LTB 561/17 – Royal Mail – Panther Easyflex Trainer Style Footwear Trials
No. 561/2017
19 October 2017
Our Ref: C11/17
Royal Mail – Panther Easyflex Trainer Style Footwear Trials
To: All Branches
Dear Colleagues,
Royal Mail Assets are currently undertaking a number of trials of new footwear types as discussed with the Health, Safety and Environment Department and the Postal Department.
One of the trials involves the “Panther Easyflex” (photograph of the trainer attached) within the Delivery workforce.
The “Panther Easyflex” trainer has been available for the last 3 months to front-line walking delivery staff to trial and Royal Mail need to gauge user feedback on these shoes from members as their feedback will be key in the decision making as to whether this footwear product becomes a standard Royal Mail catalogue item in the future.
In discussions with RM Assets, I have suggested that our ASRs would be able to assist with the evaluation of trial footwear and feedback from members due to footwear being a key delivery Health, Safety and Wellbeing issue which ASRs monitor and raise issues on behalf of both individuals and groups of members who have complaints or replacement problems and hence the reason for this LTB and the communications you may receive directly from the Royal Mail National Uniform & Print Manager, Sam Dixon.
Attached is a Picture of the Panther Easyflex Trainer along with an excel spreadsheet which shows everyone who has placed an order for the Easyflex Trainers and the ASR’s name has been added to each postcode area (column D), also attached is a letter for each colleague that has a link to the Survey Monkey.
Royal Mail’s suppliers “Dimensions” have advised that as of yesterday only 78 user feedback responses to the survey for the “Panther Easyflex” trainers had been received out of 13,000 pairs that have been despatched.
Would you kindly visit each unit in your ASR constituency to distribute copies of the letter to those members involved or involve your WSRS to encourage completion of the feedback forms as it’s important we get improved, fit for purpose footwear made available to members and thereby get more members wearing officially provided, safe, healthy shoes and boots.
The closing date for the feedback is fast approaching and the Health, Safety and Environment Department has requested firstly, an extension to the feedback/survey closing date to the end
of the month in order to get a better response and secondly, the option of a paper survey response, rather than just the online option. A good feedback level will be important in making an informed decision as to whether Royal Mail goes ahead and makes the Panther Easyflex a standard catalogue item .
All your support is greatly appreciated.
CWU ASRs and Royal Mail Managers can check uniform policies and processes on the Royal Mail Assets intranet pages: https://intranet.royalmailgroup.com/OperationsModernisation/Pages/uniformoverview.aspx
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
17LTB561 Royal Mail – Panther Easyflex Trainer Style Footwear Trials