LTB 590/17 – RM Uniform Talks Update – Conference Policies

No. 590/2017

Friday 3rd November 2017

RM Uniform Talks Update – Conference Policies

 

Dear Colleague,

Further to LTB 66/17 and previous updates given to Branches in relation to the pursuance of Branch motions carried by CWU Annual Conference regarding Uniform provision and other related issues. (These are attached at Annex A for ease of reference)

The Outdoor Department has been in discussions with Royal Mail regarding all of the attached motions and whilst there have been LTB’s issued by the Health, Safety and Environment Department, relating to issues around Safety, it is predominately the Industrial Department that has responsibility for progressing the majority of these policies.

As such, we would want all Branches and Area Reps who have feedback on the current trials regarding Panther Easyflex Trainer Style Footwear or the Bandera Style Footwear to feed this back to the outdoor department in order to ensure that the practicalities of their use in the day operation of deliveries is also captured and fedback.

In addition and in order to keep Branches updated, we have agreed to trial a new female top which will be for a 6 week period which will commence in mid-December and include some 500 female employees covering a total of 26 workplaces. Following the trial a full and joint review will take place to evaluate the success or otherwise of the female tops, and any subsequent national deployment.

Equally, it can be confirmed to Branches that the Panther styles footwear of Easyflex Waterproof Trainer (Non-Safety),  Easyflex Boot (Safety), Easyflex Trainer (Safety), Vieste Boot (Safety) and Taormina Shoe (Safety), sizes 2 to 7 are female gender specific designed footwear. Whilst this is a welcomed development in terms of Conference policy, talks remain ongoing with Royal Mail in terms of further possible developments on female specific footwear and other female specific uniform items in general.

Finally, discussions with Royal Mail, regarding updating the current National Uniform Agreement, which has remained in place since 1999, are progressing and these talks should further enable the union to move forward conference policies. Importantly we have also made clear to management during the current discussions that any process must include a satisfactory ordering/re-ordering/replacing of all uniform provision, which we know is a key concern for our members.  We remain committed to achieving an agreement that also ensures that going forward the quality, design and suitability of Uniform provision is fully fit for purpose.

Any queries to the content of the above please contact the Outdoor Department reference 530

Yours Sincerely,

 

Mark Baulch                                    

CWU Assistant Secretary

LTB 590.17 RM Uniform Talks Update – Conference Policies

Annex A – Conference Motions

2015 – Motion 80 CATEGORY A:   

This Conference may be aware that in Royal Mail the delivery walks are getting longer and the pressure on your feet becomes even more demanding in terms of wear and tear. It is not unusual to be on your feet for 5 hours at a time, maybe even longer both inside and outside.

Plantar fasciitis is common around 1 in 10 people will get plantar fasciitis at some time in their life.

 

This Conference believes that the footwear provided by Royal Mail is not up to standard and certainly does not take on board health issues linked to feet.

 

This Conference instructs the Postal Executive that the provision of suitable footwear of all sizes is considered to help alleviate foot health issues.

Disability Conference

 

2016 – Motion 115 CATEGORY A: This Conference recognises the ever growing demands on members within deliveries and the prospect of longer delivery spans in the future from proposed business plans.

 

Conference recognises member’s footwear issues are causing problems such as plantar fasciitis, along with other feet problems which also cause both skeletal and muscular issues. Furthermore, there are also issues with replacing footwear.

The Postal Executive is therefore instructed to take the following action:

 

  • Liaise with Royal Mail to look at providing a range of correctly supportive footwear, and to seek professional advice from podiatrists taking into account the demands of the job our members do.

 

  • Seek an agreement with Royal Mail to make ordering replacement footwear an easier process based around conditions of footwear and less about predetermined timescales.

Gwent Amal

South West Wales Amal

 

2016 – Motion 124 CATEGORY A: This Conference instructs the Postal Executive to reach an agreement with Royal Mail to ensure new entrants who will be working outside are provided with access to waterproof/storm proof uniform at the start of their employment. Currently new employees are only  provided with basic uniform, which offers no protection in poor weather conditions from the elements. The six week period new entrants need to wait for this protective clothing is putting them at risk, so alternative provisions must be made.

South Central Postal

 

2017 – Motion 22 CATEGORY A: Conference instructs the Postal Executive to achieve this policy: that new entrants on delivery receive footwear, or are given a voucher to purchase footwear that is suitable for delivery. In order to prevent accidents and so that they are not out of pocket.

 

Furthermore, all new entrants are to receive waterproof clothing to protect them from the elements.

 

This to be achieved by January 2018.

York and District Amal

 

2017 – Motion 89 CATEGORY A: Conference recognises motions 80 – 2015 and 115 – 2016 and the work already done on the correct provision of footwear in Royal Mail. However, the issue of gender specific footwear has not been raised. Currently all Royal Mail footwear is unisex, in practise this means that women are forced to wear men’s shoes. But there are differences in men’s and women’s feet. Men generally have longer and broader feet whereas women tend to have narrower heels, higher arches and proportionally larger calves and ankles. Men’s shoes tend to have support in the front to the ball of the foot, whereas women need more support near the arch. Royal Mail offer a wide variety of footwear even shoes for vegans but not for women? With the average postal worker walking over 8 miles a day surely the PPE should be fit for purpose. Conference, instructs the Postal Executive to enter into negotiations with Royal Mail to recognise the need for women to have the correct footwear and give them the confidence and dignity back to allow them to do their job in a safe manner.

Colchester and District Amal