LTB 167/23 - Mail Centre Revision PIR Activity
No: 167/23
29th June 2023
For the URGENT Attention of All:
Postal Branches
Divisional Representatives
Area Processing Representatives
Dear Colleagues,
MAIL CENTRE REVISION PIR ACTIVITY
Branches and representatives will be aware that PIR activity should have commenced in Mail Centres in line with the Para 9, Section 2.5 of the negotiators agreement, the relevant Joint Statement as communicated in LTB 152/23 is attached for your ease of reference (Annex A).
The department have however been receiving communications from the field that the commitments in respect of activity relating to supernumeraries are not being adhered to. In particular, this relates to members being briefed on a business ‘redeployment pool programme’ and suggestion that this has been agreed by the CWU.
For absolute clarity, the department have not agreed to the business’ redeployment pool programme and we have made representation in the strongest terms on a number of occasions that we would not support or endorse the business’ proposed approach in this regard.
We wrote to the business on 26th May 2023 and subsequently met at the highest level on 30th May 2023 and as such the business can be under no illusion that the CWU would support their proposed redeployment programme. In addition, Para 9 of the attached Joint Statement is clear that discussions in respect of outstanding issues relating to supernumeraries and surplus employees would take place at the end of the PIR and review process:
“At the conclusion of this process, the national parties will meet to review progress, resolve any outstanding issues and agree next steps.”
We would therefore advise that where the business is not adhering to above commitment, as contained in Para 9 of the Section 2.5 Joint Statement, the IR Framework is utilised with immediate effect and disagreement is registered.
We are also aware that the business has issued a ‘PIR Template’ spreadsheet for joint sign off in respect of the PIR activity (Annex B). For the avoidance of doubt, this document was shared with the department after it had already been released managerially in the field and was not subject to agreement. Once again, the department have not agreed or input into this document. While the department did not initially have any issues with the document it has been brought to our attention that some representatives are uncomfortable with the wording of the document and data contained, or omitted. Again, representation has been made to the business in this regard and we are awaiting a response. Our advice would be that representatives should refrain from signing this document until further notice.
We can advise that the department have concluded the attached Guidelines and Quality and Resourcing Checklists (Annexes C, D & E) to support the PIR activity, which have been endorsed by the Postal Executive and these should be utilised. It had been our intention to communicate the documents yesterday but due to the above issues we had advised the business that we did not believe that they would be well received in the field. However, on reflection we believe that they may be of assistance to you.
In the view of the department, the actions of the company are an act of bad faith in regard to the negotiations around the Section 2.5 Joint Statement and are frankly outrageous.
As stated above, the IR Framework applies in full and where there are disagreements related to any of the PIR activity these should be registered as a matter of urgency.
Further representations are being made at the highest level to resolve this issue and the department will consider all options available should these prove unsuccessful.
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org quoting reference: 733.02.
Yours sincerely,
Davie Robertson Assistant Secretary