Joint Statements between Parcelforce Worldwide and the CWU on Christmas and New Year Arrangements
No: 561/20
20th November 2020
For the Immediate Attention of All:
Postal Branches
Parcelforce Regional Organisers
PFW Representatives
Dear Colleagues
Joint Statements between Parcelforce Worldwide and the CWU on Christmas and New Year Arrangements:
Underpinning Incentive Payment 2020
Callers Office and Customer Service Closing Times – Christmas and New Year’s Eve
Scottish New Year Bank Holiday Arrangements – 2021
Further to LTB 531/20 Agreement between CWU & Parcelforce Worldwide on 2020 Autumn Pressure and Christmas Remuneration Proposals for all CWU Grade Depot Employees, attached for the information of Branches and representatives are three Joint Statements designed to provide clarity on various issues relating to the Christmas and New Year Arrangements, which have been endorsed by the Postal Executive.
Underpinning Incentive Payment (Annex A)
The Underpinning JS mirrors those agreed in previous years and confirms the payment of the additional £100 Underpinning Payment will be made in December Salaries.
Callers Office and Customer Service Closing Times Christmas and New Year’s Eve (Annex B)
Discussions have been ongoing for some time with Parcelforce in an attempt to move the business from the previous position that Callers Offices and Customer Service Phone Operations would remain open until 19.00. The department had sought to match the 16.00 closing time for CSP’s in Royal Mail, however unlike Royal Mail Parcelforce Callers Offices/Admin Units also handle Customer Service calls.
As a compromise the business has agreed to close both functions at 18.00 this year, one hour earlier than last year and have also agreed that locally agreements can be made to release resource as demand decreases later in the day. The department views this as an improvement on previous years and we will continue to monitor the situation on an ongoing basis.
Scottish New Year Bank Holiday Arrangements – 2021 (Annex C)
Parcelforce are not a USO provider and as such are not covered by the Ofcom exemption in relation to the request by Royal Mail to move the non-USO day from the Bank Holiday on the 4th January 2021 to Saturday, 2nd January 2021 which has now been confirmed.
To clarify that position, the attached Joint Statement confirms that PFW will take Monday, 4th January as a Bank Holiday and normal arrangements will apply. The reference to Night Shifts and Conditioned Hours relates to two Depots where the nightshift operates on a Sunday to Friday basis.
The department believes that the attached Joint Statements will provide additional clarity on the topics covered which we hope will be welcomed by Branches, Representatives and members.
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to
Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org quoting reference 106A.11 and for Customer Services 134.02
Yours sincerely
Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary