LTB 336/24 - Royal Mail: BRT&G Agreement – Section 6.4.1 - Sick Pay
No: 336/24
Dear Colleagues,
ROYAL MAIL: BRT&G AGREEMENT – SECTION 6.4.1 – SICK PAY
Branches and Representatives will recall that as part of the Business Recovery, Transformation and Growth (BRT&G) Agreement, we included within Section 6.4.1 a review clause in terms of the revised sick pay arrangements. Essentially, Section 6.4.1 specifically states that sick absence levels will be measured over a six-month period and the levels need to be below 5.5% on average for that period for the former sick pay arrangements to be reinstated.
We have met with Royal Mail on a regular basis to discuss the absence rates and the trends since the new sick pay arrangements commenced on 1st October 2023. We also have in place a Joint Working Group (JWG), including Postal Executive members and Royal Mail management, who jointly monitor sick absence levels and discuss how steps can be taken to reduce it. The JWG continues to meet regularly and overall it is moving forward in a positive way.
Six-Monthly Reviews – Outcomes
The first monitored six-month period from the commencement of the new sick pay arrangements, 1st October ‘23 to 31st March ‘24, ended with an average sick absence rate of 7% (compared with 7.2% for the previous six months). Whilst this was a downward trend, the target of 5.5% was obviously not met.
The second six-month period commenced on 1st April ‘24 and ended on 30th September and we can report an encouraging further improvement on sick absence rates with a six-month rolling average of 7%. Although the trajectory has been positive throughout the last six months, we have nonetheless not quite achieved the 5.5% threshold for triggering the restoration of full sick pay. Whilst we are closer than we have ever been, the current sick pay arrangements in line with the BRT&G will continue going forward.
The JWG will continue to monitor progress and we hope that the outputs of this group and the plans put in place to help support our members and improve sick absences will enable us to continue to improve the trends in order to hit the 5.5% target. Further developments in this regard will be reported.
Yours sincerely,
Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary
Bobby Weatherall
Acting Assistant Secretary
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