LTB 099/24 - Joint Statement Regarding Deployment of 2024 Resource Realignment Efficiency Revisions in Mail Centres to Support Deployment of Network Window Changes
No: 099/24
For the Immediate Attention of All:
Postal Branches
Royal Mail Divisional Reps
Area Processing Representatives
JOINT STATEMENT REGARDING DEPLOYMENT OF 2024 RESOURCE REALIGNMENT EFFICIENCY REVISONS IN MAIL CENTRES TO SUPPORT DEPLOYMENT OF NETWORK WINDOW CHANGES
Dear Colleagues,
The Business Recovery, Transformation and Growth (BRT&G) Agreement committed us to working together to transform business operations, building on the mutual interest processes.
In 2018, the department negotiated a Joint Statement Regarding Resource Realignment, which defined agreed processes for revision and resourcing activity in Processing Units. This approach was re-affirmed in the 2021 Pathway to Change agreement, albeit with necessary amendments to deal with the implications of the Covid Pandemic. Section 2.5 of the BRT&G Agreement includes commitments that future revision activity will involve the restoration of joint working in all functions in line with national agreements and that revisions will be based on efficient, fair and achievable workload.
The primary aim of realignment revision activity in 2024 is the deployment of the extended Network Window change, where the reduction of flight sectors and the movement of this traffic to road services means delivering change across all functions to mitigate the onward impact of the flight removal across the pipeline. The activity also provides an opportunity to resolve the outstanding Supernumerary issues within the plants.
Discussions have now concluded with the attached agreed Joint Statement, which has been endorsed by the Postal Executive and which retains the principles and protections of the 2018 agreement, provides opportunity to remedy some of the outstanding elements of the 2022 revisions and updates the processes to ensure that they are fit for purpose.
The agreed document and its Annexes contains the updated elements of the 2018 agreement, including a revised process for jointly establishing the Model Week. It also includes updated guidelines for:
Resource Realignment;
Establishing Model Week;
Quality Checklist;
Resourcing Checklist;
Weekly/Quarterly Resourcing Meetings.
With regard to providing the best opportunity to resolve the Supernumerary problem, the document reintroduces the ability to utilise inventive duty patterns, something which was removed by the business in 2022. In addition, we have retained the commitment to move work between shifts where this assists in reducing surpluses.
The one outstanding issue relates to productivity. Royal Mail have circulated aspirational productivity figures to Plant Managers, however Branches will be aware that the department has not agreed in past revision activity any specific WIPWH increases centrally and we have not done so on this occasion as well.
While further discussions are continuing, in the view of the department the agreement is clear in that the process allows Representatives to agree the model week, the alignment of workload and the throughputs and it is clear that increased throughputs should be supported by agreed process changes, which have been tested. Representatives should approach discussions on that basis.
The clear priorities, in addition to deploying the Network Window changes, is the successful realignment of workload to resolve any displaced employees and the reduction and/or removal of agency resource.
Against that backdrop, the words in the agreed documentation should give Representatives the ability to achieve revision outcomes, which better match the aspirations of our members.
Joint launch activity took place for Plant Managers and Divisional/Area Representatives today online and a further session is being arranged for CWU Representatives.
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: shayman@cwu.org quoting reference: 733.02.
Yours sincerely,
Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary