LTB 686/10 - Quadrant Catering Reviews

[TrueBlueTerrier]

No: 686/10

Ref: 311
Date: 9th August 2010




All Postal Branches With Quadrant Members
Quadrant Area Representatives






Dear Colleague
Quadrant Catering Reviews


We have received a number of enquiries in the department regarding Regional Royal Mail Catering Reviews and the purpose of this LTB is to inform you of the actual current position from a National perspective.


The last National/Regional catering reviews took place in 2007 and an agreement was reached in respect of the aims of any review and indeed the approach to be adopted (communicated to Branches via LTB 609/07 copy attached).


In April 2010 the department were informed by the London Division that they suspected that further reviews were planned for this year. The department duly wrote to Royal Mail who informed us that whilst it was inevitable at some stage that Royal Mail would be reviewing its catering services again, we were assured of the following:


Ø That no plans had been made and that Royal Mail would talk to the department and me prior to any decisions being made on possible change.


Ø That an early task would be to confirm how we would indeed work together on this issue.


Ø That the department and I would be contacted before any future communication on catering provision.


Ø That Royal Mail will work with us in the spirit of the Transformation Agreement in regard to involvement.


Ø That the department and I would be involved prior to anything being said in the field.


The business then wrote to the department on the 28th July 2010 to arrange a meeting (to take place after the 9th August 2010 due to managerial annual leave), to discuss the approach for a 2010 review of catering services. That letter also confirmed that the agreement secured in 2007 would indeed hold the field.


Unfortunately the proposed structured approach has been totally undermined by Regional Managers not waiting for the National consultation and deciding to proceed in advance.


This is of course extremely disappointing and does little to convince people of the genuine commitment to a new relationship. We have written to National management again asking them to clarify this situation but at the time of drafting this LTB we have received no response to that correspondence, therefore in the meantime if any region or local unit is approached in this regard then you should insist that any such activity is carried out within the full spirit and intent of the 2007 agreement.


Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Terry Pullinger, Assistant Secretary, email dwyatt@cwu.org, quoting reference 311.


Yours sincerely








Terry Pullinger
Assistant Secretary

[La Poste]

So what are Royal mail doing exactly?
Are they removing canteen facilities?
Maybe removing vending machines without consulting the union first?
I really don't know much about this one.

[demon]

they can take them all out and the canteen it just a rip off and the food is s**t anyway costs you a hours wage to get a bacon bun and all te managers order in from out side anyway so they no its a rip off too

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Quadrant Catering Reviews

All Postal Branches With Quadrant Members
Quadrant Area Representatives



Dear Colleague

Quadrant Catering Reviews

Further to LTB 686/10 regarding the above subject National management have now contacted the department and informed us that they did respond to my correspondence on this issue via email late on Wednesday evening, 3rd August 2010. Unfortunately we have no record of such an email and can only assume that it was the victim of server problems on the part of either the CWU or Royal Mail.

We are now however in receipt of the response from the business which confirms that all Regions will follow the process as agreed in 2007. Equally, the business has confirmed that Paul Jobling will continue to lead Nationally on behalf of the business and we will be arranging a meeting to discuss the activity which has clearly already commenced.

The receipt of this correspondence and the formal confirmation that the 2007 agreement will apply is extremely useful and I take this opportunity to remind everybody involved in these revisions of the following objectives:

The specific aim of this review programme is to improve and sustain the long term provision of catering facilities for the employees of Royal Mail Group. This initiative does not form part of any efficiency or bonus scheme within Royal Mail Letters operations.

To put in place a range of opportunities to enhance the service provision that will help to serve the customers better and to help improve the cost effectiveness of the subsidy.

It is accepted that despite the efforts of all parties, there may be some cases where sales equating to subsidy is not achievable. Providing the canteen facilities are well utilised then closure will not be pursued.

I apologise for any confusion caused by this incident, but it does goes some way to prove my belief that whilst electronic correspondence is fine and to some degree instant, it is not anywhere near as reliable as letters posted through the postal system and delivered by postal workers providing an excellent quality of service. I hope this also serves as an example to us all that any electronic mail should always be followed up by a hard copy sent through the post.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Terry Pullinger, Assistant Secretary, email dwyatt@cwu.org, quoting reference 311.

Yours sincerely



Terry Pullinger
Assistant Secretary