LTB 255/22 – North West Hub – Inward Mail Centre – Indicative Workload Impacts
No: 255/22
13th June 2022
For the Immediate Attention of All:
Postal Branches
Divisional Representatives
Area Processing Representatives
Dear Colleagues
NORTH WEST HUB – INWARD MAIL CENTRE – INDICATIVE WORKLOAD IMPACTS
Branches and representatives are advised that an update was provided last week at a joint Postal Executive/Field Official briefing. Further to that meeting the department has been pressing the business for the release of the indicative workload impacts at the Non-Catchment Area, Inward Mail Centres.
As you will be aware that the North West Hub has the capability to provide Direct to Delivery Office (D2DO) selections. Once deployed this will mean that although all parcel traffic will continue to flow through the Inward Mail Centre, the pre-sorted D2DO volume will only require cross docking prior to despatch to DO’s, as such the change will have an impact on workload. The extent of the impact is dependent on the number of D2DO Selections within the Mail Centre Catchment Area.
Given the renewed debate around Royal Mail proposals to concentrate Format 3&4 items onto circa 350 Delivery Offices the department had sought to confirm with Royal Mail that as previously agreed, the D2DO selections would be based on the DOSL selection model currently utilised in Mail Centres for Inward sortation. This model would ensure that all DO’s including those receiving D2DO traffic, continue to receive the same selection profile currently delivered by Mail Centres and that each DO receives all Parcel Traffic associated to its catchment area.
For absolute clarity, the information/data that has been provided by the business is indicative and is not agreed. Data is based on end state volumes assuming that the Hub is at capacity, however the data should provide the start point for discussion at Local Level in line with the terms of the National Framework Agreement and the IR Framework. The National Framework Agreement utilises a Catchment Area Working Group Approach to ensure that the impact is understood and can be progressed on a cross functional basis and the principles of that agreement should flow through to guide these discussions.
Royal Mail have confirmed that the latest workload assessments remain based on the DOSL model. It had previously been agreed that the information would be jointly launched however it has become clear that Royal Mail has released the information.
As such attached for the information of Branches and representatives is the documentation that provides the projected indicative Inward Workload Impacts for the 29 Non NW Catchment Area Mail Centres (Annex A). Also attached is a copy of the Comms originally intended to support the launch of the information NW Hub (Annex B) and the National Framework Agreement, which is referred to in the document (Annex C).
It is of course extremely disappointing that Royal Mail have jumped the gun on releasing the information. However, representatives should now use the attached indicative information as the basis for progressing discussions on the projected Inward workload changes on the basis of the minimum disruption principle contained in National agreements.
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org quoting reference: 505.21
Yours sincerely
Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary
255-22 – NW Hub Indicative Data Non CA Inward Mail Centres – 13.06.22
Annex A – Copy of Inward NW Hub Modelling for Plants May 2022 V0.1 (002)
Annex B – DRAFT NW Hub Impact Brief May 22 WTLL 020522 (003)