Area Reps Briefing with Outdoor Secretary

[Woody Guthrie]

Scotland and Northern Ireland Area Reps and Branch Secretaries briefing with Mark Baulch Outdoor Secretary on the proposed agreement which is currently at Ballot.



A report from today’s briefing from CWU Area Delivery Rep. George Ross.

Overview on today’s briefing 20/1/21

The briefing today was an in-depth overview of the proposed agreement.
The Outdoor Secretary (Mark Baulch MB) was in attendance.

MB opened by stating where we have come from in the last 2 years to the present & how far we have come from in relation to having a deal on the table & how we are back in the room promoting the CWU Agenda. Bullet points below

 Managerial change at the very top understanding our position and now willing to working with us, not against us.

 They agree that we should be looking to grow the business rather than manage decline.

 The now see that innovation is key.

 Our ideas are in the room and the importance of the pipeline is an important as anything else we need to deal with.

 The new deal is committed to the 4 Pillars Agreement.

 Growth in the parcels market is huge and if we are to survive and grow, we need to adapt. This includes Sunday working in delivery. We work on Sundays in processing, network & distribution so why not capture the work in the delivery market?

 We need to establish the commitments in delivery in line with 19.3.1 in the 4 Pillars Agreement. There is still a lot of uncertainty because of the pandemic but we need to move forward. All agree that this is difficult because of the unknown quantities & when normality will return.

 Even if revisions are agreed, deployment dates would remain unknown due to the restrictions remain.

 Structural revisions (4 Pillars Agreement)

 30-unit pilot approach 20 x SDL; 5 x CWU; 5x RML.

 This will be followed up by 370 revisions (structured) that need to be worked upon by October ’21. We must hold them to this. We must look at advanced planning including when it is or will be safe enough to deploy.

 Circa 850 tabletop revisions. A document has been sent to RML our views on the structure required for positive results from this activity. We hope they return with positive feedback by the end of the week so we can circulate it to our reps.

 All that is agreed will be enshrined in the process & local ToR’s will be signed off in all units.

 Menu of duty options. Existing one still holds the field, but additional options may be added including Sunday working. This will only be agreed if there is workload available.

 WIPWH – A session next week for all Area Reps.

 Baseline for units will be a massive undertaking. Because of the pandemic, failures, absence, recruitment issues, it will be difficult to agree a baseline, but it must be agreed.

 It must be recognised; some units will need investment. The business needs to see and agree this point.

 Scan in/out – possibly 18-24 months away.

 The abuse of PDA OA is a bigger issue.

 Resource schedular is still something the business is keen on. We do not think the use if it is a benefit and is a financial waste. The business has sunk so much money into they persist.

 Trial sites will be as is before and will recommence in February.

 Call rates need to be established & agreed as well as model week traffic.

 DSA Economy (new product) is something that will need to be considered.

 A training & support network needs to be established so no-one is left behind.

 We need an investment commitment in the fabric of the estate. Many units have been left to rot and this is not right.

 We need to look at cleaners’ contracts. Many units are in a mess because of the cut in contractual hours for our cleaners.

 We need to look at kit; frames, vans, HCT’s, LWT’s not being supplied during the pandemic. This is not acceptable, and any duties agreed must have the kit required.

 RML as we know, depend so much on good will which does not help our case. It has become an expected normal and we need to stop this if we are to succeed. We need to stop our innovation and ideas in getting the mail out. If we require hours & kit, we should not help by finding “free” solutions to their problems.

 We must address the recruitment issue and must make sure vacancies are filled to the agree contractual hours. If the TM1 says the unit needs 25 FT, then that is what the unit needs.

 There is a battle to keep hours in the CSP in units. RML wants a standard operation depending on the category it sits in. They have suggested nationally that FTD is sitting at 95-98%. We have inflight 1 & 2 and most members of the public who are left a P739 card ask for a redelivery online. It has also been suggested that scanning figures on items collected from CSP sites has dropped. It was agreed that this is down to the national lockdown. At the outset of the dispute, RML wanted to close circa 200 CSP sites. We are back in discussions at the end of this week on the matter.

These are the basic points of the discussion today.
Whether it changes the mind of some when it comes to the vote, not sure but thought it right this should be shared.

George Ross. Area Delivery Rep. Grampian & Shetland

[renrag40]

It didn’t change my mind...... I voted no and feel better for doing it!

[SpacePhoenix]

 We need to look at kit; frames, vans, HCT’s, LWT’s not being supplied during the pandemic. This is not acceptable, and any duties agreed must have the kit required.

How many delivery staff even bother to use a LWT when one is available?

[P13]

 We need to look at kit; frames, vans, HCT’s, LWT’s not being supplied during the pandemic. This is not acceptable, and any duties agreed must have the kit required.

How many delivery staff even bother to use a LWT when one is available?

Very few

[Ozzvaldo]

 We need to look at kit; frames, vans, HCT’s, LWT’s not being supplied during the pandemic. This is not acceptable, and any duties agreed must have the kit required.

How many delivery staff even bother to use a LWT when one is available?

Me, for one. I haven't carried a pouch in the last 10 years.

[trev69]

Any update on the closing of 200 Customer Service Points ?
Thanks