LTB 451/20 – CWU/RM Joint National Agreed Framework for Dealing with Delivery Office Mergers/Closures
No. 451/20
15th September 2020
Dear Colleagues,
CWU/RM Joint National Agreed Framework for Dealing with Delivery Office
Mergers / Closures
Branches will be aware that the Department have been pursuing a new agreement on the subject of dealing with Delivery Office Closures, as instructed by Annual Conference 2017 – Motion 28.
The main issue of concern and difficulty expressed by Branches and representatives with the current existing National DO closures/mergers agreement, is that the involvement process does not kick in until Royal Mail has made the business case decision to close or merge delivery units. Therefore, the resultant local discussions are effectively to move forward the issues that result from the decisions taken by Royal Mail and not influence this before it is made, and this in many examples has led to a “fait accompli” situation.
Accordingly, as part of the National Four Pillars Agreement, highlighted in section 19.3.1 and in order for us to progress the conference policy, we insisted on a commitment from Royal Mail to review the current National agreement and in line with this, a Joint working group with Royal Mail was established which was headed up on behalf of the Outdoor department by Mick Kavanagh, along with Divisional Reps and also involving representatives from the field, who have had recent experience of dealing with closures.
The attached National agreement covers everything tasked to the department by Conference and delivers a comprehensive framework, that allows for the fullest possible consultation in every aspect of a potential Closure/Merger, from the initial thinking, to the effect of a closure some way down the line.
We believe that the agreement builds in significant improved safeguards to those within the current framework and enables our Field Officials, Local Branches and representatives to gain much better understating of the rationale behind any such proposed moves, whilst allowing full input and discussions at all stages, along with the opportunity to influence the outcome prior to any decision or announcement.
This National framework agreement which has been endorsed by the Postal Executive will therefore replace the existing National Agreement and be used with immediate effect.
There are a number of Delivery Offices involved within a bulk lease expiry and high level scoping has identified 12 units across the UK, of which there may be potential merger impacts.
Accordingly, the respective SDLs will be contacting the appropriate Divisional Reps during the course of next week in order to initiate consultation on the sites appropriate to their areas and localities.
Any queries to the content of the above please contact the Outdoor Department reference 555, email address: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org.
Yours sincerely,
Mark Baulch
CWU Assistant Secretary
LTB 451/20 – National Agreed Framework for Dealing with Delivery Office Mergers Closures
Framework for Dealing with Delivery Office Mergers and closures_Signature Copy_Sep20
DO Mergers Framework National Joint Statement_200915
Annex 1 – DO Mergers Framework_Final S.I. Materials – 15.09.20 – pdf
Annex 2 – Consultation – Detailed Design – 15.09.20
Annex 3 – Deployment – Implementation – 15.09.20