POST OFFICE: ADMIN & SUPPLY CHAIN PAY RISE AND CROWN OFFICE PAY CLAIM 2016

[TrueBlueTerrier]

No. 201/2016

1st April 2016

POST OFFICE: ADMIN & SUPPLY CHAIN PAY RISE AND CROWN OFFICE PAY CLAIM 2016


Dear Colleagues

Admin & Supply Chain Pay Increase of 1.9% Confirmed

Firstly I am pleased to advise Branches the Post Office has confirmed that the third year of the three year pay agreement for our Admin & Supply Chain members will be implemented as agreed from 1st April 2016. As a consequence, members will receive the 1.9% pay increase with their first pay packet in April. This compares with the current rate of inflation (RPI) which stood at 1.3% in January and February.

Crown Members – Formal Pay Claim

On 6th January, we submitted a formal pay claim for our members working in Crown Offices from 1st April 2016. The claim, which was endorsed by the Postal Executive, was for an “unconditional” one year pay increase of at least 1.9%, flowing through to all overtime rates, allowances, and London Weighting, in line with the pay rise agreed for Admin & Supply Chain members. Our pay claim letter is associated with this LTB for your information.

Since the formal pay claim was lodged, we have received two letters from John Whitefoot, Head of Industrial Relations in which he states the following:

“I can assure you the Post Office would like to reach an agreement on Crown pay as soon as practicable, and certainly in advance of April if at possible.”.... “Achieving a pay agreement for Crowns is a priority for the business and we are devoting resources to the necessary preparatory work right now. I believe we will be in a position to convene the National Joint Negotiating Committee to start talks in late February and will be in touch to propose some dates when we have more certainty.” Letter dated 14th January 2016 – attached for information.

“In my original letter I noted I believed we would be in a position to “convene the National Joint Negotiating Committee to start talks in late February”. We have made good progress in developing our position in parallel with our ongoing budgeting round for 2016/17, but this work is not yet quite finished. Given this, we will not be able to start talks this week as I had originally hoped. I will be in touch as soon as possible to invite all NJNC members to start talks.” Letter dated 25th February 2016 – attached for information.

However, despite the promises above, the Post Office has yet to offer dates to meet to commence pay negotiations which is extremely disappointing given that we are now at 1st April – the actual pay date.

In view of the prevailing situation, I have today written to Paula Vennells, Chief Executive to express our concern with the Post Office’s procrastination. Our Crown members have, over the last couple of years, embraced significant change through the Crown Transformation Programme and deserve to be rewarded for their hard work and loyalty.

I have urged Paula Vennells to meet our pay claim in full without further delay. The letter is also attached to this LTB for your information.

The Postal Executive will be considering this matter at its statutory meeting on Tuesday 5th April.

Further developments will be reported.

Yours sincerely



Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary