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Stop the destruction of our crown network Postal, Post Office (PO) February 18 2020 CWU representative Tim Pavelin has voiced his staunch opposition to this morning’s news that a Norfolk Crown Office is to be axed. The market town of North Walsham will see its post office handed over to retailer Neal Gurney, a franchisee who, according to Tim, “already owns eight different companies running seven post offices. “His empire building should not be at the expense of privatising a public service,” he insisted, adding: “Highly trained staff with many years of service will be replaced by new staff on grossly inferior terms and conditions.” The six members at North Walsham will be given the choice of either taking their chances under TUPE working for the new employer or of taking a redundancy package. Since the beginning of the New Year, a total of 10 Crown Offices in different parts of the UK have been put under threat of franchising – handing them away to private retailers – a strategy which the union describes as “back-door privatisation” of the network, and which directly impacts upon 81 members’ jobs and 10 management staff. As well as voicing profound opposition to Post Office management, the CWU will also be stepping up political campaigning both locally and nationally against franchising. North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker will be contacted by Tim Pavelin, who will be reminding him of his Conservative Party’s promises during last December’s general election campaign – particularly the pledge to ‘protect public services and the High Street’. And at national level, CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey plans to seek urgent discussions with the new Minister of State with responsibility for the Post Office Amanda Solloway. “We want to speak with her about this dangerous acceleration of the franchising and closing of our Crown Post Office network,” he explains. “We need an immediate halt, before our Crown offices disappear altogether.”

I would like to advise Branches the Postal Executive has today unanimously endorsed a Collective Agreement for a new Career Break Policy. The National Agreement, which is attached, is being introduced from 24th February.

No. 078/2020 14 February 2020 Our Ref:  V4/20 To:  All Branches Dear Colleagues, Royal Mail/CWU Road Safety Campaign Week – “Tyre Safety” – Monday 24 February to Friday 28 February 2020: Introduction Royal Mail Group has announced the first Road Safety Campaign of 2020, which will be about raising awareness of the importance, to all drivers, of correct tyre maintenance and the dangers of defective and illegal tyres whilst driving Royal Mail vehicles.  The campaign will concentrate on key messages to drivers and managers with the emphasis on how important it is for drivers to ensure that vehicles are safe to drive by checking the tyres before commencing their driving work duties. Background While it might sound like an elementary campaign title, first-hand evidence underlines the fact that there is still a need for basic education of a significant proportion of drivers. There may be a minority who choose to ignore road safety messages but there’s good reason to believe a far larger number would act on the advice, if they were made aware of it. This February’s Tyre Safety campaign covers routine tyre safety checks and maintenance: air pressure; condition; and tread depth. The campaign seeks to encourage drivers to check their tyres before commencing their driving duty as part of their pre-use checks and we want ASRs to help get the message out – ‘Don’t Ignore Your Tyres – Check Them’: Things To Check: Air pressure: Is at the recommended setting.Condition: Lumps or bulges, cuts and cracks may mean the tyre may need replacing.Tread depth: Should be checked to ensure it is above the minimum limit. Some Tyre Facts: 40% of fatal or serious RTCs are caused by defective tyres.In the last 9 months, Royal Mail breakdown providers removed over 1,700 illegal tyres from Royal Mail and Parcelforce vehicles.That doesn’t include illegal tyres removed by RMG Fleet Workshops.The legal limit for tyre tread is 1.6mm, or 1.0mm for 3.5t and above. Royal Mail’s policy is to change tyres at 2mm.The maximum penalty for a driver caught driving with illegal tyres is a £2,500 fine and 3 penalty points per tyre.In wet conditions, tyres with only 1mm of tread can take 23% further to stop, than with 2mm at 50mph.Driving with under or over-inflated tyres can ‘dangerously’ affect the braking distance and steering of the vehicle. CWU ASR Activity Guide & Checklist (Attached): By following the daily activity guide and checklist, carrying out Safety Inspections at selected Offices, and speaking to our drivers/members during w/c 24th February ASRs can play a key role in helping to raise the profile of ‘Tyre Safety’ during Road Safety Week for our members’ benefit by helping keep Royal Mail and Parcelforce drivers safe. During the week, which is fully supported by the CWU/HQ Health, Safety & Environment Department, CWU ASRs will be fully involved and consulted in this Road Safety Week Campaign.  CWU/ASR full support and participation is much appreciated by Royal Mail, Parcelforce Worldwide, RMSS, RMP&FS and CWU HQ. Benefits of the Campaign: Improved compliance with RMG Policy and Road Traffic Law.Increase awareness amongst drivers and managers.Reduction in Road Traffic Collisions. ASRs Should Agree With Operational Managers, Which Units Will Be Inspected And Jointly Supported During The Road Safety/Tyre Safety Campaign, And: Assist the Front-Line Manager in delivering the WTLL.Carry out additional safety inspection and spot check activities to increase awareness.Start carrying out tyre checks on all vehicles ahead of Road Safety Week.Remind drivers to carry out their safety checks before they set out on their journeys. Engage CWU/Member Drivers: Use the Road Safety Campaign materials (attached) to talk to drivers about the importance of tyre safety and carrying out vehicle pre-use safety checks.Check that drivers have received the WTLL briefing on tyre safety (attached).Check drivers have seen the poster and leaflets (attached).Ask Drivers – Do they follow Royal Mail policy on vehicle safety checks – including tyre checks?Remind drivers of the Fleet Customer Helpline number: 0345 266 0005 and to select option 4 for tyres.  Royal Mail Group’s tyre provider, NFS will then either direct drivers to their local workshop or NFS site. Engage Front Line Managers And Ask them: What activities have they completed for the Tyre Safety campaign?Have they made all drivers aware of the actions they need to take? Attachments: ASR ‘Tyre Safety’ Activity Guide & ChecklistRoad Safety Week/Tyre Safety Campaign PlanTyre Safety Campaign Power Point SlideTyre Safety WTLL For Road Safety Week(draft)Tyre Safety LeafletTyre Safety Poster Thanks for your support and assistance. Yours sincerely Dave Joyce National Health, Safety & Environment Officer 20LTB078 Royal Mail CWU Road Safety Campaign Week – Tyre Safety – Monday 24 February to Friday 28 February 2020 ROYAL MAIL LEAFLET DROP – FINAL V4 – 6th Feb ROYAL MAIL TYRE DEPTH POSTER – FINAL V4 – 6th Feb RS Campaign One Pager – Tyre Safety – FINAL V2 Slide for Tyre Safety – FINAL V2 Tyre Safety February 2020 ASR – FINAL V2 WTLL February Road Safety Week -Tyres – Feb 2020 V2 (MB edits)

Another courtroom defeat for BT on pensions Telecoms & Financial Services, BT February 13 2020 BT’s latest attempt to reduce its pension by mounting a complex legal challenge has resulted in another courtroom defeat for the company. Undeterred by its epic and ultimately futile  courtroom battle over indexation arrangements for  Section C  of the BT Pension Scheme (BTPS) – which only hit the buffers last July after years of legal wrangling in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and finally the Supreme Court – BT has just received another bloody nose from the Court of Appeal in a separate case. Last November the company brought proceedings in the High Court challenging the validity of a decision taken by HM Treasury (HMT) about how benefits are increased in public sector schemes after its application for a judicial review of the Government’s decision was refused by the Divisional Court in November 2018. BT argued there had been an “unintended” consequence of that decision as a result of the BTPS’s civil service roots – meaning that public sector pension increases would apply for Section B members of the BTPS who reach state pension age between December 6,  2018, and April 5 2021. In an eerily familiar echo of the earlier indexation case – which centred round the company’s efforts to change indexation arrangements for Section C members of the BTPS from RPI to the typically lower CPI measure of inflation –  the High Court rejected BT’s arguments, though the company was subsequently granted permission to appeal the decision in the Court of Appeal. That hearing took place in mid-December, and late last month the Court of Appeal handed down its judgement, once again rejecting BT’s appeal. This means that BT will not now make savings of an estimated £270 million that would have accrued from a courtroom victory. At the end of the earlier CPI/RPI indexation case the CWU “wholeheartedly welcomed” what it described as a “misguided, unnecessary and expensive case designed to cut members’ future benefits” – and that tone was echoed in the union’s response to the latest judgement. “This is just another instance in which BT’s efforts to save money on pensions has been knocked by the courts,” explains CWU assistant secretary Dave Jukes. “There’s no indication as yet that BT intends escalating this particular case to the Supreme Court, and I’d like to hope it will be wary of continuing its costly legal losing streak. “The best hope is that BT just draws a line under both issues and simply accepts its pension liabilities.”

Election of: • Royal Mail Divisional Representatives - 2020 • Royal Mail Divisional Representatives (Substitute) - 2020 • Royal Mail Divisional Chair - 2020