Royal Mail Christmas and New Year arrangements

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.cwu.org/news/archive/royal-m ... ments.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This year's Christmas and New Year arrangements for Royal Mail Group workers were aimed at maximising opportunities for members to enjoy a four-day break, while also giving members more voluntary overtime options.

With Christmas Day and Boxing Day falling on a Thursday and Friday in 2014, annual conference discussed a motion asking the CWU leadership to negotiate a 'non-service day' for Saturday 27th, and representations were made by the union's senior team on that basis.

In response to this request, Royal Mail advised the union that this would necessitate a formal application to Ofcom for an exemption to the USO - an application that the business were not prepared to make on the basis that it risked giving a negative impression to the regulator at a time when our industry is facing ever-increasing competition. Without the support of Royal Mail there is no chance of OFCOM agreeing a no service day!

Bob Gibson "In light of this," CWU assistant secretary Bob Gibson explains, "it was decided that the sensible way forward would be to seek satisfactory remedies to assist in gaining opportunities for time off on the 27th December due to anticipated lower volumes of traffic, in order to ensure our members had the opportunity of improved time off and flexible attendances.

"The agreement reached with the company, therefore provides opportunities for local flexibility agreements; to explore opportunities to give people additional time off during the festive period consistent with customer and operational requirements. It also provides for opportunities for members to volunteer for extra overtime-earnings, and it is the view of the postal executive that this is the best way forward in the circumstances."

Other aspects of the agreement remain largely unchanged from the 2013 arrangements - there will be more enquiry offices opening on Sundays on the two weekends before Christmas, and there is confirmation that members will also continue to have the opportunity of additional earnings based on Christmas Pressure scheduled attendance.

For full details of the agreement, please see LTB 621/14.

[rhino49]

That appears to mean that you can all ask for the Saturday off, but if it causes the managers the least bit of inconvenience, then you won't get it !!!

[knackeredneedadayoff]

In other words your all working the saturday

[A2B]

It may be possible to get the day off now but it will probably be covered by more lapsing/absorption for the other delivery staff. In our office it's usually the quietest day of the year so can't see ot being offered to cover walks

[zapranoth]

Already asked and got a firm not in December reply.

[janitor]

What's wrong with these managers, our DOM used to open up the last three days before Christmas for annual leave, and with upto three people off on leave we still never struggled to clear. Things may be different now with P&L but no one ever finished after midday on Christmas eve and the first day back after Christmas was the same, even with lapsed rounds.

[Glenno]

With Christmas Day and Boxing Day falling on a Thursday and Friday in 2014

This in it's own right is an earning opportunity, for those whose day off on Thur/Fri get the time back or are paid
But now if you do an S/A on these days (ie work your day off) can you expect to get paid it and claim the day back??

[Rommagic]

People on duty Saturday 27thDecember should be offered AL,people on Sa money saved by RM if it was a non service day.

[interesting]

I can't wait until the royal twitter feed says that's all from see you on the 29th
I will ask them why not the 27th

[SpacePhoenix]

If MCs and RDCs are going to be back in at 22:00 on the 26th then all DOs are going to have to be in as normal. There probably won't be so much mail but I'd expect to possibly see a shitload of Amazon stuff pass through the network then and any Mailsort that will have been held back