12:30 to 18:30 been forced on new contracts

[Barnacle]

It must be remembered at all times that it is the CWU that created this two-tier workforce,

While I don’t disagree with most of the points you raised in your post, the above is factually incorrect. It was RM that introduced the two tier workforce not the CWU. They were powerless to prevent it. Unfortunately the CWU thought that they could improve new entrant T&C’s so that we were all on the same after 5 years, which, IIRC, RM agreed to

So how long has it been now then, and is there hope that this will happen, or is it more likely we will all be on this new contract rather than reverting us back to the old

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[/quote=POSTMAN post_id=1101954 time=1725635249 user_id=2]
https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-296-24-upda ... onditions/

LTB 296/24 – UPDATE: New Entrants’ Terms and Conditions
No: 296/24

6th September 2024

Dear Colleagues,

UPDATE: New Entrants’ Terms and Conditions

All Branches will recall that at the National Briefing on Recruitment and Organsing held on 10th July, we announced that we would be offering a reduced union subscription rate for new entrants who have been employed since 1st December 2022.

The reason for the initial reduced subscription is in recognition of the fact that Royal Mail imposed the new terms and conditions without agreement with the CWU. Royal Mail’s rationale for introducing the new terms and conditions is to reduce the costs of recruiting new staff but also because the union refused to have compulsory Sunday working for our members.

As part of the BRT&G Agreement we are in discussions with Royal Mail on how we can improve new entrants’ terms and conditions.

Prior to the BRT&G Agreement Royal Mail did not want those employed from 1st December 2022 to be the subject of collective bargaining or within a union.

There are circa 17,000 new entrants who have joined Royal Mail since 1st December 2022. Current attrition rates for new entrants are at 16% nationally but is much higher in certain areas. In addition, up to 25% of new entrants who leave Royal Mail do so within 90 days of joining.

There are a number of reasons why attrition rates are higher for new entrants. These include:

• • Royal Mail advertise for new entrants up to 40 hours but the vast majority are employed on part-time hours.

• • Where new entrants are having to work all or most Sundays.

• • Where they do not get suitable training and support especially at least 6 weeks on a fixed walk.

On a wider level, we believe it is also down to the lower rate of pay and terms and conditions.

New entrants’ hourly rate is just 54p more than the national living wage and £1.17 above the national minimum wage. They do not receive RRIS, inner or outer London weighting, the delivery supplement, they do not have paid meal reliefs and are monthly paid.

As part of our discussions with Royal Mail we want to improve new entrants’ terms and conditions and this is part of our strategy – to offer a temporary reduced union subscription to new entrants. Once we have improved their terms and conditions, we will give them 3 months’ notice that they will move to full rate.

CWU membership have now updated their membership system to ensure that there is a drop-down menu which allows for anyone who has joined Royal Mail since 1st December 2022 to go to the reduced rate.

The new rate of £9.41 (without political levy) and £10.28 (with political levy), will be introduced from week commencing 9th September. We are going to launch communications publicly next week about the campaign.

We are also going to ask Divisional Reps and Regional Secretaries to support Branches in communicating the union’s strategy of lower union fees to maximise membership numbers to provide the strength to improve their terms and conditions.

Finally, Branches who have already recruited new entrants should contact membership to ensure that they benefit from the introductory union subscription rate.

Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (P)
[/quote]

[Mr Rush]

What has happened to the promise in the agreement that new starters would have their t&c’s aligned with the old guard?

If I recall correctly, that was contingent on the company being restored to profitability. Same with the old sickness policy. However, labour costs are around two thirds of operational costs (68% per Annual Report and Financial Statements 2016-2017 p22) so whatever savings may be achieved will almost certainly be founded on reducing headcount and reducing T&Cs. Thus, the two are mutually exclusive.

We've already seen offices turn over 50% of staff since the strikes. As far as the company is concerned this demonstrates there's ample reserve of unemployed out there who will "happily" do the job for every long-serving member of staff who quits and indeed for every new start that quits too. There's no incentive to improve contracts.

[postslippete]

If any future bonuses are given to management who are already on decent salaries then the CWU need answers why the company can afford to do that and not pay their staff who are on the lowest wage working these graveyard shifts the same as us.

[OikOik]

How come people are against these hours? Is it simply just the working times? Or is doing parcels considerably worse than mail? Starting soon and I'd probably prefer to work these hours than starting early.

[norris9]

The rate that old timers are leaving at our office, the new contract folks will soon outnumber us. Until the union does more for them, they are going to see their subs dry up as I sure as hell wouldn’t sign up as a new starter today. What has happened to the promise in the agreement that new starters would have their t&c’s aligned with the old guard?

I would have thought the NEXT (clothing retail) lawsuit will mean that Royal Mail will be forced to realign new contracts with the old ones soon...but what do I know.

[Mr Rush]

Oh, I should followup my last reply by saying it's still 68% as of the 2022 annual report. An interesting counterpoint in that same report is that GLS labour costs are only 23% of their total costs. Wonder why they have such a hardon for imitating GLS on home soil?

[postslippete]

How come people are against these hours? Is it simply just the working times? Or is doing parcels considerably worse than mail? Starting soon and I'd probably prefer to work these hours than starting early.

Most of us prefer to spend the evenings and weekends with family. However, I've been told that delivering parcels on an evening is considerably less stressful than doing standard deliveries. There is no overtime because the office needs to be locked up at a certain time, you are not walking the streets with mail in the p*ssing rain for 10 miles+ every day, there are no Specials or collections to worry about and no daily huddles or managers breathing down your neck.

[TopperGas]

How come people are against these hours? Is it simply just the working times? Or is doing parcels considerably worse than mail? Starting soon and I'd probably prefer to work these hours than starting early.

Most of us prefer to spend the evenings and weekends with family. However, I've been told that delivering parcels on an evening is considerably less stressful than doing standard deliveries. There is no overtime because the office needs to be locked up at a certain time, you are not walking the streets with mail in the p*ssing rain for 10 miles+ every day, there are no Specials or collections to worry about and no daily huddles or managers breathing down your neck.

The down side is that your knocking on 100+ doors you are not familiar with and have to do it all in the dark once the clocks go back. I've no idea what happens if a van breakdown etc, I assume your on your own to sort it out if your manager doesn't answer his phone.

[Sbutts8182]

It was in your contract, 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week. Union reps hands are tied, new starters signed up to it.

[fadetogrey63]

How come people are against these hours? Is it simply just the working times? Or is doing parcels considerably worse than mail? Starting soon and I'd probably prefer to work these hours than starting early.

It's not so much the times for those who want it, but it's more the fact you can be forced to work it, but the posties on older contracts won't be asked to do it.. Just another showing of how us on new contracts are bottom of the barrel

[Kenfandango]

A lot of talk here about a "2 tiered workforce."

It isn't.

The newest starters are a tier, then those awful weds-sun contracts they hired people on last year, then the "30 hours, overtime available but no DDOS," "30 hours, overtime with DDOS," the monthly Vs weekly pays, the contracts that don't require driving (as they all have required for at least 6 years by my reckoning.) In fact, every contract for the past decade has gotten progressively worse (we have a guy whose contract explicitly states "Royal Mail will never need you for sorting, all preparatory work shall be carried out before your scheduled start time" or similar, yet the guy next to him who started 3 months later has the opposite. Both 8 years in the job.)

The place has more tiers than a travellers wedding cake, pretending it's a new problem isn't useful