 |
SOUTH
WEST WALES BRANCH |
Dai
Thomas
Area
Delivery Rep |
DELIVERY
PAGE |
Peter
Regan
Deputy
Area Delivery Rep |
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For list of delivery workplace reps and contact
details click here
22/09/09
Private Cars on Delivery -
Police Warning to Members regarding Insurance & Road
Safety
: Royal Mail Confirm Intention to Remove the Use of Private Cars on Delivery:
On Tuesday the 18th of August, a
Postman working out of the Woodford Green Delivery Office in
Essex
was using his private car on delivery. He was subsequently stopped in an Essex
Police road safety spot check. Although he was an authorised user and believed
he was covered the Police were not happy with his motor insurance cover
and so they impounded his car. He got it back later that day for a combined
fee of £350, including fine, towing and release fees. Plus he had to upgrade
his motor insurance to include business use at a cost of a further £70 – (£420
in total) before the car was released by the Police.
The Postman also got 6
points put on his Drivers Licence.
Since then a further Postman in
Runcorn was stopped by Police whilst performing his duty and using his private
car. It was discovered that he had no
MOT
and no business insurance. He received an on the spot fine of £60 and had his
car impounded which cost £200 to be released.
The Postman also got 6 points on
his licence.
Royal Mail accepts no
responsibility for either case or any future cases similar to these and
clearly the Police are cracking down!.
The
Union
's firmly held view in that members should not use their private cars on
delivery and that the Insurance issue is a 'minefield' which Royal Mail has
never resolved. These are two cases in point that prove it!
A letter was sent to Royal
Mail's Director of
Safety
Norman Smith on 2 September about the Woodford Green case, pointing out as
follows "I have been told several times that Royal Mail intend to cease
the use of private cars on delivery and perhaps you can update me as to when
that will happen and with it Royal Mail will demonstrate they are serious
about
Safety
and reducing occupational road risk".
Norman Smith Royal Mail
Safety
Director replied "Thank you very much for your letter of 2 September
outlining your concerns about private car use. I can confirm that it is our
intention to remove the use of private cars on delivery as part of the
deployment of the new delivery methods, and so remove incidents like the
example you cite. Our approach to the removal of private cars on delivery is
one of the points for further discussion when the CWU is able to
meet up with Tessa Fayers and Kevin O'Brien who are leading the deployment of
new Delivery Methods. Having committed as you recall, to deploying this policy
some time ago we are keen to involve the CWU and enlist your support in our
communications approach to the removal of private cars on delivery, as we
deploy the new delivery methods. The Delivery Methods team is currently
arranging a date to meet the CWU with a view to updating you on project
progress and this will be an opportunity to revisit discussions on the removal
of private cars on delivery.”
We welcome this statement which
has also been affirmed in the National talks currently taking place between
Royal Mail and CWU regarding the current dispute. We will see shortly how
committed Royal Mail is to a fixing a timetable to remove private car use
on delivery. In the meantime Branches may wish to bring the details of the
above cases to their members attention as a warning and remind them
that our view is - Don't use private cars on delivery. Why risk
a prosecution, points on your licence, fines, fees, accident, injury,
loss or theft of your own private property. Why foot the bill for wear
and tear, fuel costs and any damage and losses like increased insurance
premiums, loss of your no-claim bonus, fixed penalties and parking fines
etc. When things go wrong and accidents happen, many members regret having
used the car. When it is broken down, banged up or worn out and off the road,
Royal Mail will not help out. Members are not paid for using their cars on
delivery and they do not need to use the car – SO
DON
’T is our advice. Use only official means of transport at all times.
Dave Joyce
Bobby Gibson
National Health,
Safety
& Environment Officer
Outdoor Asst Secretary
01/12/08
We
have received reports of managers doing postmen’s work while members are being
taken off their usual work to make savings. This was brought up by reps at the
meeting in
Carmarthen
, this practice, if going on in your office must stop as Paul Parvin DSM stated
in the meeting. It is in your on interest that this practice stops to protect
jobs.
If you are asked to work 30 minutes over your time by your manager under
the pay & modernisation agreement, it must only happen under extenuating
circumstances i.e. late lorry, heavy mail that has not been forecast, and then
you must be asked and if you are not able to help no pressure must be placed
upon you.
In
the next year there will be more pressure placed upon each and everyone of you
to make savings at your delivery unit under the latest pay & modernisation
agreement, what you must remember is that it states in the agreement that all
extra work must be completed in your duty time for each day, if you do the extra
work and you go over your time you must be paid back by the end of that week
either by time back or overtime unless you are happy to carry it over to the
next week.
If
you encounter any problems with any of the above issues please get in touch with
your local rep in the first instance if it cannot be resolved locally then give
me a call or contact the branch, all the numbers are on the contact page of this
website.
Do the job properly are you and what you could be saving apart from your job.
Key points:
- Don’t
start before your time
- Take
your full meal relief entitlement
- Ensure
you comply with the pouch weights matrix.
- Don’t
use your private car on delivery
- Its
not a work to rule or overtime ban
- It
is not a go slow
For
the most recent national agreements affecting pay and efficiency savings click
on the link below:
http://www.cwunortheastdivision.org/index.htm
Dai Thomas
Area Delivery Rep
Hand Helds/Postal Digital
Assistants (PDA)
A trial of Hand Held Devices (PDA's) took place
earlier this year at 13 sites around the country. The trials tested 3 devices on
pedestrian and vehicle deliveries and involved around 700 delivery OPG's with up
to 350 users logged on each day. The trials which ended on the 29th
March identified one of the devices (which we cannot name at this point in time
for contractual reasons) as fit for purpose and suitable for vehicle
deliveries. This device will now be rolled out from August 2008 at a rate
of around 2000 per week to all 20K vehicle delivery routes across the UK which
will involve around 35K delivery OPG's. The full rollout is expected to be
completed no later than the end of February 2009.
The trials will cease at the 13 sites around the
country but 5 of the sites, East Reading,
Dartford
, Kirkcaldy, Shepton Mallet and Airborough will continue to use the device
on their vehicle deliveries between now and the national rollout. The trial of
the devices for pedestrian deliveries has not proved too successful and it is
probable that a further trial of devices for pedestrian deliveries will take
place later this year but no firm dates have been agreed as yet. The devices can
also be used on collection routes and further testing of the viability of the
devices for this purpose will continue in line with the rollout.
The devices are capable of capturing signatures in real
time which will enable an enhancement of services and products supplied by Royal
Mail which will hopefully lead to an increase in revenue. They also provide
a 999 facility which will improve the security of our members on delivery. The
Union
is satisfied that these devices will enable Royal Mail to provide new and
improved products and services which is in line with our objectives and we see
no reason why these devices should not be rolled out across the delivery network
in Royal Mail. The use of this technology is already prevalent amongst many
of our competitors and has been in use in Parcelforce for a number of
years. We have though approached Royal Mail with a view to agreeing a Code of
Practice covering the use of the devices and we are currently awaiting their
formal response on this matter, Branches will be updated in due course. In
the meantime activity will commence regarding the roll out of the devices which
will include vehicles being fitted with cradles to hold the devices and offices
being fitted with cradle charging cabinets, LAN connections and power
connections. CWU reps and Health & Safety reps should ensure that equipment
is placed in a suitable and safe location. Attached to this LTB is a copy of
Royal Mail’s 'Lets Talk About' document covering the use and roll out of the
PDA's which Branches should find useful.
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Copyright ©
CWU South West Wales Branch 2008