LTB 091/21 – RM/CWU Joint Statement for Additional Volumes Covid-19 Delivery of T24 Test Kits & Sunday Delivery of Parcels
No. 091/21
3rd March 2021
For The Immediate Attention Of:
Postal Branches
Divisional Representatives
RM/CWU Joint Statement for Additional Volumes Covid-19 Delivery of T24 Test
Kits & Sunday Delivery of Parcels
Dear Colleagues,
Branches will be aware, that through joint working and with the support of our members Royal Mail has played a key role in the delivery and return of Covid-19 Test Kits, which is an integral part of the Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Testing is a vital element of the National effort to combat the coronavirus which has required us to work at pace to adapt to changing demands from the Government in respect of initiatives. One such initiative that has become available as the pandemic has infolded is the Delivery of T24 Test Kits, which enabled orders received from the NHS into Paragon sites and the collection/delivery through the core network on Monday-Saturday and across circa 340 units on a Sunday.
Further to previous Joint Communications RMG has now advised that they have been successful in winning further contracts which will increase the overall number of test kits delivered across the week. This is due to the recognition of all the hard work that many of our members have undertaken, in order to deliver what has truly been an exceptional service in extremely challenging circumstances.
Royal Mail has been informed that volumes are likely to significantly increase in the coming weeks. As such, there will be a requirement to revise the current operational plans to increase the number of services from Mail Centres direct to the Paragon processing sites, to ensure the processing of the items at Mail Centres has been reviewed and in turn the number of Primary and Satellite Hubs in which Delivery of T24 will take place. Primary and Satellite Hubs (remote resourcing units) will be introduced in a pragmatic way, on a without prejudice basis and will be a subject of discussion as part of the Future Pipeline Review group activity.
Sunday Delivery of Parcels – “Capturing Market Opportunities”
In line with the Pathway to Change Agreement, Royal Mail and the CWU also jointly wish to capture potential new contracts, products and volume growth, including Sunday Direct Injection to support the additional COVID test kits and consolidate Sunday as an operational day. In line with the commitments within the agreement, it is agreed that the introduction of these additional Sunday deliveries and attendances will be on a voluntary basis. All future resourcing models will be subject to further National discussion and agreement as part of the Future Joint National Pipeline
Review process and also evaluated in line with commercial forecasts and projections.
As a consequence of both of the aforementioned factors we have been in discussions with Royal Mail in regard to agreeing a National Joint Statement to enable the required activity. That document has now been concluded and endorsed by the Postal Executive and a copy is attached for your information.
In summary the Joint Statement contains the following elements:
- Recognises in relation to operational arrangements that both parties understand that in line with ‘The Pathway to Change Agreement’ revision activity is currently taking place through National Network Review, National PAD Revisions, National, Realignment Activity in Mail Centres and RDCs and Table Top and Structural Revisions in Delivery, all of which will need to consider any associated impacts as a result of this development.
- Ensures full involvement of the CWU and that all activity will be undertaken on a joint basis by utilising Local Joint Working (LJWG) approach for each Mail Centre catchment area, to ensure that cross functional working is adopted.
- Outlines the Processing and Delivery requirements in relation to operational arrangements.
- Maintains the commitment to retention on the core Delivery network of Monday to Saturday test kits.
- Provides a Resourcing Menu of Options to provide assistance, which include but are not limited to the following:
- Use of hybrid duties performing core delivery and LAT parcel deliveries
- Use of hybrid duties performing collections & LAT parcel deliveries
- Opportunity for P/T employees to increase their contractual hours
- Creation of Innovative Duties as part of current revision planning
- Use of new duties and/or new recruits
- Use of contracted Scheduled Attendances in line with current agreements
- Review of existing Scheduled Attendance
- Use of agency staff where there are insufficient volunteers and the options listed above have been exhausted
In addition to the above full consideration needs to be given in the circa 500 Units who are currently taking part in either Table Top or Structural Revision activity to the additional workload within the revision and duty planning process in line with the full options above.
In order to assist with the planning of these additional workload National Joint guidelines will be developed and agreed. Given the short timescales for the launch of the Sunday delivery of parcels and the further ramp up of the various Covid test kit initiatives, it may be necessary for the resourcing arrangements initially put in place to be temporary until the revision activity as outlined above is deployed within these units.
Any queries to the content of the above please contact: Deliveries: Outdoor Department email address: njones@cwu.org, quoting reference: 600 or
Processing/Area Distribution: Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary email: shayman@cwu.org, quoting reference: 014.14
Yours sincerely,
Mark Baulch
CWU Assistant Secretary
Davie Robertson
CWU Assistant Secretary
LTB 091/21 – Sunday Working CV19 Test Kits
RM_CWU JS Additional COVID Kits and Sunday Products_CWU March_21_FINAL