Royal Mail recently wrote to the DGS(P) Department regarding a review of Management Controls with the focus on reaffirming existing policies, procedures and standards in relation to Overtime, Scheduled Attendance and Working Time Directive compliance.

Management claim that an internal audit found that Working Time, Overtime and Scheduled Attendance Controls have decayed and been forgotten in a number of areas. From the Union’s perspective adherence to our joint Resourcing Agreements has also been forgotten in a number of areas, encouraged by National Management, and that failed resourcing strategy is a major contributing factor to the problems exposed by their claimed audit.

However, Management have assured us that it is not their intention to change any of our current Agreements, nor our Agreement in regard to the Working Time Directive, or the re-issued Guidelines in respect of Scheduled Attendances as covered by the Way Forward Agreement.

The Department deployed PEC resource to meet with Management to clarify the exact scope and content of what is being carried out. As a result of this Management shared with us a considerable amount of material and documentation which we understand has already been circulated in the field.

As a result we write to notify Branches of developments in this regard and to make it clear that at the time of its distribution no material had been agreed or shared with the CWU and that it is only now that we are in the process of reviewing its content.  Moreover, we will of course challenge any aspects of the material that we believe to be inconsistent with our Agreements.

In addition we write to advise Branches and Representatives that should Local Management propose any new practices as a consequence of this managerial activity that seeks to change the status quo, custom and practice and/or Local Agreements, it should be dealt with via the full terms of the IR Framework.

We expect all engagement locally to be carried out in line with our commitment to joint local engagement and mutual interest and not via a managerial approach which gives the impression of using the Union’s name in vain by suggesting the CWU have agreed all documentation or bullish behavior to resolve problems that they have arguably, for the most part, created.

We have written to Senior Management making it absolutely clear that we expect the IR Framework and common sense to apply in this regard and they have confirmed that it will.

In the meantime, we will continue to apply all of our National collective agreements and will keep Branches fully updated on further developments.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to the DGS(P) Department.