CWUHQ Outdoor Dept E-Bulletin May 2017

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Outdoor Secretary’s Introduction

This year’s conference was perhaps one of the most fundamentally important in our history. In the line of normal business, conference made policy on the following issues:

Innovative Duty Patterns
Revisions and the use of Trimble
Uniform
RMP&FS (formerly Romec) Cleaner Issues
Training for Reps
Review of Contracts
Products & Services
Fatigue on Delivery
Weight on Delivery
New Entrant Training
SPDO Closures
Road Traffic Accident Procedure
Further to all of the above, every CWU Division in the country, together with the Postal Executive Committee of the union, submitted a composite emergency motion in response to formal proposals from the company that seek to wreck current terms and conditions of our members and to introduce a two tier workforce by virtue of bringing in a vastly inferior package for new starters for the future. You will no doubt be familiar with the phrase’ The Race to the Bottom’ – well the company wants us to join in big time!

In an unprecedented move by the whole of conference, the CWU called on Royal Mail to:

Adopt a vision that honours our heritage and recognises that Royal Mail is no ordinary employer who has a responsibility to maintain and enhance its role as the only provider with total connectivity to the social, industrial and commercial life of the UK
Redesign operations to grow and enhance Royal Mail’s ambition to be the UK’s best most reliable, secure and trusted delivery and logistics company
Jointly defend the retention of the nation’s six day Universal Service Obligation (USO) to every address in the UK, with equality of provision and service at a uniform tariff and no substantial change to current collection and delivery specifications
Maintain and extend the legal guarantees in the Agenda for Growth Agreement
Agree a flight path to achieve 35 hours gross working week and an agreed pay rise above inflation
Recognise and respect the CWU
Provide a decent living wage in retirement by adopting the CWU pension proposals.
Maintain industry-leading employment standards
Create a more human workplace with a vocational sense of purpose and a work environment their own children would be proud to work in

Conference further went on to reject the Royal Mail proposals to:
Remove RRIS, TPM, reserved rights and legacy payments
Attack new starters’ terms and conditions
Move to monthly pay
Reduce sick leave entitlements/procedure or reduce MTSF
Remove Area Reps from the IR framework
In the event the business fails to reach an agreement with the CWU or positively respond to the union’s Four Pillars of Security agenda by August 2017, the Postal Executive are instructed to consider all means available to the union to progress our claim up to, and not excluding a national industrial action ballot in accordance with CWU national rules
Conference further agrees that should Royal Mail attempt to introduce any of their policies which they have proposed within the negotiations by executive action the CWU executive is instructed to activate an immediate ballot of CWU members for strike action.
It is without doubt that we are entering the fight for our lives – both current members and future members too. The Four Pillars of Security is essential to all our futures and a battle that we must win – please ensure that you have signed the petition – if not contact your branch immediately! Your union needs you and with your support we can take the fight to the company!
Mark Baulch
CWU Assistant Secretary - Elect


Delivery Issues / General Update

Christmas Arrangements

The company are looking to minimise the number of hire vehicles and reduce costs where possible via afternoon/evening deliveries, however, the issue remains one of non compulsion of staff. We have made it clear that we need to know the full impact of the Christmas operation and that includes what the intention is regarding Christmas Eve delivery of premium products as this falls on a Sunday. As such we are awaiting more information from RM and further meetings are being arranged to discuss these matters in a bid to conclude the talks earlier.

Manpower Recruitment Trial

Royal Mail recently embarked on a recruitment process, using Manpower to introduce agency staff to Royal Mail in Deliveries. This was done without the agreement of the CWU and was challenged by the Deputy General Secretary – in particular with regard to the rates of pay that people were being recruited on.

As a result we met with Royal Mail last Tuesday in order to discuss this initiative further, and also to receive an update on the progress of the un-agreed trial we were able to establish at the meeting that:


The trial is now concluded as far as taking on any other further new starters through Manpower, outside of any “BAU”.
All new recruits that have been employed through Manpower as part of this trial are now receiving the agreed pay levels and are employed on Royal Mail contracts of employment, therefore receiving the appropriate entitlements.
All those recruited have now either received or will be receiving invites to the “welcome to Royal Mail” sessions, and therefore will also receive the opportunity to join the CWU.
Since the process of recruitment through Manpower started at the beginning of April, there have been 85 confirmed starters so far with a further 5 individuals waiting to be employed. The total therefore will be 90.
There has been a 14% turnover of the numbers above, which have now been backfilled.
Diversity – 31.6 of recruits have been female against a target of 35%. More recently this has risen to 39.5%.

In relation to Royal Mail and how they recruit new entrants going forward, the company has acknowledged that the current process is not “fit for purpose” and that the length of time from when a vacancy is identified to be filled to when a new recruit walks through the door to start work takes far too long. It also has too many levels of sign off and too many layers of management in order for it to be effective and resource offices quickly enough.

Therefore Royal Mail have initiated an internal trial in order to shorten the process of direct recruitment, fully utilising the internal HR team at Sheffield, which currently takes 93 days on average from when the vacancy is identified as needing to be filled, to an offer being made to an individual, to 31 days in total.

We have requested a further meeting with the company in June/July in order to review the numbers of those recruited through the original Manpower trial and any churn rate etc, and also to review and monitor how the new revised recruitment process is working and whether indeed it has shortened the recruitment process and timescales.

Work Place Coaches

Early discussions are under way regarding a new Digital Tablet for specific use by WPCs. A Terms of Reference for the device and its use are being jointly developed as we speak.

Door to Door

Further to the trial of collated items has been agreed in Newbury which will assess potential increases and decreases to workload going forward, discussions have taken place at Newbury Delivery Office overseen by the department and with the help of the Area Delivery Rep, we are in the process of agreeing dates to visit the unit and see what impact the trial has within the office.

DRIVING ARRANGEMENTS - Road Traffic Accident Procedure

An initial meeting has taken place recently on a review of the road traffic accident procedure and in particular where in fact conduct lies within the procedure. A further meeting is being arranged to discuss the matter. Following repeat requests to the company, a meeting has now been arranged for 18th May 2017.

ROYAL MAIL TRANSFER POLICY

Meetings have taken place regarding the issue of Royal Mail recruiting directly from Manpower for the delivery post persons, which was subject to correspondence between the DGSP and Royal Mail.

At the same meeting the issue of Transferees within the process was raised and Royal Mail have agreed to respond to the CWU points. Further meetings will be arranged.

Further updates will be reported in due course.

UNIFORMS GENERAL

The department arranged for a stall at CWU Annual Conference to display some of the potential changes to the uniform range for women which proved to be extremely worthwhile and was a success. Feedback questionnaires were also completed and these will be subject to review and then raised with Royal Mail at the next meeting, which will also include discussions on progressing regarding a revised/updated National Uniform Agreement.

Enquiry Offices / Customer & You Programme

As previously reported Royal Mail are trying to pull everything together in an attempt to professionalise the Customer Service Programme and further meetings are being arranged to finalise the matter.

Delivery to Neighbour

Further to the agreement on - National Terms of Reference – Full Outdoor Route Production Study and Future Planning Value Maintenance, we are in the process of arranging meetings in order to be given a full presentation on the results from the study as this work is now reaching a conclusion and once the data from it is analysed.

SPDO / RURAL ISSUES

The closure of SPDO’s continues, driven mainly by the Post Office Limited programme. Mike Newport SPDO Group Convenor is working on this item on behalf of the department and sends in regular reports on a weekly basis whereupon we distribute to the relevant reps. The closures are not confined to POL Units, Royal Mail are also looking at relocating some offices as a result of both economical and health & safety reasons.

DELIVERY EQUIPMENT/ GENERAL

As previously reported, further to a number of DO visits we are awaiting the formal outputs of the Industrial Engineer studies, which will then form part of the discussions with RM on next steps and how these are integrated into the future delivery strategy.

Royal Mail Property & Facilities Solutions Ltd (previously Romec) and Servest

CLEANERS/CLEANING GENERAL

Integration of Group Property and Romec has been proceeding since Romec was brought back under full Royal Mail ownership in April 2016. Further to LTB 098/17 and to reflect the combination of the Property and Facilities Management parts of Royal Mail, the new trading name of Romec is ‘Royal Mail Property & Facilities Solutions Ltd’. Romec Limited will retain a separate legal identity as ‘Royal Mail Property & Facilities Solutions Ltd’.

RMPFS are undertaking a re-measurement of all Delivery Offices and we await the results of that before discussing with the company the next steps on this issue.

RMPFS Ltd are looking to trial a new smartphone for mobile cleaners in order to make their movement sheet process easier to manage and move it online and away from paper. We are looking to agree a Terms of Reference before any trial is agreed.

Royal Mail Property & Facilities Solutions Ltd (previously Romec) Independent Review

Discussions have taken place and RMP&FS Ltd have agreed that we will go to mediation regarding various pay issues. We are awaiting a letter to confirm this position.

RMP&FS Ltd are looking to harmonise HR procedures to bring them in line with RM Group. There are concerns regarding the attendance procedure, which is being taken up by Ray Ellis’ Department.

Collections

COLLECTIONS

At the recent Collections Joint Working Group on 18th April, the main discussions centered around trial activities linked to potential growth areas and developing ideas around doorstep collections. In addition it was mentioned that RM is reviewing the next phase of collections on delivery as a whole, and we have asked for more information on what COD3 means as it was raised in the Pipeline/Future Design talks.

Outdoor Department
This Month’s Frequently Asked Questions

Q Regarding the delivery of election material, which items will I receive payment for?

A The National Agreement states: ‘All addressed and un-addressed free election communications marked “ELECTION COMMUNICATION” and Poll Cards (excluding Proxy Poll Cards)’.


Q What annual leave am I entitled to?

A This is the current entitlement as in the Way Forward Agreement 2000:

On entry = Four and a half weeks
After 5 years = Four weeks 3.5 days
After 15 years = Five weeks 1 day
After 20 years = Six weeks


Q I am having difficulty with the current Royal Mail issue footwear. Can I purchase my own?

A Below is the correct process for purchasing your own footwear:

Footwear Reimbursement:
· Employee identifies a problem why Royal Mail footwear cannot be worn.
· Start Employee provides line manager with supporting evidence.
· If it is for medical reasons; a GP, podiatrist or chiropodist letter must be provided.
· The business will pay any reasonable costs incurred. Manager sends a copy of this evidence to Print and Uniform Manager. The Print and Uniform Manager reviews evidence and makes a decision to authorise or not?
· The Print and Uniform Manager will authorise up to maximum £30 spend.
· Once authorised, footwear can be purchased in line with RM Policy. The Minimum standards which must be applied: Colour black and style: a formal lace up with heel (unless flat soles have been prescribed), sole must provide adequate grip. If PPE footwear it must be CE marked.
· Manager checks suitability.
· Employee purchases footwear and claims up to £30 via PSP – travel and expenses. An alternative footwear will be provided by our uniform / footwear supplier.

If you need further information or CWU HQ publications on any of the above mentioned topics, please contact your local Branch Secretary or local representative in the first instance, or email: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org

Please ask your colleagues to sign up to receive the Outdoor Department E-Bulletin by providing their name, membership number, workplace and email address to: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org

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