LTB 378-18 – Four Pillars Agreement – Resourcing Guidance and Resourcing Checklist For Network And Area Distribution

No. 378/2018

29th June 2018

For the Immediate Attention of All:

Postal Branches

Divisional Representatives

Area Distribution Representatives

LGV Representatives

 

Four Pillars Agreement – Resourcing Guidance and Resourcing Checklist For Network And Area Distribution

Dear Colleagues

Branches and representatives will be aware that Royal Mail and the CWU are working together to deploy the significant joint commitments contained within the Guiding Principles of Employment Security and Mutual Interest Approach, which include a review of current resourcing practices within all Functions. In other functions these commitments included the establishment of a framework and guidelines for the necessary resource realignment activity to deliver the 1st hour reduction in the working week in October 2018. However Branches will recall that in Logistics the enabler for the deployment of the SWW for Professional Drivers is the deployment of the National Network Review for Network Drivers and a PAD revision to deliver the LAT changes in October 2018 for Area Distribution Drivers.

The department can confirm that with the deployment of the Network Review on the 18th of June 2018, it has been agreed that the SWW enabler for Network Professional Drivers has been achieved and discussions are underway on the deployment of equivalent benefit through the restoration of payment to the first hour of Meal Relief each week from October 2018.

In order to meet the Guiding Principles commitments with regard to establishing proper resourcing practices discussions have been taking place between the department and Logistics management to agree standard disciplines in relation to daily, weekly and monthly meeting arrangements for the Network and Area Distribution functions. In addition a Resourcing Checklist has also been agreed, which should be included in weekly resourcing meetings. These discussions have centered on measures to establish that the Weekly Resourcing Meetings will be the local forum for jointly reviewing past and current resourcing requirements and the means to deliver on an ongoing basis the joint commitments to achieve:

A reduction in the reliance on Agency Resource

A review of Reserve Levels to ensure that there are sufficient reserves to provide robust cover.

A review of the contractual status of part-time workers

A review of FTC Contracts with consideration to making substantive where workload is ongoing

A review of loans and borrows including Driver Career Path candidates to deliver permanent solutions

Discussions have now concluded and the attached Resourcing Guidance (Annex A) and Resourcing Checklist (Annex B) have been agreed with the business and endorsed by the Postal Executive.

Colleagues should note that the attached documentation has been designed to supplement existing arrangements for Network and Area Distribution, who are already subject to annual revision activity.

Given the deployment of the Network Review in Network and the pending PAD activity in Area Distribution it has been agreed that use of the checklist as an audit document would not be of value at this time and that instead, the documents are intended as a continuous reference point for ongoing resourcing activity.

Colleagues will note that the attached documentation will assist representatives by providing a constant checklist and stable foundation in relation to resourcing that is out with annual revision activity. The processes contained in the attached documentation should therefore be fully utilised by representatives, in order to enable ongoing monitoring and engagement in respect of resourcing requirements in both of the functions concerned.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to: Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, Email Address: dwyatt@cwu.org or shayman@cwu.org quoting reference: 211.13

Yours sincerely

 

Davie Robertson

Assistant Secretary

LTB 378-18 – Guidance & Checklist Network & Area Distribution – 29.06.18 

Annex A – Weekly Resourcing Meetings – Guidance Document

Annex B – Resourcing Checklist – Network