PRIVATE CARS ON DELIVERY DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
LTB No: 160/20
24th March 2020 Dear Colleagues, PRIVATE CARS ON DELIVERY DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC Branches will be aware that once again, Royal Mail have taken the decision to publish Advice/Guidance to the field, on this occasion in relation to the use of Private Vehicles on Delivery by our members working in Delivery Offices. We have been attempting to discuss the document with the company over the last couple of days, sharing our concerns, governing the use of the vehicle, insurance issues, out of pocket cost to our members, and a host of other items including ensuring that this would only be a temporary initiative for the duration of the current Coronavirus crisis and would end as soon as practically possible given the previous history of private car use and ceasing this practice with the introduction of delivery methods. On Wednesday the 24th of March, we proposed a joint statement to the company that would put the matter on a sure footing with our members and representatives alike in terms of putting some sureties around both the intended use of the vehicle and what more importantly it could not be used for, together with a clear intention of both parties to cease the arrangement as soon as possible. There has been no formal response to this document, indicative once again of the kind of relationship that certain parties within the company want with this Trade Union going forward, sickeningly, even at a time of major crisis. The proposed Joint Statement is attached for your reference. Following on from the above, and most disappointingly, the company, at a level above where we were having the discussion, decided to plough on ahead with the release of the document which resulted in an avalanche of enquiries into both the Outdoor and Health & Safety Departments. The department then decided to seek urgent legal advice on the content of the guidance pack and subsequently forwarded a number of questions to the employer late this afternoon, the answers to which are attached for your information. Branches will therefore note, and should bring to the immediate attention of all our members working in Delivery Offices, that using their private vehicles without Business Use Insurance will mean that they are driving on Third Party Insurance Cover only but can of course cancel your agreement to use their vehicles at any time. Any enquiries should be addressed to outdoorsecretary@cwu.org Yours Sincerely, Mark Baulch Assistant Secretary LTB 160.20