PATHWAY TO CHANGE – DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESS AND REVISED ACHIEVING AGREEMENT PAPERWORK
No. 199/21
13th May 2021
Dear Colleagues,
PATHWAY TO CHANGE – DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESS AND REVISED ACHIEVING AGREEMENT PAPERWORK
Further to LTB 184/21 issued on 7th May 2021, attached for the information/attention of Branches/Representatives is the specific section of the previously circulated Legally Binding Agreement which has now replaced the original Dispute Resolution Procedure from the Agenda for Growth Agreement.
In addition, attached is a copy of the Revised Achieving Local Agreement document that will now be used to accurately record the reason(s) why an agreement was unable to be reached prior it being referred to the next level of the process for action. Branches will note that detailed in the introduction of this document are some key messages and principles which will be applied to support the overall objective of reaching agreement at the lowest leave without recourse to the Dispute Resolution Procedure.
In anticipation of the review of the Legally Binding Agreement being successfully concluded, the revised document is already included in the Joint Industrial Relations Framework training that is currently being rolled out.
Colleagues will be aware that the Pathway to Change Agreement committed both parties to ensuring a more effective and robust way of jointly managing the application, recording and timescales of the procedures. Therefore, adherence to the defined timescale in the process both below and at National level will be the key measure of the successful application of the revised Dispute Resolution Process and the investment in Joint IR Training.
In addition, neither party will now be in a position to defer or delay an issue(s) being referred to the next level by simply stating that they do not agree an issue(s) is a disagreement, which has been a major frustration for both the Union and Royal Mail over the years and one we have now jointly addressed.
The revised DRP and the investment being made in delivering the Joint IR Training should be viewed by both the company and the Union as an opportunity to reinvigorate IR relationships at all levels to the mutual benefit of the Union, Royal Mail and the wider CWU Postal membership.
I can also confirm that whilst the attached DRP and associated documentation relate to Royal Mail, separate discussions are continuing on reviewing and updating the Procedural Agreement in Parcelforce. Further information in respect of this activity will be circulated in due course.
Any enquiries in relation to the content of this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P)
Department.
Yours sincerely,
Terry Pullinger
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)
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