB 014/18

15th Jan 2019



Dear Colleagues,

Four Pillars Agreement: OPG 35 Hour Full-Time Duty Deployment – RM/CWU Joint Communication

LTB 589/18 issued on 16th October 2018 made clear that the Union was aware that the introduction of the new full-time employees from October 2018 on 35 hour contracts would not be without its challenges, both from a functional and operational perspective.

In light of this, the Union had been pressing the business to agree and conclude a set of directives and/or guidelines to support its introduction and as a result a number of meetings have taken place with the company concluding with the attached Joint Communication being agreed between both parties.

The key points within the Joint Communication are as follows:

Future revision activity will be planned on agreed workload that will continue to determine duty sets. However, it is jointly recognised that existing full-time employees will continue to be based on 38 hours (this will be adjusted as we progress through the SWW flight-path).
Where we have situations where workload justifies an increase of hours beyond 35 hours, then the local CWU Representative and Manager will agree the most suitable options through their Weekly Resourcing meetings. Options can include;
For ad-hoc/ irregular hours the use of overtime as per current arrangements.
SA hours attached to the duty.
Through a variation of contract from 35 hours up to 38 hours, reviewed every 6 months using the same criteria applied under the Job Security Agreement.
In addition we have also agreed that no OPG who has carried Annual Leave over from previous years loses out in the recalculation of leave going forwards.
Finally, the Joint Communication also addresses a number of additional points which have been subject to enquiry in the Postal Department following the previous LTB being published.

Whilst we totally understand this matter gives the impression of a more complicated design when revising duties, in essence it is no different than when considering part-time members in a revised duty set. So to be clear, no member on the new full-time contract is or should be expected to do 38 hours work in 35 hours and the options above deal with that.

It is absolutely essential that we keep our eye on the prize, as we deal with the major changes to our operations going forward the 35 hour week will increase in its importance in protecting our members, protecting jobs and defining a manageable day’s work.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department quoting reference 24000.

Yours sincerely



Terry Pullinger

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)

19LTB14- Four Pillars Agreement OPG 35 Hour Full-Time Duty Deployment – RMCWU Joint Communication https://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-nhtjklt-ztkjiuyil-i/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

LTB 14.19 Attachment 1 – RM_CWU Final Version_35 FTE associated issues https://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-nhtjklt-ztkjiuyil-d/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Several questions have been raised recently in relation to the introduction of the Shorter
Working Week, the reduction to 38hrs and the new 35hr full time contracts. As a result
meetings have taken place between Royal Mail & CWU to provide joint clarification to the
issues that have been raised. The purpose of this joint document is to provide clarity on
the most frequently asked questions:

1. With effect from 1st October 2018, 35hrs is the contract we will use for all future
full time OPG contracts (whether they be new recruits or part time uplifts from
existing employees).

2. Employees on the new 35hr contracts will be listed on PSP as full-time employees
but using a different position code to that used for our full-time employees on
38hr contracts.

3. Workload will remain the factor to determine the type of duty i.e. full time at
35hrs or part time and the number of contracted hours. The resourcing will be
agreed through the weekly resourcing meetings.

4. Future revision activity will be planned on agreed workload that will continue to
determine duty sets. However it is jointly recognised that existing full-time
employees will continue to be based on 38 hours (This will be adjusted as we
progress through the SWW flight-path). Any subsequent resourcing gaps that
require full time employment will be based on 35 hour contracts and if required
any extension to this dealt with in line with bullet point 5 below.

5. Where we have situations where workload justifies an increase of hours beyond
35hrs, then the local CWU Rep and manager will agree the most suitable options
through their Weekly Resourcing meetings. Options can include;
a. For ad-hoc/ irregular hours the use of overtime as per current
arrangements which will be paid at single standard pay rate (up to full
time conditioned hours) with the appropriate pro rata increase in
allowances/supplements as current agreements.
b. SA hours attached to the duty – this can apply in situations where the
workload will be regular but not necessarily the same every day/ every
week or throughout the year and is not forecast to be there on a planned
basis in the future.
c. In situations where it is jointly identified that workload is available and
required on a planned and regular basis to provide a reliable and efficient
service to our customers this will be resourced through a variation of
contract from 35 hours up to 38 hours. These variations will be through a
temporary contract uplift and reviewed every 6 months using the same
criteria applied under Job Security Agreement.

6. All employees on 35hr contracts can perform overtime and SA on a cross
functional basis. This will be subject to workload and working time directive.

7. Arrangements to cover rest days on overtime or scheduled attendances should be
jointly reviewed against workload through weekly resourcing meetings to reflect
the transition to duties on daily/weekly attendances based on 38hrs per week and
agreed changes adjusted accordingly in line with current agreements.

8. Part time employees on job share will continue to operate at current part time
contracted hours. Additional workload should be jointly identified and allocated if
the impact of SWW has resulted in unoccupied time within conditioned hours.

9. Employees who have carried over annual leave for 2017/18 year will have this
added to this year’s annual leave at the rate of their contracted hours for last
year. For example, if you were on 39hrs last year and carried over a week then
39 hours will be added to this year’s annual leave.

10. Employees who purchase annual leave will continue to do so under current
arrangements which are based on a percentage of your wages. Therefore there is
no impact due to the reduction in the working week.

11. For the Christmas operation where workload supports the increase, part time to
full time employees may have a temporary contractual uplift to 38hrs per week.
Where this uplift is for at least 2 of the 4 Christmas weeks they will receive the
full £100 Christmas supplement.

12. Other employees contracted at less than 38hrs will receive pro rata for the
Christmas bonus.

13. It is expected between both parties that the above principals will apply to all
subsequent reductions in the OPG Working Week until the 35 hours gross working
week for OPG’s has been achieved, however where either party requests this can
be jointly reviewed at National Level.

14. The relevant pay directives will reflect the points above and this document should
be read in conjunction with them.

December 2018