LTB 314/23 - Royal Mail - Christmas Arrangements 2023
No: 314/23
1st December 2023
For the Immediate Attention of All:
Postal Branches
Divisional Representatives
Area Delivery Representatives
Area Processing Representatives
Area Distribution Representatives
Dear Colleagues,
Royal Mail – Christmas Arrangements 2023
Branches are advised that discussions have been ongoing with Royal Mail for some time with regards to a Christmas Arrangements document for 2023. The CWU had pushed the issue during the ultimately unsuccessful talks on the unagreed Royal Mail Peak Incentive Scheme and initial discussions took place during October 2023.
An initial draft was received from the business on 30th October 2023, which included a number of difficult areas and omissions from previously agreed documents, the last of which had been agreed in 2021 as there were no agreed arrangements in 2022 due to the national dispute.
Those areas of concern included the approach to Customer Service Point Opening Times, Sunday Delivery, proposed temporary changes to workplan and additional wording on Working Time Directive (WTD), which could restrict the hours our members could work during peak. Wording around Cyber Weekend was discussed, however this issue became time expired as discussions progressed beyond that point.
A meeting took place on 8th November 2023, where the CWU raised concerns and sought clarification in a number of areas. Accordingly, several drafts have been exchanged, culminating in a final agreed draft, which was endorsed by the Postal Executive.
The Arrangements retain the structure from agreements in previous years and address the areas of difficulty in the initial Royal Mail draft for this year’s Christmas Arrangements.
The revised section on National Peak Workplan now includes commitments which ensure that all internal Mail Centre Resource, including current Supernumerary employees, are fully utilised in line with the Peak Resourcing arrangements prior to any movement of work and confirms any agreed change to workplan with regard to 2c / T48 is temporary for peak only.
Words have been included with regard to an ongoing national review of Customer Service Point (CSP) opening times during peak and securing the ability for local agreement to be reached in any office to extend opening hours where the level of undelivered traffic requires additional service.
On the Attendance and Resourcing arrangements, the Bank Holidays this year fall on the least complicated pattern with no additional non USO days. The words in this section mirror those in previous years.
The document confirms the Christmas Supplement and the additional £100 underpinned ex Colleague Share payment will be made as usual and are unaffected by the Peak Incentive Scheme.
The traditional paragraphs on Scheduled Attendance, SA Holiday Pay and Temporary Variation to Contract have been retained unaltered in the final draft.
Attached for the information of Branches is the agreed Christmas Arrangements document, which we believe will provide guidance for our Representatives. We would be grateful if Branches ensure that the contents are brought to the attention of Representatives and members.
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to:
Processing/Distribution:
Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email:
shayman@cwu.org; quoting reference 054.06.
Deliveries/Collections:
Mark Baulch, Assistant Secretary, email: jrodrigues@cwu.org; quoting reference 170.
Yours sincerely,
Davie Robertson Mark Baulch
Assistant Secretary Assistant Secretary
