Royal Mail Work Experience Programme:Joint Statement

[fishtank]

LTB 159/12 Royal Mail Work Experience Programme

No: 159/12
Ref: 24005
7th March 2012
TO: ALL BRANCHES WITH POSTAL MEMBERS
Dear Colleague

Royal Mail Work Experience Programme

Further to LTB 153/12 the Union has finalised a comprehensive Joint Statement on the Royal Mail Work Experience Programme and this was unanimously endorsed at yesterday's Postal Executive Meeting.
The approach the CWU has taken throughout has been about ensuring that any Work Experience Programme is entirely voluntary and underpinned by strong Trade Union principles and values.
A copy of the agreed Joint Statement is attached and the salient points are as follows:

This is a short-term 4 week Scheme limited to 80 candidates.

The Scheme is entirely voluntary throughout and if an individual chooses to leave at any stage they will not be penalised in any way.

We have secured the principle of an accompanying remuneration package.

Royal Mail has confirmed that this Scheme is not about free or cheap labour and the live work involved will not replace paid for jobs or existing earnings opportunities.

There is 2 weeks shadowing other employees and 2 weeks live work. Royal Mail has accepted that the content of the live work is a matter for agreement with CWU.

Work Experience placements will be restricted to either Mail Centres or Delivery Sites where a Workplace Coach exists and no Business Transformation Revision activity is taking place.

On completion of the 4 week programme, the candidates will have the opportunity of a job offer in line with agreed criteria that also protects existing fixed-term and temporary staff.

The CWU support is solely for the terms of this Scheme and any decision to extend it is subject to a full review and would necessitate further discussions between the National Parties.

A key issue in securing this Statement was the need to ensure that the Programme is entirely voluntary and that individuals could choose to leave at any stage without fear of losing their benefits. It has to be said that Royal Mail has supported the Union's position on this key principle throughout. Moreover, our joint stance, alongside the wider public debate, has helped bring about the change in Government regulations that was announced last week.
As part of our discussions the Union secured the principle of a remuneration package and you will see that the CWU has noted that Royal Mail will set this at current Agency rates. Royal Mail's position was set in the following context. Ultimately, this is only a 4 week Scheme, that provides a route to a job at the end of it and at this stage the company do not want to pay more than what they currently pay Agency workers. However, Royal Mail has agreed this will be subject to review. Both parties also recognise that we will need to explore further the impact of remuneration on individuals' existing benefits. It is important that Work Experience candidates are in receipt of accurate information so that they can make decisions based on their personal circumstances.
In securing the overall Joint Statement you will see that the Union has also focused strongly on providing real safeguards for existing employees.
We can advise Branches that the Joint Statement has been fully endorsed and welcomed by the TUC who support the need for Trade Unions to engage employers on these matters. Furthermore, Royal Mail has confirmed separately in writing that this Work Experience Scheme does not replace the existing Apprenticeship Schemes. As a result, the company has invited the Union to a further discussion that can freshen up the Apprentice Scheme approach.
In conclusion, by directly engaging the employer, we now have a Work Experience Scheme that will set a benchmark for what a good employer and a responsible Trade Union should be doing to help young people improve their employment prospect.
As previously reported, the Scheme will commence on the 13th March 2012 and Royal Mail are in the process of advising us of the specific locations. In turn, we will be contacting the CWU Representatives who will become directly involved.

Any enquiries on this LTB should be addressed to the DGS (P) Department.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward
Deputy General Secretary (P)

[fishtank]

ROYAL MAIL WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAMME

1. Introduction

The Royal Mail Group agreed to participate in a government initiative to provide work experience for young unemployed people between the ages of 16 and 24. The intention is to help these young people re-connect to the world of work and have a positive impact on their confidence, employability and future prospects.

The Royal Mail Group has asked CWU to support this initiative. This started discussions between the parties designed to ensure that any Work Experience Scheme is shaped in a way that supports the values and principles both of the company and the Union.

Royal Mail and CWU have now concluded our discussions with an agreed Royal Mail Work Experience Programme that builds on the original government initiative and sets a benchmark for good employment practice in this field.

2. Key Principles of the Scheme

The Royal Mail Work Experience Programme is underpinned by the following key principles:

• The scheme will operate for a 4 week period and is designed for up to 80 candidates, each working between 25 and 30 hours per week. Placements will be spread across the Royal Mail regions.

• This is a voluntary scheme and will only be open to candidates who personally confirm, to the company, that they have volunteered. If individuals choose to leave the scheme at any time during the four week period, they may do so without being penalised in any way. It is confirmed that this is a central principle of the voluntary nature of the Royal Mail Work Experience Programme.

• Royal Mail and CWU agree there will be an accompanying remuneration package available for people participating in the Royal Mail Work Experience Programme. CWU note that Royal Mail have said this will be the same as that paid to casual and agency workers. Going forward, Royal Mail note that the remuneration issue is something CWU wish to discuss in the review (see paragraph 5)

• Both parties recognise that there are complex issues relating to any remuneration and its impact on benefits and are committed to explore these further together.
• Both Royal Mail and CWU believe it is important that participants receive full and accurate information to enable them to make an informed choice about what is best for them taking into account their personal circumstances.

• Royal Mail confirms that its participation in this scheme is not for the purposes of employing free or cheap labour or for funding Royal Mail activity out of the state budget. The scheme is designed solely to assist young unemployed people back into work. The live work performed will not be at the expense of paid for jobs or additional earnings opportunities for existing Royal Mail employees.

• Royal Mail will ensure that the Work Experience Programme reflects the equality and diversity principles of the company.

• The Scheme will provide candidates with worthwhile work experience and quality mentoring and support throughout. The whole experience is designed to encourage and help young people get and keep secure and worthwhile jobs.

• On completion of the Work Experience Programme the candidates will have the opportunity of a job offer, subject to the criteria set out below.

• The Scheme is agreed on the basis of appropriate safeguards for the existing workforce and the overall Royal Mail operation.

3. How the Scheme will Operate

The Royal Mail Work Experience Programme will operate in accordance with the following:

• The candidates will be nominated by Job Centre Plus who will refer only suitable volunteers, who are motivated and demonstrate an interest in the placements being offered.

• The candidates will then go through normal Royal Mail vetting procedures and attend an induction meeting. At the induction meeting the candidates will confirm to the company, that they have indeed volunteered. The terms of their work experience within Royal Mail will then be explained. The induction meeting will also provide the opportunity for the CWU to explain the role of a Trade Union within the workplace.

• Placements will be in a delivery unit or Mail Centre where a workplace coach exists. The workplace coach will be assigned to support the candidate throughout the programme. Placements will avoid units currently involved in business transformation revision activity.

• The first two weeks of the placement will involve shadowing other employees who volunteer to assist in this process. The final two weeks will involve performing live work, the content of which will be agreed between the local Royal Mail and CWU parties. The agreed live work will not be at the expense of paid for jobs or additional earnings opportunities for other Royal Mail employees. The live work should focus on helping and supporting other employees complete their normal duties, or any other value added tasks.

4. The Outcome of the Work Experience Programme

The intention is for candidates who successfully conclude the Work Experience Programme to be provided with a job offer either immediately, if there are vacancies, or after a period on a waiting list as suitable vacancies become available. This is subject to the following criteria:

• Each candidate placed in Royal Mail will be assigned a line manager, who will be responsible for looking after them during their placement and will also undertake a full de-briefing at the end of it. At that point each candidate will be asked about their experiences and whether they want to be considered for working for Royal Mail.

• Candidates, who confirm that they are interested in going on to work for the company and have demonstrated suitability for the work, will not have to go through the normal interview process. In effect, their work experience will serve as an extended interview.

• The job opportunities arising from this process will include units within a reasonable travelling distance from where the candidate resides.

• If there are existing temporary or fixed term contract employees awaiting confirmation of a permanent contract, priority will be given in offering permanent jobs to existing Royal Mail employees, and work experience candidates will be placed behind these individuals on the waiting list. The work experience candidates may also be offered a fixed term or temporary contact whilst being on the waiting list. They will also be considered for any suitable work at Christmas.

5. Review

Under the terms of this agreement, the Royal Mail Work Experience Programme is a pilot and is limited to the number of candidates stated and the duration outlined. At its conclusion, it will be reviewed by the national parties before any decisions are made about whether to extend it. We will look at how it has worked, how successful it has been in meeting the objectives set out in the Introduction and at the remuneration arrangements. Provided it has been successful, we will look together at how similar work experience arrangements can be established on an ongoing basis.



Dave Ward Peter Walls
Deputy General Secretary Director Industrial & Employee Relations
CWU Operations & Modernisation
Royal Mail

2 March 2012 2 March 2012

[DGP1]

They shouldn't have anything to do with this, if the jobs are needed then fill them, if not then don't, something that the leadership seem to have forgotten in their mad rush for getting into bed with management.

Our terms and conditions, our pensions, now our jobs being farmed out to 'work experience' people who will do it for JSA, truly a sad day for a once powerful union

[fishtank]

I have to hold my hands up and say that the joint statement addresses most of the issues that i have had with the scheme.
I am now though even more suspicious of the motives behind the introduction of this scheme.
If the terms of the joint statement are enforced this will cost Royal Mail money so you have to ask....what's in it for them?
I'm not buying the "helping hand to youngsters" bollocks.
Probably a tax dodge.

[DGP1]

I have to hold my hands up and say that the joint statement addresses most of the issues that i have had with the scheme.
I am now though even more suspicious of the motives behind the introduction of this scheme.
If the terms of the joint statement are enforced this will cost Royal Mail money so you have to ask....what's in it for them?
I'm not buying the "helping hand to youngsters" bollocks.
Probably a tax dodge.

If it's going to cost RM then they may as well employ them.............but you're right about them getting something out of it (probably several thousand per person per session).

[fishtank]

I've figured it out....

The live work should focus on helping and supporting other employees complete their normal duties

Every f****d up park&loop duty in the country gets their own work experience guy to tidy up the excess.
They might need a hell of a lot more than 80 though.

[Danelectro]

I remember YOP schemes,the Union shouldnt touch this with a barge pole and should concentrate on putting their own house in order regarding current workloads for their members which might result in more hours needed in each office and therefore creating real jobs.The whole thing is a scam and only spin to detract from the austerity policies being rolled out across europe.