LTB 388/18 - Post Office: National Agreement for a Collective Engagement Framework (CEF)

[TrueBlueTerrier]

LTB 388/18 - Post Office: National Agreement for a Collective Engagement Framework (CEF)

No. 388/2018

3rd July 2018



Dear Colleagues

POST OFFICE: NATIONAL AGREEMENT FOR A COLLECTIVE ENGAGEMENT FRAMEWORK (CEF)

Further to LTB 199/18 dated 6th April 2018. Branches will be aware that further discussions have been held with the Post Office at Acas in relation to a revised Industrial Relations Framework Agreement which was concluded last week.

I am pleased to advise Branches that the Postal Executive, at its statutory meeting today, has unanimously endorsed the new Collective Engagement Framework (CEF) National Agreement. A copy of the Agreement is attached for your information.

Key Features of the CEF

-New Representative Structure for both Industrial Relations and Health, Safety & Wellbeing – Section 11. In the future the Post Office will fund a total 13 full-time Representatives as follows:

11 full-time Representatives will have responsibilities for performing a new broader and flexible dual role in both Industrial Relations and Health, Safety & Wellbeing.
The cost provision of 2 additional Postal Executive roles for Lynn Simpson and Mole Meade whilst they are Postal Executive members.
-Health & Safety – Section 4. Integral to the CEF is also Health & Safety which is dealt with comprehensively. This means the April 2010 “POL/CWU National Health & Safety Representation” Agreement is superseded by the CEF. Crucially, all key components of the previous Agreement have been replicated in the CEF with specific prominence at section 4 which provides for the National Strategic Health, Safety and Wellbeing Quarterly Committee Meetings.

There are also various significant references to Health & Safety contained within the CEF, such as the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977.
Also, at Appendix D of the CEF is the Roles and Responsibilities for the 11 full-time Representatives which also comprehensively details the Health, Safety and Wellbeing obligations the Representatives will be required to undertake.
A positive component of the concept surrounding dual roles is the agreement by the Post Office that all Representatives will be up-skilled to develop their knowledge to effectively perform Health, Safety and Wellbeing activities and this includes a commitment for NEBOSH training with the costs covered by the Post Office.
To put into perspective the logic behind the Dual Roles concept (IR and H&S), it was Acas that initially proposed this approach as part of the solution to the dispute. Indeed Acas strongly promoted Dual Roles and made the point that this approach is prevalent in many other Unions and industries. When fully considering this aspect of the Agreement, the Postal Executive endorsed this position as being both sensible and logical for our Post Office members, taking into account the demographics of the membership which are spread across many small workplaces. However, this was on the proviso it would not set any principle or precedent for future agreements elsewhere in the Postal constituency.

-The National Joint Negotiating Council – Section 5. The NJNC has been modified in comparison to the previous Agreement with the language in the revised Agreement much stronger and crucially this key component features more prominently within the CEF.

-Collective Dispute Resolution Procedure Including External Mediation – Section 6.3. The CEF contains an enhanced Collective Dispute Resolution Procedure which includes a significant section specifically relating to External Mediation. Our negotiating team was determined to include a robust mechanism that would help in the future to avert conflict following Executive Action by the Post Office. Based upon recent experiences, we were convinced that a facility to refer disagreements to External Mediation was required. Consequently integral and enshrined within the CEF is a firm commitment to escalate national disagreements to an External Mediator.

-Strategic Involvement and Performance Forum (SIPF) – Section 9. The CEF also introduces a new Strategic Involvement and Performance Forum which replaces the failed Business Consultation Form (BCF) from the previous Agreement. The SIPF does not replace or impinge on national negotiations or the National Joint Negotiating Council.

-Lifespan and Joint Review of the Effectiveness of this Agreement – Section 12. The new CEF will be in place for at least 3 years, during which time neither party has the ability to terminate the Agreement and amendments can only be made by mutual agreement. We have also ensured there is a meaningful review clause that crucially involves Acas. The earliest either party is at liberty to serve 6 months notice on the CEF is June 2021; however, Acas will also be involved again at this stage. Effectively the worst case scenario is that the Agreement will remain in place until at least 2022.

This particular clause of the Agreement provides continuity and stability and ensures that our Representative structure will remain in place for the foreseeable future, which has to be good news considering the upheaval and uncertainty our Representatives have faced over the last year, with the Post Office serving 6 months notice on the previous Agreement.

National Briefing – for Branches with Post Office Members

A National Briefing of all Branches with Post Office members will be held as follows:

Thursday 19th July: 1pm – 3pm

K.T. Paul Hall

Indian YMCA

41 Fitzroy Square

London

W1T 6AQ

The Following Representatives are invited to attend:

–Branch Secretaries (with Post Office members)

–Regional Secretaries

–Post Office Reps (including current H&S Reps)

–CViT/Cash Centre Unit Reps (if the Unit Rep is not available, the Deputy Rep is invited)

Terry Pullinger, DGS(P) has confirmed he will address this National Briefing.

Consultative Branch Ballot

Following the National Briefing, the Agreement will be subject to a Branch ballot for ratification purposes. The ballot timetable is as follows:

•Ballot papers to be despatched to Branches on Thursday 19th July

•Ballot closes and result declared – Friday 3rd August

The Postal Executive is convinced we have now finalised a comprehensive Agreement that will facilitate the Union being fully involved and engaged with the Post Office in the future in respect of meaningful negotiations both at local and national level. It is hoped the CEF will herald in a new era for Industrial Relations with the Post Office. However, whilst the words within the Agreement are firm and clear, it really does depend ultimately on the attitude of the Post Office leadership towards this Union. In this regard, a positive contribution from Dave Prince, Chief Conciliator, Acas is attached, which helps to set the tone in helping to foster a good environment for healthy Industrial Relations in the future.

In closing, I know Branches and our activists will appreciate this has been an extremely complex and challenging set of negotiations conducted against a difficult backdrop, with the Post Office serving notice last year on the previous Agreement. I would therefore like to thank our Representatives for their patience, understanding and support during a clearly turbulent period.

I would also like to once again place on record my thanks to Dave Prince, and Marina Glasgow Regional Director, South East, at Acas for their expertise and guidance during the talks. Their involvement has been instrumental in concluding the CEF.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be directed to Lea Sheridan on 020 8971 7361 or lsheridan@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely



Andy Furey

Assistant Secretary

18LTB388 http://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-btkchl-ztkjiuyil-i/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Attachment 1 to LTB388-18 National Agreement for a Collective Engagement Framework http://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-btkchl-ztkjiuyil-d/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Attachment 2 to LTB388-18 David Prince 02.07.18 http://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-btkchl-ztkjiuyil-h/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

View Online http://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-btkchl-ztkjiuyil-k/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;