Wednesday Postal Group Conference Motions:
Section 2C |Wednesday 09.00 – 10.15
GENERAL ISSUES
44
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion This Conference agrees that despite previous assurances, the day to day communications from the Postal Department at CWU HQ are getting progressively worse.This often results in the most basic updates and information not being available and cannot continue.
Conference therefore agrees that the Postal Executive urgently need to find ways to reverse this trend and implement an agreed action plan at the earliest opportunity possible. Such an agreed plan must include the seeking of Branch and Divisional Committee views on how they think communications and the providing of updates, on a day to day basis can be improved.
Western Counties
Plymouth & East Cornwall Amal
Bristol & District Amal
Carried
45
CATEGORY A Conference instructs the incoming PEC that when a motion is carried/accepted it should be acted upon or a report given on the progress to the moving/seconding Branches/Business based Committees within 6 months.Greater Manchester
Carried
46
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming Postal Executive to examine the positive and negative issues concerning negotiating contracts in place of agreements to consider whether this would be a better method of enforcing negotiated processes and terms and conditions at local level. The Postal Executive should then place a report to all Branches by the end of 2009 so that Branches and the Postal Executive can consider the options prior to the date for submission of propositions for Conference 2010.SE Divisional Committee
Carried
47
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion Conference instructs the PEC to publish a guide to Branches regarding the submission of Conference motions.The guide shall give clear guidance regarding which issues and subjects are appropriate to which sections and conferences, whether they be Sectional, Postal Group or General Conference.
York and District Amal
North East No.1
Leeds No.1 Amalgamated
Durham County Amal
North East Divisional Committee
Cleveland Amal
Newcastle Amal
Carried
48
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming Postal Executive to undertake a full review of Postal Conferences, which shall be under the authority of the DGS (P)’s responsibility.Such a review shall consider all aspects of Conference and our decision making processes, and should determine whether they are fit for purpose.
Branches shall have an opportunity to provide comments to assist in the review.
Conference further instructs the PEC to produce a report to Branches by no later than December 2009 which shall contain the findings of the review and any recommendations required.
If Carried 49 falls Newcastle Amal
Carried
49
CATEGORY A Conference instructs the PEC to carry out a review of Postal Conference.The review to examine all aspects of the timetable and Conference format and publish a report to branches by January 2010.
South East No.5
Carried
Section 2D |Wednesday 10.15 – 11.30
GENERAL ISSUES
50
CATEGORY A Conference recognises that there are still ex-Safenet members who have still not been given their first preference when transferring to other business units and local negotiations on this matter have been exhausted. This is against both the terms of the National Agreement and assurances that were given by CWU HQ.The Postal Executive is therefore instructed to pursue these cases nationally with management to ensure that all individuals are given their preference.
Bristol and District Amal
Carried
51
CATEGORY A Conference instructs the incoming Postal Executive to renegotiate the following element of the current MTSF (2)b.The focus of this motion is pay protection for individuals aged 50 – 60.
The problem is that under the current provision members whose last third of their pensionable pay is deferred under current arrangement until one month before 40 years service, or one month before they leave employment.
Given the default retirement age (65yrs) the position is an individual who is 51 years old today would have to wait 14 years - during this period the lump sum would be subjected to ongoing devaluation.
Therefore, Conference demands an agreement be reached that protects the value of our members’ lump sums in this situation.
The Postal Executive is instructed accordingly.
Eastern No.4
Withdrawn
52
CATEGORY A Conference agrees that any new industrial relations agreement in Royal Mail has to incorporate a Regional structure to interface with Royal Mail but must ensure that our recognised Branch structure is fully acknowledged as the policy making forum and the main body for local negotiations.The Postal Executive is instructed accordingly.
Bristol and District Amal
Fell
53
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming Postal Executive that to further maximise the choices available to people to improve their work life balance that agreement is reached which allows people with more than 20 years service to purchase extra leave over and above the six weeks maximum as agreed at Postal Conference 2006.York and District Amal
Carried
54
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming Postal Executive to reach an agreement with Royal Mail on clarification of tasks that can be performed by the uniform grade in all workplaces, as we move forward in attempting to building a modern Royal Mail.Conference further agrees that much of the work performed by the managerial grades can be performed equally as well by the uniform grade.
In reaching agreement the Postal Executive must not compromise current Conference policies, in respect to teamleaders, otherwise nothing should be ruled out.
Eastern No.4
Fell
55
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming Postal Executive that in the event of predicted job reductions front line staff should be given the opportunity for training for external employment through paid time off from work to attend training courses to enable them to have wider opportunities when facing the increasingly difficult job market.SE Divisional Committee
Carried
56
CATEGORY A Conference instructs the PEC that any agreement on a shorter working week shall ensure that no member works longer than their current basic net working week.Newcastle Amal
Fell
57
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming Postal Executive to negotiate an addendum to the Way Forward - Annual Leave Section.The addendum should clearly state that an employee has a right to select, if the individual wishes; three weeks leave between the period April and September.
Local leave agreements must make provision to facilitate this feature.
The Postal Executive is instructed accordingly.
Eastern No.4
Fell
GENERAL ISSUES
Section 2E |Wednesday 11.30 – 12.45
58
CATEGORY A This Conference notes that Royal Mail is in contravention of its own Bullying & Harassment Procedure Paragraph 11 (iii), which states that complaint and respondents will have access to all relevant information affecting their case…In fact appellants are given no more than the investigating managers’ summary report. This prevents their representative from giving effective representation, as they are not in possession of all the information that the manager relied on when reaching the decision.
In addition to the above Conference believes that the B & H procedure is:
Applied unfairly.
Not independently investigated.
Misused by line managers.
The business position renders the Bullying & Harassment procedure inherently unfair.
Therefore Conference agrees as a matter of urgency to renegotiate the Bullying & Harassment Procedure, highlighting the deficiencies above that are having a dramatic effect on our members.
If Carried 62 falls Merseyside Amal
Fell
59
CATEGORY A That the current Bullying & Harassment procedure allows for untrained managers to conduct investigations and make recommendations and that this procedure is not in the best interests of our members. The Postal Executive is instructed to seek an agreement whereby Bullying & Harassment cases will only be heard by managers who have received the appropriate level of training.South East London Postal and Counters
Carried
60
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion Conference agrees that any renegotiated Royal Mail Conduct Code shall extend the principles of Appendix 3, Section 5, paragraph 3 (Royal Mail does recognise that genuine mistakes and misunderstandings do occur and it is not the intention of the Business that such cases should be dealt with under the Conduct Code etc.) throughout the whole Code.North West Central Amal
NW/NW Divisional Committee
Carried
61
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion Conference notes with concern the changes to the legislation that has taken place on April 6th 2009 in regard to grievance procedures. Conference instructs the PEC that they protect the current three stages in the agreement. However, the PEC is also instructed to seek assurances from Royal Mail that the timescales are followed by their managers to ensure grievances are held within acceptable timescales.Leeds No.1 Amalgamated
North East Divisional Committee
North East No.1
Durham County Amal
Accepted
62
CATEGORY A This Conference notes that Royal Mail is in contravention of its own Bullying & Harassment ProcedureParagraph 11 (iii), which states that complainant and respondents will have access to all relevant information affecting their case…
In fact appellants are given no more than the investigating manager’s summary report. This prevents their representative from giving effective representation, as they are not in possession of all the information that the manager relied on when reaching the decision.
The business position renders the Bullying & Harassment procedure inherently unfair.
Conference therefore instructs the Officer to enter into discussions with Royal Mail to have this situation rectified as soon as possible.
The PEC is instructed accordingly.
NW/NW Divisional Committee
Accepted
Section 2F |Wednesday 14.00 – 15.15
GENERAL ISSUES
63
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion Conference notes that at the Postal Group Conference 2008, composite motion 96 was carried which stated that the current EHS provider Atos Healthcare was not acting in the best interests of CWU members, and instructed the Postal Executive Council to seek a review with the employer of the processes applied by Atos Healthcare.Conference agrees that matters have deteriorated since 2008, and in particular due to the actions of Royal Mail Group and Atos Healthcare in implementing a new service provision agreement. Conference deplores the terms of this agreement, in particular:
That the EHS consultation process with members consists now of a telephone consultation rather than a personal consultation. That Atos Healthcare, rather than management has complete control over how a case is subsequently managed and the access of the member to Atos Healthcare. That the service provision agreement contains conflicts of interest, such as incentives for Atos Healthcare to reduce absence levels, which directly results in members being bullied and pressured to resume work earlier than is medically advisable or in circumstances that is contrary to their own medical advice. That the increased use of KPI’s and other performance measures has resulted in Atos Healthcare focusing on achieving artificial targets at the cost of meaningful EHS support and advice for CWU members. That the terms of the service provision agreement is resulting in members being dismissed under the Attendance Procedure without any prior personal consultation taking place with the EHS and based on a file report that is usually of no value whatsoever. That the terms of the service provision agreement in relation to telephone consultations breach the terms of existing collective agreements, e.g. the Ill Health Retirement Agreement. That because of the processes that are being applied there is a complete lack of any dignity or respect being shown by ATOS Origin in their dealings with our members.Conference agrees that the service provision agreement is primarily a cost savings and tick box exercise by both RMG and Atos Healthcare, rather than the provision of high quality occupational health services which our members are entitled to expect.
Conference instructs the Postal Executive to immediately engage Royal Mail Group in negotiations with the aim of rescinding the current service provision agreement, and for this to be replaced with a fresh agreement that genuinely puts the medical welfare of employees at the centre of the agreement together with the delivery of high quality occupational health service provision.
Northamptonshire Amal
Midlands Divisional Committee
Plymouth & East Cornwall Amal
|
NOTE BY SOC Comp Motion 96 (2008) Conference agrees that the current Employee Health Services "ATOS" do not act in the best interests of the CWU Membership, and are not independent of the employer. The reports from ATOS to the employer are not "impartial" and can often conflict with the diagnosis of the members GP's/ Surgeon. Conference instructs the executive to request with the employer for an immediate review of this process. |
Carried
64
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion CWU Postal Conference 2008 accepted Composite Motion 102 on the issue of Royal Mail’s current Maternity & Paternity Leave policy, which stated:"This Conference instructs the incoming Postal Executive is instructed to act to remedy the current inequality within Royal Mail's current Maternity & Paternity Leave policies, when comparing CWU grades & CMA / Management grades.
Maternity Leave: The majority of CWU grades are currently entitled to 18 weeks paid Maternity Leave compared to the 26 weeks with pay CMA Grades enjoy.
Paternity Leave: The majority of CWU grades with over 1 year’s service are currently entitled to: 1 weeks’ full basic pay, followed by 1 week’s Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP). By contrast CMA / Management grades with over 1 year’s service currently enjoy: 2 weeks’ full basic pay and assigned allowances.
There is clear inequalities between the policies of the two grades. The Postal Executive is instructed to begin negotiations immediately to bring all CWU grades up to the same level of entitlement as the CMA / Management grades.
The Postal Executive is instructed accordingly".
Conference reaffirms this policy and notes the lack of progress on achieving the terms of this motion and the equality of treatment for Royal Mail employees. The PEC is once again instructed to commence
immediate negotiations to rectify the inequalities between CWU represented grades & managerial grades.
A progress report will be forthcoming to Branches before 1st October 2009.
The Postal Executive is instructed accordingly.
Northamptonshire Amal
Midlands Divisional Committee
Carried
65
CATEGORY A Conference agrees that the application of the Attendance Procedure is still causing grave concern to our members.Managers are still including AOD’s and Disability absence when issuing warnings. In addition this mitigation is being ignored and very little discretion is being used. Managers are using intimidation tactics to frighten our members to return to work prematurely when off sick. This cannot be allowed to continue.
The PEC has thus far failed to halt the un-agreed processes being used by Royal Mail and is therefore instructed to challenge Royal Mail on their current un-agreed Attendance Procedure with the aim of achieving a fair and non intimidatory process in line with the ACAS guide lines.
The PEC is instructed to publish a report by September 2009 on talks that have taken place, if no talks have taken place the PEC will consider a Rule 13 ballot.
Merseyside Amal
Withdrawn
66
CATEGORY A: In Camera The PEC is instructed to reach agreement that if an individual registers their accident as an Industrial Injury, and is subsequently advised by the DWP that it is an Industrial Injury at Work, it will not be used against that individual under the Attendance Procedure.York and District Amal
Withdrawn
67
CATEGORY A Conference recognises that the employer’s relationship with, and its use of its employee health advisors Atos has changed in recent years with a far more aggressive approach towards the management of sick absence.It often appears that Atos and Royal Mail work hand in hand to accelerate our sick members out of the business. Conference therefore agrees that agreement must be secured for the right of individuals to be accompanied at Atos appointments by their CWU representative should they wish it.
The PEC is further instructed to achieve agreement from the employer that release will be afforded to representatives for this purpose.
Eastern No.3
Carried
GENERAL ISSUES
Section 2G |Wednesday 15.15 – 16.30
68
CATEGORY A Conference notes the absence of a renegotiated agreement on the Royal Mail Attendance Procedure.Conference further agrees that the continuation of the current agreement does not serve the interests of the members and benefits only the employer, at a time when the industry is facing unprecedented job reductions.
This Conference instructs the incoming Postal Executive to withdraw from the current procedure and negotiate a new improved agreement at the earliest opportunity.
If Carried 69,70,71 and 72 fall North West Central Amal
Withdrawn
69
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming Postal Executive that the current wording of the Royal Mail Attendance Procedure with regard to disability related absence is not in the best interests of the membership.Conference therefore agrees that absences incurred by disabled employees, which in the view of medical evidence are directly connected to their disability, shall be discounted from the procedure.
Newcastle Amal
Carried
70
CATEGORY A This Conference agrees that any jointly agreed changes to the Attendance Procedure must also include the right of appeal at each stage, in order to comply with the new minimum ACAS guidelines.The Postal Executive is instructed accordingly.
Eastern No.4
Carried
71
CATEGORY A This Conference agrees the incoming PEC to negotiate an amendment to Royal Mail’s Attendance Procedure (RMAP). When a member has been medically examined by their General Practitioner (GP) and found to be unfit for duty that this advice must hold the field until the member has been medically examined by the ATOS Doctor.South East No.5
Withdrawn
72
CATEGORY A Conference notes that the current Royal Mail Attendance Procedure is not in the best interests of the members, therefore the incoming PEC is instructed to withdraw from the current Royal Mail Attendance Procedure.Greater Manchester
Not Carried
73
CATEGORY A Conference notes that the temporary replacement of Royal Mail Senior Appeals Managers has now been in place for far too long. Conference instructs the PEC to negotiate as a matter of urgency the introduction of Appeals Managers who are both out of the line and of a higher authority than dismissing Managers.South East No.5
Carried
Section 2H |Wednesday 16.30 – 17.45
GENERAL ISSUES
74
CATEGORY A Conference agrees that it is obscene in the extreme that employers can refuse to re-instate workers who are successful in Employment Tribunal Claims.It therefore instructs the Postal Executive to commence negotiations with the employer to secure agreement whereby when an Employment Tribunal decides a dismissal is unfair the worker will be offered re-instatement.
Until such an agreement is reached the PEC will sanction any ballot request from branches in support of re-instating members who are deemed to have been unfairly dismissed by an Employment Tribunal.
NW/NW Divisional Committee
Carried
75
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion The current Cleaning CWU representative structure in the Romec I/R arrangements is not in the best interests of the cleaning membership. The PEC are therefore instructed to gain improvements that achieve: Recognised Unit/Workplace Cleaning Representatives with negotiating and representational rights that interface with local Unit/Workplace/Area Romec management. In the absence of a Cleaning Unit/Workplace Representative then the Branch shall nominate a first amongst equals from the CWU structure within that Unit/Workplace/area. A staged disagreement process that places emphasis on agreement at the lowest practical level and then progressed in the event of disagreement to the Regional Cleaners Representative/Regional Romec Management and then National Representatives/National Romec Management. A training package for all Local/Unit/Regional Cleaning Representatives in all cleaning procedures current and future within the Romec business that measure performance of cleaners.This list is not exhaustive.
Essex Amal
Northern Home Counties Postal
Withdrawn
76
CATEGORY A Conference notes the current changes to the Mail Transport Fleets and the possible modernisation plans linked to ongoing network changes. In the interests of continuity, expertise and our members, Conference agrees that responsibility for the distribution fleet should be transferred to the National Officer already dealing with transport issues on behalf of the Parcels & Logistic Fleets/Sections.Merseyside Amal
Withdrawn
77
CATEGORY A Conference agrees that a review of attendance patterns is required and instructs the PEC to initiate this with a view to providing details of progress to the membership by 1st September 2009.This review should consider issues such as the monthly paid shift workers work patterns currently being used by our engineering membership and includes public holidays and week off days which allow and result in a greater penalty or sanction from the business to the detriment of these members.
Edinburgh, Dundee and Borders
Fell
78
CATEGORY A This Conference instructs the incoming Postal Executive that Postal Executive Policy on Divisional Representative Elections should be to encourage progression within the Union. For that reason all serving Postal Executive Members should be prohibited from all future Divisional Representative Elections.South Central No.1
Fell
79
CATEGORY A Conference agrees that the failure to attract ROMEC cleaner’s Divisional Representatives is not in the best interests of our members employed by ROMEC cleaning services.Therefore Conference instructs the Postal Executive to negotiate that where it can be demonstrated that despite every effort being made it has not been possible to attract an individual to carry out such a role ROMEC will recognise the relevant Royal Mail Area representative for the building in which our cleaning members work as the appropriate representative for conduct, attendance and grievance procedures.
Eastern No.3
Withdrawn
80
CATEGORY A: Composite Motion Conference agrees that the PEC is instructed to commence a campaign to re-engage the membership and that all Postal Industrial National Officers should take on the following steps to ensure that all sections of the Postal Department re-engage our current, and potential members, as current and potential activists.Highlight from current CWU positions Regional / Divisional / Branch mentors to assist reps in the understanding of National Agreements via coaching and mentoring methods.
Highlight best practice amongst their departments in communicating with the membership and representatives and roll the identified best techniques out to Divisions Branches and Regions.
Create campaign and supporting material for Branches to identify potential members and activists to fill current CWU Rep local vacancies.
Ensure that all Branches have a diary of regular meetings with CWU Reps, activists and members across the whole of the U.K.
Ensure that the PEC, Divisional Reps, Regional Secretaries etc. are committed to attend members meetings across the U.K. where invited.
This list is not exhaustive and the PEC is instructed to build on these initial steps.
York and District Amal
Leeds No.1 Amalgamated
North East Divisional Committee
North East No.1
Durham County Amal
Carried
81
CATEGORY C: Composite Motion This Conference instructs the incoming Postal Executive that this conference recognises the continued struggle of CWU Reps and Activists in Burslem in their bid to gain justice following the sackings of members for trade union activities in the workplace.Conference further agrees that the Burslem cases will continue to get the highest level of support from the Union at all levels as we seek to ensure no other CWU activist can be systematically removed from workplaces when promoting the policies of the Union.
In light of that Conference also notes little progress on changes required to the Bullying and Harassment procedure which is being abused by Royal Mail to manipulate the procedure to attack CWU activists in the workplace. The PEC is instructed to pursue the policy set out in Motion 51 at the 2008 Postal Conference which was unanimously carried.
Midland No.7
Birmingham District Amal
|
NOTE BY SOC Comp Motion 51 (2008) This conference condemns the misapplication of the bullying and harassment procedure and the corrupt investigations in a number of cases manufactured against the CWU in the workplace, most noticeably in Burslem. These actions are nothing more than union busting tactics being deployed by Royal Mail to target areas of poor industrial relations. This conference is committed to protecting each workplace from bullying and harassment and agrees the following:
1 . That a review be conducted at a national level, independently chaired, into the attacks against the CWU in the workplace by Royal Mail carried out under the guise of bullying and harassment.
2 . That a fundamental review of the bullying and harassment procedure be conducted to achieve: a role for the CWU at the earliest point and a role throughout and not just at the conclusion of a Royal Mail investigation. contact made at Divisional Level immediately when a complaint is made against a CWU Representative or when consideration is being given to a formal investigation against aRepresentative. 3 . An end to the corrupt sham of so called 'independent' harassment investigators, who are nothing other than Royal Mail managers from a different location, and a return to bullying and harassment issues being dealt with in the workplace by the appropriate manager and CWU Representative. 4 . Launch a bullying and harassment awareness campaign amongst the membership highlighting Royal Mail's union busting tactics. The Postal Executive is instructed accordingly. |
Carried
Emergency Motion 2
This Postal Group Conference recognises that recent talks with Government including a meeting on the 2nd June, and the current high unpredictable political climate means we are now at a critical stage in our ‘Keep The Post Public’ campaign.
Conference also recognises the political and industrial aspects of our campaign remain intrinsically linked and will need to form any part of an acceptable solution.
Conference agrees that that the CWU has produced a viable alternative in PEC document 175/09 that can both maintain Royal Mail as a wholly integrated public company, whilst bringing about the successful transformation of the business. Therefore, Conference endorses the CWU alternative as outlined in PEC document 175/09.
In light of the above developments, Conference calls upon the Government to immediately remove the threat of privatisation, facilitate a Moratorium between Royal Mail and the CWU and engage all stakeholders in urgent negotiations over the future of the company. These negotiations should cover the following:-
Alternative Business Models that ensure Royal Mail remains a wholly publicly owned
- Pensions
- Regulation
- Industrial Relations
- Colleague Share
CWU Members, the public, the industry, the Government and the Royal Mail Board need to be placed in no doubt that the Union is totally focused on the future and all its challenges and that we want negotiation and not conflict. Working jointly the Postal and Communication Departments will maximise publicity around this policy.
In the meantime, Conference is committed to intensifying all aspects of the ‘Keep The Post Public’ campaign.
Carried