https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-364-24-roya ... ents-2024/
LTB 364/24 – Royal Mail – Christmas Arrangements 2024
No: 364/24
20th November 2024
For the Immediate Attention of All:
Postal Branches
Divisional Representatives
Area Delivery Representatives
Area Processing Representatives
Area Distribution Representatives
Dear Colleagues,
Royal Mail – Christmas Arrangements 2024
Branches are advised that discussions have been ongoing with Royal Mail for some time with regards to a Christmas Arrangements document for 2024. The CWU sought an early agreement and initial discussions took place during September/October 2024.
An initial draft was received from the business on 1st October which included a number of difficult areas and omissions from previously agreed documents, the last of which had been agreed in 2023.
Those areas of concern included the approach to Customer Service Point Opening, Sunday Delivery, proposed temporary changes to workplan and additional wording on Working Time Directive (WTD), which could restrict the hours our members could work during peak. Wording around Cyber Weekend, new entrants and the imposed change to monthly paid employees pay date being moved to 31st December.
A meeting took place on 14th November 2024, where the CWU raised concerns and sought clarification in a number of areas.
The final draft retains the structure from previous agreements and addresses the majority of the areas of difficulty in the initial drafts. The revised section on National Peak Workplan now includes commitments which ensure that all internal Mail Centre Resource, including current Supernumerary employees, are fully utilised in line with the Peak Resourcing arrangements prior to any movement of work and confirms any agreed change to workplan with regard to 2c / T48 is temporary for peak only.
Words have been included with regard to CSP opening during peak and the ability for local agreement to adjust attendance times and this will be subject to local discussions.
On the Attendance and Resourcing arrangements, the Bank Holidays this year fall on the least complicated pattern with no additional non USO days. The words in this section mirror previous years.
The document confirms that Christmas Supplement and the additional £100 ex Colleague Share payment will be made as usual and are unaffected by the Peak Incentive Scheme. The traditional paragraphs on Scheduled Attendance, SA Holiday Pay and Temporary Variation to Contract have been retained unaltered in the final draft.
Traditional paragraphs on Scheduled Attendance, SA Holiday Pay and Temporary Variation to Contract have been retained, cyber weekend working is also covered. The agreement also addresses the imposed change to the monthly paid employees pay date, members can now request their December salaries to be paid as per normal on 24th December. This was reported to Branches via LTB 361/24, issued on 15th November and further information on the full process will follow in due course.
We believe that the final draft will provide guidance to Reps and Branches.
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to:
Processing/Distribution: Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: jrodrigues@cwu.org; quoting reference LTB 364/24.
Deliveries/Collections: Tony Bouch, Assistant Secretary, email: pharacz@cwu.org; quoting reference LTB 364/24.
Yours sincerely,
Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary
Tony Bouch
Assistant Secretary
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LTB 364/24 – Royal Mail – Christmas Arrangements 2024
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yellowbelly
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LTB 364/24 – Royal Mail – Christmas Arrangements 2024
Last edited by POSTMAN on 20 Nov 2024, 14:05, edited 1 time in total.
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POSTMAN
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LTB 364/24 – Royal Mail – Christmas Arrangements 2024
Peak/Christmas Arrangements 2024
1. Introduction
This document summarises the operational arrangements for Peak/Christmas 2024. Robust staffing arrangements will be required throughout this period to ensure customer/operational needs and USO obligations are met in line with workload forecast and whilst considering the aspirations of employees. These arrangements cover OPGs, OSGs, MGV drivers, Mail Screeners, MDECs, Processing Engineers scheduled to shift working, LAs whose conditioned hours attract assigned allowances, and Network professional drivers as detailed below.
The 2004 Christmas agreement abolished claw back of hours arising from public, bank holidays and non USO days and these arrangements remain in place for Christmas 24/25.
For Network Professional Drivers, Bank Holiday attendance arrangements will be made in line with the terms in the National Agreement on “The Introduction of the Professional Driver". Details for arrangements this year will be covered in the Joint Statement between Royal Mail Linehaul and the CWU on Peak Bank Holiday Resourcing for Network Professional Drivers, Christmas 2024/25.
Local discussions should ensure operational arrangements are concluded in line with the terms below and relevant National Agreements to secure excellent customer service through reliable staffing, ensuring everyone has a fair and manageable workload. Options may include:
Pre-scheduling hours against forecast workload
Scheduled Attendance or pressure overtime in line with Section 5 below
The opportunity for part timers/less than full time staff to increase their contracted hours where workload supports this
Use of temporary/agency staff as supplementary resource in line with the principles reaffirmed in the national Recruitment, Resourcing and Retention Joint Statement issued on 1st October 2021
2. Enhanced Operational Arrangements
The following enhancements will operate within the period of times specified. These are intended to address customer concerns, provide improved service, and improve efficiency.
Key Principle – National Peak Workplan
To ensure we deliver the best possible service to our customers, Mail Centres and RDCs should plan to advance T48/2c workplan with the object of improving/smoothing flow and enhancing the arrival profile at inward Mail Centres.
To enable Peak 24/25, with the forecast expectation in parcels, many Mail Centres may need to divert a number of 2c/T48 parcels to Christmas Parcel Sort Centres to ensure they have adequate inward sorting capacity to clear inward parcels to workplan. This assumes that all internal resource at the Mail Centre have been fully utilised including current supernumerary employees. This encompasses weeks 32-42 during which period the full range of Peak Resourcing arrangements should be in place to maximise available internal resource including the terms outlined at sections 5 & 7 of these arrangements.
Mail Centres will also be required to maximise connecting volume on Linehaul Services while ensuring that all services despatch to schedule.
In addition, where it is established that fully utilised Mail Centres have insufficient capacity, a number of larger Delivery Offices and MPUs will be identified as additional sorting centres, and these will be utilised in line with the key principles.
Any temporary changes to local workplan for each Mail Centre, RDC and Delivery Offices will be discussed as part of the peak planning process and resourcing arrangements agreed. All changes must fully comply with the national workplan standards.
Any agreed changes to workplan to advance T48/2c traffic will be considered temporary measures for peak.
In addition, Mail Centres should ensure all services to Delivery Offices despatch all available mails.
Delivery Offices should consider opening during the night shift and may introduce some earlier starts to ensure that Mail Centres and Distribution services can advance workload to assist with the flow of mails and to improve the return supply of equipment particularly Yorks and sleeves.
Ensure that the additional support and equipment is in place in units including increasing the overall numbers of vehicles on site where this is necessary in order to ensure all products can be delivered to their specification including USO deliveries.
As part of our equipment repatriation plan, we will be targeting c300 critical delivery offices where will be moving empty Yorks collected direct to Parcel Hubs, bypassing the local mail centre.
Cyber Weekend
Normal resourcing procedures will apply. There should be discussions locally at operational sites (Parcel Hubs, Mail Centres and Delivery Offices), on how to best resource what is anticipated to be a high-volume weekend.
In Parcel Hubs and Mail Centres a significant operation will be in place through the weekend to advance Parcels. Enhanced collection arrangements will need to be in place over this weekend to support the operation.
Customer Service Point (CSP) Opening Times
CSPs will operate in line with normal BAU year-round operations. However, there may be a requirement locally to adjust attendance times and this will be subject to local discussions. Where local discussions fail to resolve the matter, it will be referred to the appropriate OPL manager and Area Representative or ROD/Divisional Rep for speedy resolution.
Tracked Direct Dispatch
To alleviate capacity issues at some inward Mail Centres for the processing of tracked items a number of MPUs will perform the inward sortation for their respective postcodes during the Christmas pressure period. Resourcing options will be agreed locally.
Supplementary Tracked Parcel Delivery Services (LAT/Parcel Hubs)
A number of Delivery Offices have introduced Supplementary Parcel Deliveries (LAT) as part of the LAT Ramp Up Agreement. This will maximize connectivity of premium products, arriving in Delivery Offices too late to connect with core delivery. From week 35 until week 39 the number of participating Delivery Offices will increase to c960 based on local arrangements, when it is anticipated that volumes will increase, and consideration needs to be given to Mail Centre sortation plans as a result of the increase in units as part of the LJWG below.
It is imperative that the upstream pipeline/network is in place to connect and distribute this traffic. To ensure that these arrangements are agreed in a timely manner, each Mail Centre
which receives non-core LAT traffic will also create Local Joint Working Groups (LJWG) to ensure that the cross functional working is adopted, and all functions are aware of the roles and responsibilities. The LJWG will be overseen by the relevant Manager and nominated CWU Divisional Representative with the core attendees being:
CWU Royal Mail
Divisional Representative Regional Operations Director
Area Delivery Representative Operations Performance Leader
Area Processing Representative Plant Manager
Area Distribution Representative Area Distribution Manager
Each unit will need to plan and align resource dependent upon the traffic forecasts, to ensure LAT/premium products are delivered on the same day as received at the delivery offices. This can include utilisation of reserves, overtime and casuals. Units may also enact the new terms and conditions of employees that entered on or after 1 December 2022 to ensure the workload on LAT is covered daily. The delivery of these items should normally be completed by 19:00 hours, however taking into account that this is our peak delivery period, delivery can be extended up to 21:00 hours in weeks 35-39, but must be subject to the appropriate safety and security risk assessments.
These Supplementary Parcel Delivery duties will form part of the normal local discussions covering operational arrangements and will take full account of local circumstances in ensuring sufficient resource and vehicle provision is available to cover the workload, and in line with Section 15.3 of the Guiding Principles agreement.
Both parties would encourage local discussions to ensure the Supplementary Standard Parcel Delivery may be planned and takes place between 07:00 and 10:00 in order to maximise the opportunities to deliver as many items as possible, particularly for units which have opened during the night to improve flow of mails. However, these will not replace the LAT delivery task in the points above for the resource to deliver the parcel products that arrive on the day and do not connect with core deliveries.
In all circumstances, employee safety and the security of mail must be assured. Areas/Addresses identified as high risk: for example, where deliveries are suspended due to attacks, robberies, or problem dogs etc., will be excluded from receiving this additional service.
Sunday Delivery
Sunday delivery will operate in line with normal BAU year-round operations.
However, this aspect will be subject to continued and ongoing review and if any office finds it necessary due to a high number of undelivered items, or based on local knowledge and/or current challenges in regards to maintaining the USO, tracked and service performance then arrangements will be made via local discussions in advance to ensure the necessary resource is put in place. Where local discussions fail to resolve the matter, it will be referred to the appropriate OPL manager and Area Representative or ROD/Divisional Rep for speedy resolution.
Sunday Collections
Sunday collections will be in place within all mail centre catchment areas to provide mail for the Sunday outward processing operation that will be in place this year. It is expected the requirement as in previous years will be to collect from heavy boxes, open POL outlets and local firms. Local knowledge of heavy boxes or the local mail centre capacity plan will be the
driving factor, and the required staffing arrangements will be on a voluntary basis and agreed locally – this may include weekend duty patterns to ensure the work requirement is covered.
Sunday Processing
There is a requirement this Peak for an outward processing operation at mail centres on Sunday afternoons during the peak period. This is to support the Monday operation at mail centres where we see a surge in traffic. Staffing will be on a voluntary basis and the arrangements agreed locally. Parcel hubs will also work Sunday (as per year round) and the normal staffing arrangements will apply.
Collection on Delivery
Local discussion should ensure adequate arrangements are in place to deal with Collections on Delivery, where there may be larger than normal postings, to ensure that all mails (Collection and Delivery) meet their due service standards.
3. Attendance and Resourcing Arrangements
3.1 Tuesday 24th December is not a Bank Holiday and normal resourcing arrangements should apply. However, night shifts will not be required to attend on this night. In exceptional circumstances where any attendance on Night Shift is required this will be on a voluntary basis.
3.2 Wednesday 25th December is a Bank Holiday. There will be no USO collections or deliveries on this day.
3.3 Thursday 26th December is a Bank Holiday. There will be no USO collections or deliveries on this day
3.4 Friday 27th December is a normal working day.
3.5 Saturday 28th December is a normal working day.
3.6 Sunday 29th December is a normal working day.
3.7 Monday 30th December is a normal working day.
3.8 Tuesday 31st December is not a Bank Holiday and normal resourcing arrangements should apply. However, night shifts will not be required to attend on this night. In exceptional circumstances where any attendance on Night Shift is required this will be on a voluntary basis.
3.9 Wednesday 1st January is a Bank holiday. There will be no USO collections or deliveries on this day.
3.10 Thursday 2nd January is a Bank Holiday in Scotland only. There will be no USO collections or deliveries on this day in Scotland. Rest of UK is a normal working day.
3.11 Friday 3rd January is a normal working day.
3.12 In line with normal Christmas bank holiday and non USO service day arrangements, people who would normally be scheduled to work on the day of the bank holiday or non USO service day for the provision of USO collection and delivery services and
non USO parcel operations will not be required to attend and not be required to make up the hours.
3.13 Rest days will apply in line with normal year-round arrangements. Attendances may be varied by local agreement to take account of workload forecasts and service requirements. Where workload requires, (and subject to currently agreed working time limits) people can volunteer in advance to work their normal rest day in return for a day in lieu or the resourcing/remuneration options contained in Section 1. Where a rest day falls on a Bank Holiday (i.e. on 25th, 26th December, 1st January (& 2nd January in Scotland) and it is not operationally sensible to transfer the rest day to another day in the same week, people will receive an additional day holiday (including those working ‘a week off in six’ or other variations on this theme) in the form of a day in lieu or alternatively the excess hours can be taken as normal overtime. Normal adherence to the Working Time Directive still applies.
3.14 To comply with the USO, Inland night shift operations should resume as required on Thursday 26th December and Wednesday 1st January (2nd January in Scotland). Staff required to attend within conditioned hours on Thursday 26th December or on Wednesday 1st January in the UK (2nd January in Scotland) will receive the Bank Holiday premium for each hour worked on the Bank Holidays. Where agreed night shift resourcing arrangements result in attendance beyond conditioned hours, staff will receive normal Bank Holiday rates (option A or B as appropriate) for the additional hours worked on the Bank Holiday (before Midnight) and normal overtime rates for hours worked out-with the Bank Holiday (after midnight).
3.15 People who volunteer and attend for overtime on bank holidays will receive normal bank holiday rates (Option A or B as appropriate) for the hours worked on the bank holiday.
3.16 Local Christmas discussions/arrangements should ensure staffing arrangements are in place to meet service obligations in full on Bank Holidays while maximising opportunities to meet employee aspirations for time off. To support this, discussions will utilise the full range of resourcing options, including the realignment of conditioned hours across these weeks.
3.17 Weekend duty holders (notional full timers and people who make three or less attendances each week) will have separate scheduling arrangements, in line with the relevant national agreements, to be agreed/discussed locally.
3.18 Providing resourcing is secure at their parent offices, people can volunteer for duty or additional earnings opportunities at neighbouring Parcel Sort Centres, and at specific MPU sites that will be processing inward tracked arrivals. (Mail Centre workload). Normal processing arrangements for inward tracked arrivals will resume after the Christmas period.
3.19 Local flexibility agreements and the National Pay and Modernisation agreement Phase 3 Annexes A and B will apply and be utilised during the Christmas period. Both parties will explore opportunities to give people time off where possible consistent with customer and operational requirements.
4. Christmas Pay Supplement
The Christmas pay supplement of £100 for full time OPG and OSGs, pro-rated for part timers and 35-hour full timers (subject to the arrangements in Section 7) will be paid on Friday 13th
December. The eligibility criteria for the Christmas supplement payment will be the same as last year, based on the four December weeks (commencing Monday, 25th November). In the event of any Industrial Action the abatement criteria will be drawn from the PBS agreement.
The separate payment of £100 (pro rata for PT and 35hr full time employees) agreed in the National Joint Statement - New Incentive Arrangements June 2012 will also be paid on Friday, 13th December. As in previous years, any necessary top up payments for Part Time or 35 hr Full time employees will be made in January 2025 in accordance with the actual hours worked at standard rate, beyond contractual during 2024.
For the purpose of clarity, individuals employed on post December 2022 monthly paid OPG terms and conditions, will also qualify for both Christmas payments for Peak 2024 in line with the scheme arrangements.
5. Scheduled Attendances
Scheduled Attendance rates can be paid for pre-scheduled overtime worked during the Christmas pressure period. These do not attract Paid Meal Relief unless worked on a Sunday.
Additional ‘on the day’ pressure or absence overtime will be paid at ordinary standard overtime pay rates.
All year-round SAs will remain in place during the Christmas period unless agreed locally. Where agreement is reached on revised SA arrangements, 4 weeks’ notice must be given before any agreed change is deployed. Normal SA arrangements will resume following the Christmas period.
6. Scheduled Attendance Holiday Pay
Christmas SA may increase the number of SA hours worked above normal weekly averages. To ensure the additional contribution is not lost SA holiday pay for the Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day (plus 2nd January in Scotland) Bank Holidays will be calculated by taking the average daily amount of SA worked by each individual in the 4 weeks prior to the Bank Holiday.
7. Temporary Variation to Contractual Status
To ensure parity of treatment, where workload supports the increase, part time or 35-hour full time staff may extend their contractual hours to 37 hours for the Christmas period through a temporary variation of contract in line with the current process. Individuals employed on post- December 2022 monthly paid OPG terms and conditions may extend their contractual hours up to 40 hours per week.
8. Pay Arrangements
Pay dates during Christmas 2024
Pay dates and payroll processes remain the same for weekly paid employees, with current week basic pay, assigned allowances and previous week’s additional hours and ad hoc adjustments paid each Friday.
Due to the impact of bank / public holidays on payroll operations, the following arrangements apply:
Weekly-Paid Contracted Employees
w/c 18th November (pay date Friday 22nd November)
Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 11th November
w/c 25th November (pay date Friday 29th November)
Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 18th November
w/c 2nd December (pay date Friday 6th December)
Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 25th November
w/c 9th December (pay date Friday 13th December)
Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 2nd December
Christmas Supplement & Underpin
Note: In addition to BAU process PSP will be closed for all changes from 02.00 Friday 13th December and will re-open at 07.30. Payroll will then be locked from 14.00 until approx. 18.00 on Monday 16th December to process the payroll for w/c 16th December.
w/c 16th December (pay date Friday 20th December)
Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed and keyed w/c 9th December up to
14.00 on Monday 16th December.
Note: PSP will be closed for all changes from 02.00 Thursday 19th December and Friday 20th December and will re-open at 07.30am both days. Payroll will then be locked from 10.00am prompt on Friday 20th December to process the payroll for week commencing 23rd December until completed, which is anticipated to be about 1500 hours.
w/c 23rd December (pay date Friday 27th December)
Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
Overtime/SA/Ad hoc allowances performed from 16th December up to 10.00am Friday 20th December and for w/c 9th December where data was keyed after 14.00 on 13th December
Note: In addition PSP will be closed for all changes from 02.00 Friday 27th December and will re-open at 07.30.
w/c 30th December (pay date Friday 3rd January)
Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 23rd December and any overtime keyed after 10.00am on Friday 20th December
Monthly-Paid Contracted Employees
Cut-off will be Sunday 15th December
Final payroll will run on Wednesday 18th December Pay date will be Tuesday 31st December
Royal Mail CWU
Date: 19th November 2024
1. Introduction
This document summarises the operational arrangements for Peak/Christmas 2024. Robust staffing arrangements will be required throughout this period to ensure customer/operational needs and USO obligations are met in line with workload forecast and whilst considering the aspirations of employees. These arrangements cover OPGs, OSGs, MGV drivers, Mail Screeners, MDECs, Processing Engineers scheduled to shift working, LAs whose conditioned hours attract assigned allowances, and Network professional drivers as detailed below.
The 2004 Christmas agreement abolished claw back of hours arising from public, bank holidays and non USO days and these arrangements remain in place for Christmas 24/25.
For Network Professional Drivers, Bank Holiday attendance arrangements will be made in line with the terms in the National Agreement on “The Introduction of the Professional Driver". Details for arrangements this year will be covered in the Joint Statement between Royal Mail Linehaul and the CWU on Peak Bank Holiday Resourcing for Network Professional Drivers, Christmas 2024/25.
Local discussions should ensure operational arrangements are concluded in line with the terms below and relevant National Agreements to secure excellent customer service through reliable staffing, ensuring everyone has a fair and manageable workload. Options may include:
Pre-scheduling hours against forecast workload
Scheduled Attendance or pressure overtime in line with Section 5 below
The opportunity for part timers/less than full time staff to increase their contracted hours where workload supports this
Use of temporary/agency staff as supplementary resource in line with the principles reaffirmed in the national Recruitment, Resourcing and Retention Joint Statement issued on 1st October 2021
2. Enhanced Operational Arrangements
The following enhancements will operate within the period of times specified. These are intended to address customer concerns, provide improved service, and improve efficiency.
Key Principle – National Peak Workplan
To ensure we deliver the best possible service to our customers, Mail Centres and RDCs should plan to advance T48/2c workplan with the object of improving/smoothing flow and enhancing the arrival profile at inward Mail Centres.
To enable Peak 24/25, with the forecast expectation in parcels, many Mail Centres may need to divert a number of 2c/T48 parcels to Christmas Parcel Sort Centres to ensure they have adequate inward sorting capacity to clear inward parcels to workplan. This assumes that all internal resource at the Mail Centre have been fully utilised including current supernumerary employees. This encompasses weeks 32-42 during which period the full range of Peak Resourcing arrangements should be in place to maximise available internal resource including the terms outlined at sections 5 & 7 of these arrangements.
Mail Centres will also be required to maximise connecting volume on Linehaul Services while ensuring that all services despatch to schedule.
In addition, where it is established that fully utilised Mail Centres have insufficient capacity, a number of larger Delivery Offices and MPUs will be identified as additional sorting centres, and these will be utilised in line with the key principles.
Any temporary changes to local workplan for each Mail Centre, RDC and Delivery Offices will be discussed as part of the peak planning process and resourcing arrangements agreed. All changes must fully comply with the national workplan standards.
Any agreed changes to workplan to advance T48/2c traffic will be considered temporary measures for peak.
In addition, Mail Centres should ensure all services to Delivery Offices despatch all available mails.
Delivery Offices should consider opening during the night shift and may introduce some earlier starts to ensure that Mail Centres and Distribution services can advance workload to assist with the flow of mails and to improve the return supply of equipment particularly Yorks and sleeves.
Ensure that the additional support and equipment is in place in units including increasing the overall numbers of vehicles on site where this is necessary in order to ensure all products can be delivered to their specification including USO deliveries.
As part of our equipment repatriation plan, we will be targeting c300 critical delivery offices where will be moving empty Yorks collected direct to Parcel Hubs, bypassing the local mail centre.
Cyber Weekend
Normal resourcing procedures will apply. There should be discussions locally at operational sites (Parcel Hubs, Mail Centres and Delivery Offices), on how to best resource what is anticipated to be a high-volume weekend.
In Parcel Hubs and Mail Centres a significant operation will be in place through the weekend to advance Parcels. Enhanced collection arrangements will need to be in place over this weekend to support the operation.
Customer Service Point (CSP) Opening Times
CSPs will operate in line with normal BAU year-round operations. However, there may be a requirement locally to adjust attendance times and this will be subject to local discussions. Where local discussions fail to resolve the matter, it will be referred to the appropriate OPL manager and Area Representative or ROD/Divisional Rep for speedy resolution.
Tracked Direct Dispatch
To alleviate capacity issues at some inward Mail Centres for the processing of tracked items a number of MPUs will perform the inward sortation for their respective postcodes during the Christmas pressure period. Resourcing options will be agreed locally.
Supplementary Tracked Parcel Delivery Services (LAT/Parcel Hubs)
A number of Delivery Offices have introduced Supplementary Parcel Deliveries (LAT) as part of the LAT Ramp Up Agreement. This will maximize connectivity of premium products, arriving in Delivery Offices too late to connect with core delivery. From week 35 until week 39 the number of participating Delivery Offices will increase to c960 based on local arrangements, when it is anticipated that volumes will increase, and consideration needs to be given to Mail Centre sortation plans as a result of the increase in units as part of the LJWG below.
It is imperative that the upstream pipeline/network is in place to connect and distribute this traffic. To ensure that these arrangements are agreed in a timely manner, each Mail Centre
which receives non-core LAT traffic will also create Local Joint Working Groups (LJWG) to ensure that the cross functional working is adopted, and all functions are aware of the roles and responsibilities. The LJWG will be overseen by the relevant Manager and nominated CWU Divisional Representative with the core attendees being:
CWU Royal Mail
Divisional Representative Regional Operations Director
Area Delivery Representative Operations Performance Leader
Area Processing Representative Plant Manager
Area Distribution Representative Area Distribution Manager
Each unit will need to plan and align resource dependent upon the traffic forecasts, to ensure LAT/premium products are delivered on the same day as received at the delivery offices. This can include utilisation of reserves, overtime and casuals. Units may also enact the new terms and conditions of employees that entered on or after 1 December 2022 to ensure the workload on LAT is covered daily. The delivery of these items should normally be completed by 19:00 hours, however taking into account that this is our peak delivery period, delivery can be extended up to 21:00 hours in weeks 35-39, but must be subject to the appropriate safety and security risk assessments.
These Supplementary Parcel Delivery duties will form part of the normal local discussions covering operational arrangements and will take full account of local circumstances in ensuring sufficient resource and vehicle provision is available to cover the workload, and in line with Section 15.3 of the Guiding Principles agreement.
Both parties would encourage local discussions to ensure the Supplementary Standard Parcel Delivery may be planned and takes place between 07:00 and 10:00 in order to maximise the opportunities to deliver as many items as possible, particularly for units which have opened during the night to improve flow of mails. However, these will not replace the LAT delivery task in the points above for the resource to deliver the parcel products that arrive on the day and do not connect with core deliveries.
In all circumstances, employee safety and the security of mail must be assured. Areas/Addresses identified as high risk: for example, where deliveries are suspended due to attacks, robberies, or problem dogs etc., will be excluded from receiving this additional service.
Sunday Delivery
Sunday delivery will operate in line with normal BAU year-round operations.
However, this aspect will be subject to continued and ongoing review and if any office finds it necessary due to a high number of undelivered items, or based on local knowledge and/or current challenges in regards to maintaining the USO, tracked and service performance then arrangements will be made via local discussions in advance to ensure the necessary resource is put in place. Where local discussions fail to resolve the matter, it will be referred to the appropriate OPL manager and Area Representative or ROD/Divisional Rep for speedy resolution.
Sunday Collections
Sunday collections will be in place within all mail centre catchment areas to provide mail for the Sunday outward processing operation that will be in place this year. It is expected the requirement as in previous years will be to collect from heavy boxes, open POL outlets and local firms. Local knowledge of heavy boxes or the local mail centre capacity plan will be the
driving factor, and the required staffing arrangements will be on a voluntary basis and agreed locally – this may include weekend duty patterns to ensure the work requirement is covered.
Sunday Processing
There is a requirement this Peak for an outward processing operation at mail centres on Sunday afternoons during the peak period. This is to support the Monday operation at mail centres where we see a surge in traffic. Staffing will be on a voluntary basis and the arrangements agreed locally. Parcel hubs will also work Sunday (as per year round) and the normal staffing arrangements will apply.
Collection on Delivery
Local discussion should ensure adequate arrangements are in place to deal with Collections on Delivery, where there may be larger than normal postings, to ensure that all mails (Collection and Delivery) meet their due service standards.
3. Attendance and Resourcing Arrangements
3.1 Tuesday 24th December is not a Bank Holiday and normal resourcing arrangements should apply. However, night shifts will not be required to attend on this night. In exceptional circumstances where any attendance on Night Shift is required this will be on a voluntary basis.
3.2 Wednesday 25th December is a Bank Holiday. There will be no USO collections or deliveries on this day.
3.3 Thursday 26th December is a Bank Holiday. There will be no USO collections or deliveries on this day
3.4 Friday 27th December is a normal working day.
3.5 Saturday 28th December is a normal working day.
3.6 Sunday 29th December is a normal working day.
3.7 Monday 30th December is a normal working day.
3.8 Tuesday 31st December is not a Bank Holiday and normal resourcing arrangements should apply. However, night shifts will not be required to attend on this night. In exceptional circumstances where any attendance on Night Shift is required this will be on a voluntary basis.
3.9 Wednesday 1st January is a Bank holiday. There will be no USO collections or deliveries on this day.
3.10 Thursday 2nd January is a Bank Holiday in Scotland only. There will be no USO collections or deliveries on this day in Scotland. Rest of UK is a normal working day.
3.11 Friday 3rd January is a normal working day.
3.12 In line with normal Christmas bank holiday and non USO service day arrangements, people who would normally be scheduled to work on the day of the bank holiday or non USO service day for the provision of USO collection and delivery services and
non USO parcel operations will not be required to attend and not be required to make up the hours.
3.13 Rest days will apply in line with normal year-round arrangements. Attendances may be varied by local agreement to take account of workload forecasts and service requirements. Where workload requires, (and subject to currently agreed working time limits) people can volunteer in advance to work their normal rest day in return for a day in lieu or the resourcing/remuneration options contained in Section 1. Where a rest day falls on a Bank Holiday (i.e. on 25th, 26th December, 1st January (& 2nd January in Scotland) and it is not operationally sensible to transfer the rest day to another day in the same week, people will receive an additional day holiday (including those working ‘a week off in six’ or other variations on this theme) in the form of a day in lieu or alternatively the excess hours can be taken as normal overtime. Normal adherence to the Working Time Directive still applies.
3.14 To comply with the USO, Inland night shift operations should resume as required on Thursday 26th December and Wednesday 1st January (2nd January in Scotland). Staff required to attend within conditioned hours on Thursday 26th December or on Wednesday 1st January in the UK (2nd January in Scotland) will receive the Bank Holiday premium for each hour worked on the Bank Holidays. Where agreed night shift resourcing arrangements result in attendance beyond conditioned hours, staff will receive normal Bank Holiday rates (option A or B as appropriate) for the additional hours worked on the Bank Holiday (before Midnight) and normal overtime rates for hours worked out-with the Bank Holiday (after midnight).
3.15 People who volunteer and attend for overtime on bank holidays will receive normal bank holiday rates (Option A or B as appropriate) for the hours worked on the bank holiday.
3.16 Local Christmas discussions/arrangements should ensure staffing arrangements are in place to meet service obligations in full on Bank Holidays while maximising opportunities to meet employee aspirations for time off. To support this, discussions will utilise the full range of resourcing options, including the realignment of conditioned hours across these weeks.
3.17 Weekend duty holders (notional full timers and people who make three or less attendances each week) will have separate scheduling arrangements, in line with the relevant national agreements, to be agreed/discussed locally.
3.18 Providing resourcing is secure at their parent offices, people can volunteer for duty or additional earnings opportunities at neighbouring Parcel Sort Centres, and at specific MPU sites that will be processing inward tracked arrivals. (Mail Centre workload). Normal processing arrangements for inward tracked arrivals will resume after the Christmas period.
3.19 Local flexibility agreements and the National Pay and Modernisation agreement Phase 3 Annexes A and B will apply and be utilised during the Christmas period. Both parties will explore opportunities to give people time off where possible consistent with customer and operational requirements.
4. Christmas Pay Supplement
The Christmas pay supplement of £100 for full time OPG and OSGs, pro-rated for part timers and 35-hour full timers (subject to the arrangements in Section 7) will be paid on Friday 13th
December. The eligibility criteria for the Christmas supplement payment will be the same as last year, based on the four December weeks (commencing Monday, 25th November). In the event of any Industrial Action the abatement criteria will be drawn from the PBS agreement.
The separate payment of £100 (pro rata for PT and 35hr full time employees) agreed in the National Joint Statement - New Incentive Arrangements June 2012 will also be paid on Friday, 13th December. As in previous years, any necessary top up payments for Part Time or 35 hr Full time employees will be made in January 2025 in accordance with the actual hours worked at standard rate, beyond contractual during 2024.
For the purpose of clarity, individuals employed on post December 2022 monthly paid OPG terms and conditions, will also qualify for both Christmas payments for Peak 2024 in line with the scheme arrangements.
5. Scheduled Attendances
Scheduled Attendance rates can be paid for pre-scheduled overtime worked during the Christmas pressure period. These do not attract Paid Meal Relief unless worked on a Sunday.
Additional ‘on the day’ pressure or absence overtime will be paid at ordinary standard overtime pay rates.
All year-round SAs will remain in place during the Christmas period unless agreed locally. Where agreement is reached on revised SA arrangements, 4 weeks’ notice must be given before any agreed change is deployed. Normal SA arrangements will resume following the Christmas period.
6. Scheduled Attendance Holiday Pay
Christmas SA may increase the number of SA hours worked above normal weekly averages. To ensure the additional contribution is not lost SA holiday pay for the Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day (plus 2nd January in Scotland) Bank Holidays will be calculated by taking the average daily amount of SA worked by each individual in the 4 weeks prior to the Bank Holiday.
7. Temporary Variation to Contractual Status
To ensure parity of treatment, where workload supports the increase, part time or 35-hour full time staff may extend their contractual hours to 37 hours for the Christmas period through a temporary variation of contract in line with the current process. Individuals employed on post- December 2022 monthly paid OPG terms and conditions may extend their contractual hours up to 40 hours per week.
8. Pay Arrangements
Pay dates during Christmas 2024
Pay dates and payroll processes remain the same for weekly paid employees, with current week basic pay, assigned allowances and previous week’s additional hours and ad hoc adjustments paid each Friday.
Due to the impact of bank / public holidays on payroll operations, the following arrangements apply:
Weekly-Paid Contracted Employees
w/c 18th November (pay date Friday 22nd November)
Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 11th November
w/c 25th November (pay date Friday 29th November)
Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 18th November
w/c 2nd December (pay date Friday 6th December)
Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 25th November
w/c 9th December (pay date Friday 13th December)
Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 2nd December
Christmas Supplement & Underpin
Note: In addition to BAU process PSP will be closed for all changes from 02.00 Friday 13th December and will re-open at 07.30. Payroll will then be locked from 14.00 until approx. 18.00 on Monday 16th December to process the payroll for w/c 16th December.
w/c 16th December (pay date Friday 20th December)
Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed and keyed w/c 9th December up to
14.00 on Monday 16th December.
Note: PSP will be closed for all changes from 02.00 Thursday 19th December and Friday 20th December and will re-open at 07.30am both days. Payroll will then be locked from 10.00am prompt on Friday 20th December to process the payroll for week commencing 23rd December until completed, which is anticipated to be about 1500 hours.
w/c 23rd December (pay date Friday 27th December)
Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
Overtime/SA/Ad hoc allowances performed from 16th December up to 10.00am Friday 20th December and for w/c 9th December where data was keyed after 14.00 on 13th December
Note: In addition PSP will be closed for all changes from 02.00 Friday 27th December and will re-open at 07.30.
w/c 30th December (pay date Friday 3rd January)
Regular Pay (Basic & assigned allowances)
Overtime / SA / Ad hoc allowances performed w/c 23rd December and any overtime keyed after 10.00am on Friday 20th December
Monthly-Paid Contracted Employees
Cut-off will be Sunday 15th December
Final payroll will run on Wednesday 18th December Pay date will be Tuesday 31st December
Royal Mail CWU
Date: 19th November 2024
I Wrote-During Covid-Which is still relevant now
It's good to get these types of threads, the ridiculous my manager said bollox, so we can reassure ourselves that while the world is falling apart, Royal Mail managers are still being the low-life C***S they have always been.
My BFF Clash
The daily grind of having to argue your case with an intellectual pigmy of a line manager is physically and emotionally draining.
It's good to get these types of threads, the ridiculous my manager said bollox, so we can reassure ourselves that while the world is falling apart, Royal Mail managers are still being the low-life C***S they have always been.
My BFF Clash
The daily grind of having to argue your case with an intellectual pigmy of a line manager is physically and emotionally draining.
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PostMasterGenetal
- Posts: 12
- Joined: 14 Jun 2023, 07:29
- Gender: Male
Re: LTB 364/24 – Royal Mail – Christmas Arrangements 2024
Given the above, why are we not having our contracts increased temporarily or given overtime, and instead having casual staff brought in ?
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A2B
- Posts: 1911
- Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 19:34
- Gender: Male
Re: LTB 364/24 – Royal Mail – Christmas Arrangements 2024
Everyone on PT hours who wanted to go FT hours for Christmas has done so in our office
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RTP
- Posts: 863
- Joined: 22 Apr 2011, 14:24
- Gender: Male
Re: LTB 364/24 – Royal Mail – Christmas Arrangements 2024
DTD should be cancelled for the peak Christmas period like it used to be. We have enough work to deal with.
Just saying.
Just saying.
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Sean06
- Posts: 2376
- Joined: 20 Nov 2023, 16:50
- Gender: Male
Re: LTB 364/24 – Royal Mail – Christmas Arrangements 2024
Casual staff or brought in every year an ot is usually given out freely.well in mc,s it is.PostMasterGenetal wrote: ↑25 Nov 2024, 20:54Given the above, why are we not having our contracts increased temporarily or given overtime, and instead having casual staff brought in ?