CWU and EP LTB 393/24 – ROYAL MAIL GROUP TAKEOVER BID

[Martin Walsh]

Ted we have agreed with Royal Mail on MDEC that the previously imposed up to 9 months VR terms would be increased by up to an extra 12 weeks pilon bringing it to almost a years money.

If the takeover gets completed we are committed to reviewing the VR terms.

There is a balance to be had on what our demands are for VR terms. The more we give to those that go the less we have to reward those who stay.

Especially as we have pay rise to deal with , equalising the new entrants terms snd conditions , improving sick pay arrangements which will all cost significant sums of money.

The other factor to take into account when factoring in when VR will be available is that people are still leaving voluntarily without a payment , plus there are the equivalent of 7800 full time duties of agency currently being worked in Royal Mail.

The level of job loses from the USO will only become clear during the 37 USO pilot units have tested the method change assumptions.

However the overall project only assumes less than 2600 full time VRs. The rest will be through natural wastage and turning off agency.

[SpacePhoenix]

Ted we have agreed with Royal Mail on MDEC that the previously imposed up to 9 months VR terms would be increased by up to an extra 12 weeks pilon bringing it to almost a years money.

If the takeover gets completed we are committed to reviewing the VR terms.

There is a balance to be had on what our demands are for VR terms. The more we give to those that go the less we have to reward those who stay.

Especially as we have pay rise to deal with , equalising the new entrants terms snd conditions , improving sick pay arrangements which will all cost significant sums of money.

The other factor to take into account when factoring in when VR will be available is that people are still leaving voluntarily without a payment , plus there are the equivalent of 7800 full time duties of agency currently being worked in Royal Mail.

The level of job loses from the USO will only become clear during the 37 USO pilot units have tested the method change assumptions.

However the overall project only assumes less than 2600 full time VRs. The rest will be through natural wastage and turning off agency.

It won't turn off the agency, they get used on packets and Tracked. In MCs it's not going to make any difference to staffing levels. CSS machines will likely be run as normal with the 1C and 2C run together as normal. Just 1C only isn't viable with the small amounts of 1C, we'd just send it as manual

[Neverwasadoor]

Martin I also have a question. As all the senior staff left in our office and 90% are on new terms.
If they get moved from part time to full time will they automatically be on legacy contracts as they seem to think this is the case?
Thanks

I think I can answer that one,it looks like the answer is unfortunately no, if you download attachment two in this ltb
https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-398-24-uso-pilots/
then it explains that it refers to people who are on legacy contracts and they will stay on them when their hours are increased.
Screenshot_20241229-114000.png

Many thanks for the reply.

[Londonsburning]

improving sick pay arrangements

You mean improving the shambolic sick pay arrangements the CWU happily agreed to around 2 years ago?

No disrespect but the CWU is an absolute joke as a union. Just straight up agreeing to any and every demand from our employer, utter clown show telling us to be happy with deal after deal that has utterly destroyed this job for everyone other than the shareholders

[Acca Dacca]

Martin, do you know if RM still intends to keep van sharing as a means of delivery in offices with no HCT duties?

[Perseus]

So, less £ in the pot for pay rise etc as the bad agreement on new entrants terms (which everyone knew wouldn't work) is rectified?

[fb1969]

Can different areas give a different wage. Because as I have tried to say I am not getting the 12.54 people keep saying. it's about 12.58 (not eligible for supplements as new joiner) which means either I'm being paid wrong or everyine else at the same grade and role is. This is what I mean by a proper payscale. I'm used to having a pdf issued once a year that says everyone at this grade in this role earns 12.57 if you live in Greater London area it's this much etc. What we are being given is wishy washy ambiguous BS that none of use can properly challenge if we think there is a mistake.

People on older contracts in some areas get a supplement (RRIS) but that is a separate payment that isn't included in the hourly rate. The only area that I am aware of with a different base hourly rate is London.

There probably is a document details the pay rates somewhere, but in my time at RM is was never something that any individual postie ever kept available - to be honest, the vast majority of them didn't have a clue what their hourly rate was, and rarely checked anything on the pay slip other than the total payment.

If you are in the union then your best bet is to speak to your office rep, or contact the local regional branch that your office comes under.

[kazardaimenu]

If all the mail is coming to the DOs as normal then sifting out the first class will cancel out any time saved.

[Sean06]

Ted we have agreed with Royal Mail on MDEC that the previously imposed up to 9 months VR terms would be increased by up to an extra 12 weeks pilon bringing it to almost a years money.

If the takeover gets completed we are committed to reviewing the VR terms.

There is a balance to be had on what our demands are for VR terms. The more we give to those that go the less we have to reward those who stay.

Especially as we have pay rise to deal with , equalising the new entrants terms snd conditions , improving sick pay arrangements which will all cost significant sums of money.

The other factor to take into account when factoring in when VR will be available is that people are still leaving voluntarily without a payment , plus there are the equivalent of 7800 full time duties of agency currently being worked in Royal Mail.

The level of job loses from the USO will only become clear during the 37 USO pilot units have tested the method change assumptions.

However the overall project only assumes less than 2600 full time VRs. The rest will be through natural wastage and turning off agency.

It won't turn off the agency, they get used on packets and Tracked. In MCs it's not going to make any difference to staffing levels. CSS machines will likely be run as normal with the 1C and 2C run together as normal. Just 1C only isn't viable with the small amounts of 1C, we'd just send it as manual

Most of the agency in our mc are mech trained aswell and rle.

[Barnacle]

If all the mail is coming to the DOs as normal then sifting out the first class will cancel out any time saved.

Yep. Trays will mount up of ‘to be delivered Wednesday’ etc. It will be a mess.

[kazardaimenu]

If all the mail is coming to the DOs as normal then sifting out the first class will cancel out any time saved.

Yep. Trays will mount up of ‘to be delivered Wednesday’ etc. It will be a mess.

It really will be.

[Deadly]

Martin, will the VRs not begin until after the takeover is complete or is it likely to start before but on the lower nine month payment?

[yellowbelly]

Martin, will the VRs not begin until after the takeover is complete or is it likely to start before but on the lower nine month payment?

I get the impression from the documentation supplied the national VR requirement (numbers of staff) will be assessed after the USO pilot trials and an OFCOM USO regulation decision, not upon the completion of takeover.

There may be the opportunity for individuals in the pilot unit to take VR at the point when Ofcom
decides on the appropriate USO change and implements the relevant changes to the regulatory
conditions. This will be done in line with MTSF Appendix 5.

• The terms paid to those employees will be the terms applicable at the point of termination
• Both parties recognise that this arrangement is not additive to the total number of voluntary
redundancies that may be proposed as part of the broader USO deployment.

They'll keep everyone guessing....it depends on the USO changes implementation.

[Acca Dacca]

If all the mail is coming to the DOs as normal then sifting out the first class will cancel out any time saved.

Yep. Trays will mount up of ‘to be delivered Wednesday’ etc. It will be a mess.

There is no plan to 'sift'

The plan seems to be that the Mail Centre will only send the mail to the DO's that have to be delivered that day

[Playmail]

what happens if ofcom say no to it all does that mean the trials would of been a waste of time