Pathway to Change: Royal Mail Admin, MDECs and CE
Postal January 20 2021
Pictured above: Andy Furey
Wednesday 20th January 2021
Special Facebook-live session at 7pm today with Andy Furey, CWU assistant secretary.
In contrast to the vast majority in other Royal Mail functions, a large proportion of our members across Admin and Customer Experience (CE) have been working from home during the Covid pandemic.
“In these functions, around two-thirds of staff are working at home – although the choice to remain in the office has been offered where possible,” explains CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey.
“In the company’s Manual Data Entry Centres (MDECs), most members have continued to attend work, although some have been able to stay home where there is a need to do so.”
Andy has praised the union’s reps for their efforts in assisting colleagues with this change, saying: “Our reps have been fantastic and the superb efforts of all our members across the Admin, CE and MDECs functions have played a crucial role in sustaining the Royal Mail operation through this exceptional period. Customer engagement is vital, as is processing payroll and paying pensions, along with our Finance team working hard to bring in the money.
“And all members from all business functions fully deserve the recognition that the negotiated pay rise (2.7 per cent plus 1 per cent) and the forthcoming hour off the working week contained within the Pathway to Change national agreement represent.”
The commitment to the avoidance of compulsory redundancies and the renewal of other long-standing job security protections are also “extremely valuable” for members in these functions, while Royal Mail Group’s change of heart over Parcelforce separation provides “welcome reassurance for all parts of the business that hiving off and outsourcing will not now happen and that RMG will remain an integral whole,” the assistant secretary adds.
Andy is also positive about the joint determination to develop new products and services across the business, pointing out that “this is an exciting new challenge for us all and, if successful, it will generate increased work for our members and potentially new jobs, as well as improved revenues.”
Although the total numbers within these three groups are relatively small – approximately 800 in CE, circa 600 MDECs members and around 1,500 working in Admin – there are multiple different senior management teams at the top due to the diversity of the roles.
And agreed ‘triggers’ for the extra hour off the working week – a reduction which is planned to be introduced by the end of October at the very latest – have yet to be agreed with the various business leads, although meetings have already been scheduled for later this week and next week in a number of key areas.
“Once the Pathway to Change agreement is approved in the national ballot, delivering the shorter working week will be my absolute first priority,” says Andy, “and I’ll be making sure that the criteria agreed will be achievable, transparent and most importantly, fair all round.”
From 7pm this evening, Andy will be taking questions and responding to comments from CWU members working in Admin, MDECs and CE and he is hoping as many members as possible will join the event.
In a direct message ahead of the broadcast, he urges: “Please take part, post your enquiries and points of view and take this opportunity to be part of the conversation.
“Working together, we’re determined to make Royal Mail the best company in Britain to work for – and this agreement provides the best possible basis for that.
“I look forward to speaking with you and I hope you’ll Vote Yes in the ballot.”
- Join us this evening from 7pm over on Facebook
Royal Mail Group Agreement Q&A Sessions: Week 2
Monday 18th January, 6pm-7pm
Carl Maden takes your questions on Fleet and Engineering. [VIEW HERE]
Wednesday 20th January, 7pm-8pm
Andy Furey takes your questions on Admin, MDEC and Customer Experience.