LTB 252/24 - ROYAL MAIL DEPLOYMENT OF LARGE PARCEL AUTO-DIVERT CONVEYORS IN MAIL CENTRES
No: 252/24
For the Immediate Attention of All:
Postal Branches
Divisional Representatives
Area Processing Representatives
Dear Colleagues
ROYAL MAIL DEPLOYMENT OF LARGE PARCEL AUTO-DIVERT CONVEYORS IN MAIL CENTRES
Branches will be aware of the drive by Royal Mail to increase automation capability. In February 2022, Royal Mail introduced two Large Parcel Conveyors (LPC’S) into two Mail Centres: Gatwick MC and South Midlands MC. This deployment was the subject of an agreement with the CWU and covered by an agreed Joint Statement.
Royal Mail met with the department recently and has informed us of their intention to deploy a further 9 LPC’s into the MC’s highlighted below;
Jubilee
Tyneside
Medway
Birmingham
Leeds
Greenford
HCN
Chelmsford
Bristol
The business has identified these sites due to volume and the LPC will be fitted with a Dimension Weigh Scanner to enable every item to have a scan to contribute to Revenue Protection activity. Royal Mail have indicated that they are seeking to deploy the first 6 on the list prior to Peak in the Sept – Nov window and the remaining 3 are scheduled for the post Peak period in Jan-Feb 2025. Installation at each site is expected to last 4-5 weeks from delivery to go live.
The original design (Palm Tree) has a large footprint and since 2022 the business has designed an alternative configuration (Sword) which can be utilised at sites with less available floor space. The operation of the mech is the same in both configurations and requires staffing levels, at full capacity of 18, (14 on the mech and 4 porters).
While the business is anticipating an efficiency through the introduction of the LPC’s it is not anticipated that this will result in a headcount reduction at any site, other than a potential small reduction at Medway, subject to confirmation.
The department had sought to agree a revised Terms of Reference (TOR) or Joint Statement (JS) to support this deployment activity, given the length of time since the initial deployment and the changes to configuration. This would have been the normal process at any time prior to the dispute and should have been of no concern to the business given that we have previously agreed deployment of the LPC’s. However, in line with their current Royal Mail policy the business has stated that they will not agree a TOR/JS with the CWU.
Given this, we have attached for the assistance of Representatives at the in-scope sites the original Terms of Reference which we encourage you to utilise in discussions with management on the deployment arrangements. If there are any issues in this regard, we would ask that Representatives contact the department for assistance.
In the view of the CWU the current Royal Mail stance with regard to Joint Statements is ridiculous and counterproductive in relation to the progression of activity and inconsistent with the commitments to restoring joint working and Industrial Relations contained in Section 2.4 of the Business Recovery, Transformation and Growth (BRT&G) Agreement. The matter is being pursued at the highest level with the company.
Also attached for the information of Representatives are the slides Royal Mail presented to the department on the deployment. It should be noted that the CWU have not agreed to the notional throughput figures included in the slide presentation. In addition, Royal Mail have shared the WTLL briefing issued this afternoon in the 9 plants, which is also attached for your information.
Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: jrodrigues@cwu.org quoting LTB No. 252/24.
Yours sincerely
Davie Robertson
Assistant Secretary
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