LTB 323/24 - Royal Mail: Collective Plan – Closure of the RMPP and the Associated Cessation of Sick Pay at Pension Rate
No: 323/24
Dear Colleagues,
Royal Mail: Collective Plan – Closure of the RMPP and the Associated Cessation of Sick Pay at Pension Rate
An integral part of the Four Pillars Agreement (Section 11) arising from the introduction of the new Collective Plan on 7th October 2024 is the closure of the RMPP.
As a consequence, Royal Mail notified the union back in 2018 of the future requirement (on the introduction of the Collective Plan) to remove Sick Pay at Pension Rate (SPPR) for those individuals who have exhausted both full and half sick pay.
From 7th October, for any RMPP member exhausting half pay whilst on sick, there will be no facility to receive SPPR. It should be noted that this benefit wasn’t available for our members in the Defined Contribution pension scheme and was paid by Royal Mail and not from the RMPP. Therefore, the cessation of SPPR impacts solely on members of the RMPP.
We have though been able to agree transitional arrangements with Royal Mail that will enable those members in the RMPP who are currently on long term sick absence and already in receipt of SPPR to continue receiving this money until 30th March 2025. In essence, this means an extension of up to six months for those members currently off sick who have exhausted full and half pay. These transitional arrangements were endorsed by the Postal Executive at its meeting on Tuesday 1st October.
Royal Mail will shortly be writing directly to those individuals currently off sick and in receipt of SPPR at their home addresses to advise them that the SPPR arrangements (should they remain on sick leave) will continue until 30th March 2025 but will cease thereafter. Clearly, this timeframe provides significant support (nearly six months) for members who are currently in receipt of SPPR.
For the avoidance of doubt, any member (currently in the RMPP) that exhausts the six months at half pay after 7th October will not have an entitlement to SPPR. In these circumstances they will of course be able to claim Statutory Sick Pay from the state.
With the closure of the RMPP and the introduction of the new Collective Plan, these changes were unfortunately inevitable. We have though sought to mitigate this situation for those members already on long term sick leave with the transitional arrangements up to 30th March 2025.
Yours sincerely,
Martin Walsh
Deputy General Secretary (Postal)
Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary
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