LTB 059/21 - Joint Statement between Royal Mail / CWU - Safety and Operational Arrangements During the Covid - 19 Pandemic

[POSTMAN]

https://www.cwu.org/ltb/ltb-059-21-join ... -pandemic/

LTB 059/21 – Joint Statement between Royal Mail / CWU – Safety and Operational Arrangements During the Covid – 19 Pandemic
No. 059/21

Date 16th February 2021

Joint Statement between Royal Mail / CWU – Safety and Operational Arrangements During the Covid – 19 Pandemic

Dear Colleagues,

Branches will be aware of the continuing difficulties being experienced within the operation due to the Covid pandemic. You will also be aware that our members’ heroic efforts to provide a fantastic service to the UK public, whilst also playing a key role in fighting the pandemic has proven extremely difficult.

This is due to constraints within the operation arising from single only use of vehicles, social distancing measures in space constrained buildings, particularly in DO’s, whilst also dealing with increased absence rates related to the pandemic. This has now been exacerbated due to the break out of virus variants resulting in local spikes in some cases and areas across the UK.

In addition to this, Royal Mail, as demonstrated in their recent announcements, have experienced a massive boom in parcel growth with record levels of items and in particular tracked items with YOY levels up considerably on those previously ecountered. These factors have placed enormous strain on our members within the operation and in many cases these have impacted on quality of service, in particular on USO and letter deliveries. This aspect has also been the subject of unwelcomed reporting from the media which has raised the focus on Royal Mail and the qulity of service which is being provided.

Accordingly, we have been in dialogue with Royal Mail in order to agree and put into place a structured approach in dealing with these issues and to engender a joint way of working which the Divisional Reps and SDL’s will oversee and for them to jointly monitor the current situation and in particular, concentrate help and provide assistance at pace where “hot spots” of absence and operational issues arise.

We have therefore concluded a Joint Statement, agreed today by the Postal Executive, which we believe will help to provide the process for this activity whilst also ensuring that our National agreements along with full involvement of the CWU are accommodated, and fully taken into account.

As you will note the Joint Statement includes issues that are specific to both the Processing and Delivery functions, whilst also including important commitments that are necessary in the current situation and will assist reps and Branches.

In addition Dave Joyce and the HSE department have been fully involved with those aspects contained within the Joint Statement which fall under his department’s remit.

Branches will note that the Joint Statement also includes the full involvement of the Divisional Reps, who will oversee the activity along with the direct involvement of the Area Reps, with an escalation of any issues that cannot be resolved to the National Officers to raise with Royal Mail’s senior management team on the joint weekly operational call.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our Branches, members and representatives for their fantastic efforts in carrying out a vital service to the public and as key workers during this very testing time.

Any enquiries with regard to the content of the above for Delivery Issues please contact the Outdoor Department reference 600 email address: njones@cwu.org

Any Processing, Area Distribution, Network enquiries please contact Sue Hayman

Reference 014.14 email address shayman@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Mark Baulch
CWU Assistant Secretary
Davie Robertson
CWU Assistant Secretary


Safety and Operational Arrangements During the Continued Lockdown Period – February 2021

[POSTMAN]

Introduction

Both parties are fully committed to working together in order to ensure we continue to focus on the key priorities set out
back in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic within the UK.

•  Protecting our people
   Connecting and delivering right across the UK, whilst also playing a key role in fighting the pandemic
   Protecting the business

Coronavirus along with new variants of the virus, the continued lockdown and various governments and agencies advice
continue to impact the Royal Mail operation in several ways. Social Distancing and other safety measures remain vitally
important, parcel volumes and overall workload continue to grow, and sick absence overall has increased. Sick absence
associated with the pandemic in some units is exceptionally high due to cluster outbreaks placing significant strain on
the operation and those colleagues who remain at work. It is therefore important that we work together at all levels
within our organisations in order to ensure safety standards are being maintained and operational contingencies are
jointly deployed to minimise the disruption customers may experience.

Protecting our people - Working together on Safety Standards

All operational units should undertake a joint weekly safety inspection/tour to assess deployment of safety and Covid
standards and jointly encourage compliance with all aspects of the safety measures we have deployed. This joint activity
will involve the Unit Manager (PIC), the Unit IR rep and the Unit Safety Rep or Area Safety Rep. Continued issues with
non-compliance should be escalated via the line structure and support offered to any unit that requires it. The CWU
Area IR Rep, Area Safety Rep, Royal Mail Senior Manager and SHE Business Partner will then agree a plan of action
to help address any non-compliance issues. In the event issues remain the appropriate RM senior manager (SDL, etc)
and Divisional Representative will meet to review what further action is required. Health and Safety issues can also be
escalated via the agreed SHE Standard escalation process. There is a shared aspiration that this joint activity will
identify good practice and all parties are encouraged to share examples where identified.

Where concern about indoor space or ventilation is an issue both parties commit to working together on deploying jointly
developed solutions that reduce the number of people in the building at any one time. This may include staggering start
times earlier or later and the realignment / introduction of resource to enhancement night operations to reduce
congestion during the IPS/prep. Both actions should prove beneficial in maximising the use single occupancy of vehicles
over the day or better utilisation of red fleet and hired vehicles. Every unit is uniquely different in this regard and therefore
joint local assessment along with jointly developed solutions are important.

Both parties fully support the introduction of mandatory face masks/coverings in indoor spaces as an important control
measure to reduce virus transmission in the workplace. It is important that any exemptions are validated and minimised
to those colleagues that have genuine cause not to wear a face covering. Where a face covering cannot be used for
medical reasons, individuals where appropriate will be provided with a face visor to minimise the risk of transmission in
the workplace.

Operational Contingency - Connect and deliver for the UK

The impact of the virus varies significantly across the UK, most typically defined by absence levels in each unit and
associated cluster outbreaks. Royal Mail is taking all reasonable measures in response to the operational impacts
outlined above and this should continue to be the focus of joint weekly resourcing meetings at unit level.

Post peak Royal Mail has retained up to 6000 hired vehicles to help overcome the loss of the shared vehicle operation.
Additionally, and in order to support the increased absence, cluster outbreaks and increased volumes along with the
operational constrains experienced due to Covid-19 up to 4000 agency delivery drivers have been engaged and
retained in order to provide support for the operation and the fantastic efforts of colleagues throughout the UK. The
continued numbers of agency staff along with resourcing issues and overall recruitment will be subject to regular further
joint National Review and carried out in line with the commitments contained within the Pathway to Change agreement.

In addition, both parties will jointly identify and agree any opportunities within their units to recruit staff where there are
currently known vacancies which need to be filled, or to increase weekly contractual commitments for existing part time
staff.

RM & CWU

Joint weekly resourcing meetings will focus on how best to align any additional agency resource alongside the
availability of Royal Mail employees working in delivery units. It is confirmed that all existing staff resourcing options will
be exhausted before the option to the use of agency workers is taken. Overtime will also be paid where it is necessary
in order to clear any backlog of all mail, this includes the USO and all delivered mail products.

Delivery

Weekly resourcing meetings will take place in all units in line with our national agreements and will include the following
priorities and activities:

•  Review social distancing arrangements within the unit to ensure that they remain effective and compliance
  remains high
   Helping the UK fight the pandemic is the operational priority and therefore resources must be focused on the
  collection and delivery of test kits, delivery of PPE to care homes and doctors’ surgeries, etc and the delivery
  of vaccination letters. Walk/route level line listings are now available to assist units with the daily clearance of
  vaccination letters.
   Ensuring compliance with the Test Kits SSoW.
   The efficient utilisation of red fleet and the numbers of vehicles in the unit overall, including hire vehicles.
   Where any backlog of mail exists following a cluster outbreak there should be a joint locally agreed plan in
  place to recover the situation as quickly as possible using a full range of resourcing options.
   Consider increased or enhanced arrival profiles into units to support the local work plan
   Resourcing arrangements should consider the availability to maximise overtime including: part time employees
  increasing hours on a pre-planned basis, day off working, Sunday delivery of parcels, dedicated am/pm parcel
  routes.
   Where full walk/route coverage is not achievable due to absence levels or the impact of social distancing then
  any delivery points not covered on a given day must be a priority the next working day. Arrangements
  necessary to achieve this will be discussed and agreed with the Units IR rep and local manager as part of the
  weekly resourcing meetings.
   The Unit recovery plan should be shared with everyone in the unit as a key output of the weekly resourcing
  meeting

Processing (Mail Centre/RDC/WBC)

Weekly resourcing meetings should take place in all units in line with the guidelines established in the 2018 Resource
Realignment agreement and will include the following as standard items during the Covid Period.

•  Review social distancing arrangements within the unit to ensure that they remain effective and compliance
  remains high.
   Review Test Kit Processing arrangements to ensure that items remain contained within the discreet Network
   Ensuring compliance with the Test Kits SSoW.
   Review resourcing arrangements to maximise internal resourcing options (SA/Overtime) and reduce the
  number of additional agency workers within the operation.
   Review of forecast workload, the aim being to minimise diversions and maximise the amount of traffic processed
  on site safely, while maintaining social distancing arrangements.
   Review workload diversions to other plants or Temporary Parcel Hubs with a view to reducing the requirement.

Supporting Units and issue escalation

The role of the Area CWU Reps and Senior Ops Managers is to continue to support the operational sites within their
area’s to effectively overcome the operational challenges they face. Regular weekly dialogue should take place covering
and concentrating on any hotspot units and what more can be done to help to provide support for the Unit managers
and Unit reps. This may include how neighbouring units can support alongside with the effective alignment of any
additional temporary resources across the SDL area following the issues and process as outlined above.

Oversight will be provided by the SDLs and Divisional Reps through a regular process of engagement. This will include
a review of hotspot Units and any problems being highlighted by the Senior Leader or Area Representatives. Although
this approach is already in place in many areas, this should be considered good practice across the whole of the UK
operation.

Oversight of health and safety issues will be provided by ASRs and the Safety, Health & Environmental Strategic
Business Partner North and South.

RM & CWU

Royal Mail’s Field Operations Director and National Functional Directors continue to meet with the CWU’s National
Officers on a weekly basis. In the event issues are not resolved through the processes outlined above these will be
raised and reviewed at the joint weekly Coronavirus meeting.

Mark Baulch : CWU Assistant Secretary
Ricky McAulay : Field Operations Director Royal Mail
Davie Robertson : CWU Assistant Secretary

[worktotime]

the first thing that should of been kicked in to touch is LAPSING during this period , instead posties being told to deliver mail , parcels on non familiar rounds and not knowing if people have covid 19 or not just to save money , its disgusting in imo ,

[iHateD2Ds]

Van sharing needs to be addressed
Managers are totally disregarding safe working practice at my DO.
Afternoon agency staff jumping into any available van.
What if they get COVID?
Nobody will know and the van will be reused without getting decontaminated.

Same person should use same van everyday but this does not happen!
Total disgrace and dangerous.

[P13]

Van sharing needs to be addressed
Managers are totally disregarding safe working practice at my DO.
Afternoon agency staff jumping into any available van.
What if they get COVID?
Nobody will know and the van will be reused without getting decontaminated.

Same person should use same van everyday but this does not happen!

You are supposed to wipe down your van before and after you use it

[iHateD2Ds]

Van sharing needs to be addressed
Managers are totally disregarding safe working practice at my DO.
Afternoon agency staff jumping into any available van.
What if they get COVID?
Nobody will know and the van will be reused without getting decontaminated.

Same person should use same van everyday but this does not happen!

You are supposed to wipe down your van before and after you use it

I’ve been in vans and coffee cup /soft drink bottles have left from previous user.If they can’t be bothered taking their rubbish out they are certainly not wiping down the van.

Also taking the keys off another driver and using van within 10 minutes is less than ideal because of Viral air load in the cab.

Let’s face it RM managers have treated COVID as an inconvenience not as a Pandemic and it’s not going anywhere soon.
More stringent and compulsory safety procedures must be in place and workers be made aware of.

[ConeHater]

So many statements.
So little action.

[redheadedwoman]

Let’s face it RM managers have treated COVID as an inconvenience not as a Pandemic and it’s not going anywhere soon.
More stringent and compulsory safety procedures must be in place and workers be made aware of.

[2yearpostie]

Did i see part timers should be made up to full time where vaccencies allow in that statement?