WEEKLY INFORMATION FROM THE COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION
SUMMARY
Attachments or LTB's can be
emailed or downloaded from the National Site
Volume 10 Issue 29 Paragraphs 462-476 28 July 2005
SUMMARY
GENERAL
462 Headquarters Printing and Reprographic Services
463 Gloucestershire Amal Branch, Andrea Brusheen Appeal
464 CWU Retired Members' Summer School: 23 25
September 2005
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
No items this week
HEALTH AND SAFETY
465 Royal Mail Compulsory Cycle Helmets &
High Visibility Clothing
466 European Week For Safety and Health at Work 2005:
24th 28th October 2005
TELECOMS
467 Accenture HR Services: HR Administrative Assistants
468 Telewest: Network Operations Bank Holiday
Overtime Working Last Drop Engineers
469 Telewest: Inland Revenue Regulations and the Use
of Company Vehicles for Private Use
470 Capacity Planning: NJR Booking for All Team Members
471 One IT Delivering on One IT Promises
472 One IT: Performance Management Update
473 Integrated Network Management (INM)
POSTAL
474 Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
475 Parcelforce Worldwide Members Transferring to
Branch Direct
476 Cycle Safety
LETTERS TO BRANCHES
344
20/07/05 Proposition 81 Telecoms Industry Conference
Grace Mitchell
345
21/07/05 Newstart Terms Bill McClory
346
21/05/07 BT's Approach to Sick Absence Grace Mitchell
347
22/07/05 PSWW Members Transferring to Branch Direct Terry Pullinger
348
22/07/05 One IT - Newstart Brian Healy
349
22/07/05 Employee Privacy Policy Simon Sapper
350
25/07/05 PSWW Members transferring to Branch Direct (Amendment)
Terry Pullinger
351
25/07/05 Vertex Birmingham City Council Contract Outcome
of Recognition Ballot Sally Bridge
352
25/07/05 TUC CWU Hazards Work Handbook Dave Joyce
353
25/07/05 Tupe Transfer From Hays to Manpower Uk Ltd Transfer
Consultation Sally Bridge
354
25/07/05 POL Sales of Code of Practice Andy Furey
355
26/07/05 Romec Engineers' Pay Industrial Action Ballot/Romec Pay
Admin And Print and Reprographic Ray Ellis
356
26/07/05 BT Global Services Newstart Bill McClory
357
26/07/05 BT Global Services Connected World Bill McClory
358
26/07/05 Global Services Bill McClory
359
26/07/05 Age Discrimination Bill McClory
360
26/07/05 CAN Notices Bob Gibson
361
26/07/05 EDM 548 GS
362
26/07/05 Annual Leave Cover Arrangements Brian Healy
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GENERAL
462
Headquarters Printing and Reprographic Services
Branches and Representatives will wish to know that CWU Headquarters
have recently acquired new reprographics equipment. The purpose of
broadcasting this information is to inform you that we are now able
to offer a print service to branches that we believe will be within a
price range that you will find competitive. Amongst the services we
can provide are colour or
black & white posters, leaflets, booklets etc. It is not possible
to produce a price list as prices will vary dependent on each
individual job based on quantity, timescale, delivery requirements
etc. If you would like more information about this service or wish to
receive a quote for a particular piece of work then please ring or
email Jacquie Winter, Acting Head of Post & Reprographics. 020
8971 7218 jwinter@cwu.org
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463
Gloucestershire Amal Branch, Andrea Brusheen Appeal
Gloucestershire Amalgamated branch are trying to raise funds for a
Postwoman that had an accident.
Andrea Brushneen moved from Gloucester to Sleaford in Nottinghamshire
last October with her family, continuing her employment as a delivery
office driver within Royal Mail.
Unfortunately not long after her move, Andrea was involved in a road
accident whilst on duty which resulted in her suffering serious head
injuries. In order to be nearer to her relatives, she has returned to Gloucester.
Andrea's husband, also a postman/CWU member, and their two school
aged children are obviously suffering both emotionally and financially.
At present, the branch are trying to raise as much money as possible
to help this family at this distressful time. The family would like
to bring Andrea home but to make this possible they need a special
bed and wheelchair and other facilities.
Donations from branches for this member and her family would be much
appreciated by the branch.
Cheques should be made payable to Gloucestershire Amalgamated Branch
and the Branch will forward them on to the family.
Any enquiries on this BOB paragraph should be addressed to the
General Secretary's Department quoting the reference GS 18.9
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464
CWU Retired Members' Summer School: 23 25 September 2005
The CWU will be holding the first ever summer school for retired
members at Alvescot over the weekend of 23-25 September. Those
attending should be able to arrive at Alvescot by 5pm on Friday 23rd
and the school will conclude with lunch on Sunday 25th. Subjects to
be covered at the school include pensions the role of pensions'
trustees and other matters relevant to older members.
Branches are invited to send details of any retired members who wish
to attend to Peter Dodd (SDGS Department, CWU HQ) by no later than 2
September 2005.
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HEALTH AND SAFETY
465
Royal Mail - Compulsory Cycle Helmets & High Visibility Clothing
All CWU Representatives and Members are once again advised to treat
with caution any leaflets, publications and internet information
about Cycle Helmets and be very careful about the source of such
information posted on various websites which in all probability
originates from the "Anti-Cycle Helmet" campaigners in the
"CTC" Cycle Touring Club whose activities, particularly in
the North East and North West of England are a continual irritation
and source of "Mis-Information" which in some cases
dangerously advises members that they don't have to wear their
officially issued Cycle Helmets.
Local officials of the CTC organisation went as far as to organise a
public meeting in York where they rented a hall and brought along
quantities of information and displays etc. They promoted their
"big event" through the local media and leafleted Royal
Mail Delivery Offices - However not a single postal worker or member
of the public attended!
On and off, the CTC have been circulating anti-cycle helmet
literature and have attempted to draw media attention to their
campaign as well as openly discouraging CWU members from wearing
cycle helmets with a number of spurious claims and misguided
statements. The CTC information being circulated could confuse and
mislead our members, ultimately placing them in jeopardy. Such
interference from an outside body which has no employer/trade union
industrial relations or health and safety at work experience is unwelcome.
Whilst the CTC organisation is free to campaign against any
Government moves towards consideration of introducing compulsory
cycle helmets as Road Traffic Act Law (outside work that is), their
interference with CWU delivery members having to wear cycle helmets
at work as a mandatory Royal Mail policy is unhelpful and dangerous.
The CTC fail to recognise that different legal considerations apply
at work, as do employment terms and conditions. The CTC also fail to
understand that Royal Mail have fully considered the issue. Royal
Mail have made their decision and they will not be reversing it. For
the CTC to encourage delivery postmen and women to refuse to wear
cycle helmets in the face of this is irresponsible and may lead to
our members unnecessarily facing disciplinary action or having
personal injury claims affected on the basis of CTC's advice.
Interestingly, the CTC state nationally that they are not "anti
cycle helmets". They are "anti compulsory cycle helmets"!
The CTC dispute the benefits of cycle helmet wearing and don't accept
they offer protection for cyclists in the event of an accident and
head impact! The CTC also claim that there are various studies to
support their views however, they are very selective with the studies
and reports they rely on, ignoring the strong body of opinion
favouring cycle helmet use.
The CTC are entitled to their opinions and we can agree with the CTC
on a number of things, for example;
o Cycling is environmentally friendly.
o Cycling in itself is not dangerous (excluding traffic and road conditions).
o Cycling is healthy and enhances fitness.
o Cycling proficiency and defensive rider training is beneficial.
o More should be done to provide cycle routes and lanes etc.
However, a few facts need to be considered when deciding whether cycle helmets are beneficial to postal workers:
o 12 Royal Mail Cycle Delivery staff have been killed in the last 10
years plus a high number of serious head injuries have resulted from
cycle accidents.
o Royal Mail undertook a risk assessment as they are legally bound to
do under Health and Safety legislation and decided to introduce
protective measures by way of cycle helmets and protective clothing.
o As a result CWU members on cycle deliveries are duty bound to
co-operate with protective measures and wear the protective equipment provided.
o Additionally, as with standard uniform, once Royal Mail introduces
cycle helmets, they have to be worn just like uniform.
o Royal Mail commissioned the TRL (Transport Research Laboratory) to
undertake an evaluation of the hazards and safety risks on cycle
postal deliveries, as well as past accidents. Their report concluded
that the introduction of cycle helmets on postal deliveries would
reduce the risk of serious injury and death in the event of a
collision.
o The Government support cycle helmets in their Road Safety Strategy
policy and they support the Royal Mail policy.
o Cycle helmet use is supported by the Department of Transport who
have concluded in their Road Safety Research Report No. 30 that
"Cycle Helmets have been found to be effective at reducing head,
brain and upper facial injuries in cyclists".
o The Police support cycle helmets and Police Officers wear them when
riding Police cycles.
o The Ambulance Service supports cycle helmets and they are worn by
the paramedic cycle service in London.
o The MOD supports cycle helmets and they are compulsory on MOD sites.
o The Professional Cyclists Association and Professional Race
Organisers support cycle helmets, which are now compulsory in
competition races. They introduced compulsory cycle helmets in the
"Tour de France" and all other events following the death
of a rider in the "Tour of Italy".
o The NHS supports cycle helmet use and promotes their use through
publications and their websites.
o The Imperial College of Medicine support cycle helmets concluding
that cycle helmets do protect against head injury.
o Voluntary cycle helmet wearing in London by the public has risen to
over 50% and public support is growing.
o Since cycle helmets were introduced in Royal Mail there have been 4
serious accidents involving cycle delivery staff being hit and thrown
off by other vehicles which resulted in head impacts with the road.
In 3 cases the members were wearing their cycle helmets which were
damaged, but as a result serious head injury was avoided and each
individual felt that the helmet saved their life. In the other
accident the member was not wearing his helmet and as a result he
nearly died from a fractured skull and was in intensive care for a
long period of time.
o The HSE supports the introduction of cycle helmets in Royal Mail.
o The Chair of the Health and Safety Commission welcomed cycle helmet
introduction in Royal Mail.
How can these facts be ignored by Royal Mail or the CWU?
The CTC's concern centres around preventing the Government from
making cycle helmet wearing the 'law of the land' for those who cycle
for leisure and other purposes. The CWU is not involving itself in
CTC activities and campaigns and we are not attempting to influence
the outcome of that debate. The CTC are wrong to involve themselves
in Royal Mail with CWU members trying to earn a living and the CWU
trying to keep its members safe. The arguments for and against cycle
helmets will continue but no Union has as many cyclists on the
streets at work every day like we do. The Union knows that not all
our members like wearing Cycle helmets and we don't like people being
forced to do things they don't like doing, but the Union has seen too
many members killed and too many injured and protecting lives is the
more important consideration. That's why CWU Conference voted
overwhelmingly in support of introducing mandatory cycle helmets and
that's why the CWU Branch Ballot on the Cycle Helmet & High
Visibility Agreement got a 97% "Yes" vote.
Summary of Agreement:
o Cycle helmets to be provided free of charge and worn on a
compulsory basis along with high visibility clothing by all those who
undertake duties (i.e. includes managers, casuals, mail centre
overtime cover etc.
o Employees may wear helmet to and from work.
o Non-compliance will be dealt with using a sensitive and measured
approach consisting of counselling, persuasion and early involvement
of local representatives to try and resolve difficulties.
o Use of the Conduct Code must be a manager's last resort.
o The agreement lays down the detailed process to be followed.
The cycle helmets are made from dense and crushable material which is
designed to spread the force of an impact and absorb the energy that
occurs during direct contact with a hard object or surface. This
energy absorption may help reduce the severity of head injury that
may occur to a postal delivery cyclist in the event of an accident.
The cycle helmets provided to CWU members meet all the recognised
safety test standards including BS EN 1078, SNELL, ANSI X90.4 EU.
The CWU will, in line with its conference mandate and 97% Branch
Ballot Yes vote continue to ensure that we pursue improved cycle
safety standards for our members. This will include:
o Provision of protective clothing cycle helmets and high visibility garments.
o Risk assessment and regular review of delivery round routes to
ensure the design is the safest available and the mode of transport
(i.e. cycle) is still suitable.
o Proficiency and defensive rider training and refresher training.
o Good cycle equipment standards, design, construction and
maintenance standards.
Via the Branch Officials Bulletin, I asked all Area Safety Reps and
Area Delivery Reps to work closely together on these issues in
conjunction with the Health and Safety and Outdoor Departments at CWU
HQ in order that we can drive up safety standards and drive down the
number of accidents on cycle deliveries. We have a huge task ahead of
us but I have the commitment of the National Joint Safety Strategy
Group to review the whole issue of Cycle Safety in the near future
and run a joint cycle safety campaign.
It is incorrect to state that since there is no requirement on
cyclists generally to wear cycle helmets when on the road, HSE does
not advise that employers insist that helmets be used under health
and safety law.
It is also incorrect to state that it would be very hard for an
employer to force an employee to wear a cycle helmet on health and
safety grounds.
It is also incorrect to state that the wearing of cycle helmets
whilst on a Royal Mail Cycle Delivery is a matter of individual choice.
A Postman from the Bristol Area was sacked for continually refusing
to wear his Cycle Helmet after being given several warnings plus the
opportunity to change to another duty. Against the advice of the
Union and on the advice of the CTC he took his case to an Employment
Tribunal using all the arguments based on Cycle Helmets not being
compulsory under Road Traffic Act Legislation and Human Rights
grounds. He lost.
In two other Cycle Helmet Sacking Cases, the Union supported the two
members and got the decisions over turned because Management in both
cases had not followed the National Agreement and Code of Practice
and had been inconsistent. The Wythenshawe/Manchester Case of Joanne
Cyprus was reported in the CWU Voice. In other cases Conduct Code
Disciplinary Penalties have been awarded outside the agreed step by
step procedure and I have called for a national amnesty on such cases
where the compliance procedure has been misapplied and a moratorium
on any further conduct code penalties until we can agree a clearer
replacement procedure.
I hope this clears up the confusion and misunderstanding caused by
the CTC.
Any enquiries should be addressed to Dave Joyce, National Health &
Safety Officer, quoting reference No. C2.
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466
European Week For Safety and Health at Work 2005:
24th - 28th October 2005
Noise at Work - it can cost you more than your hearing. This year's
European Week of Safety and Health at Work will focus on noise in the
workplace although various employers and unions are also using the
week to raise awareness of other Health and Safety issues. The HSE webpages www.hse.gov.uk/campaigns/euroweek/give
you information on noise at work, what is happening for this year's
campaign, and how you can get involved.
The CWU has been a leading union in fighting for awareness and
solutions to Acoustic Shock and is calling on employers to use this
week to highlight this issue.
Damage to hearing from exposure to loud noise at work is a
significant and yet preventable problem. Research estimates that
170,000 people in the UK suffer deafness, tinnitus or other ear
conditions as a result of excessive noise at work. The problem occurs
in many workplaces, but particularly in the manufacturing and
construction industries, as well as farms, transport operations,
mines and quarries. It is also a major cause of problems to our
members who work in Call Centres, Controls and Offices. This year's
campaign seeks to draw attention to the practical issues and ways of
controlling noise in different working environments. For more
information on the issue of noise in the workplace please visit HSE's
Noise Web Page: www.hse.gov.uk/noise/index.htm.
European Week 2005 is a campaign of the European Agency and
information can be found at their website: http://ew2005.osha.eu.int/
European Week 2005 provides a good opportunity to raise awareness of
the new Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, which are due to
come into force on 15 February 2006 and are the result of an EU-led
initiative - the Physical Agents (Noise) Directive. These new
regulations will help to prevent occupational noise-induced hearing
loss and the supporting guidance will contain simple practical
measures that employers can take to reduce exposure to noise at work.
Posters and leaflets can be downloaded from this site http://ew2005.osha.eu.int/campaignmaterials/
and ordered from HSE Books, Mail Order, PO Box 1999, Sudbury,
Suffolk, CO1O 2WA Tel No. 0800 085 0050.
The TUC also have a useful website for information st: http://www.tuc.org.uk/h_and_s/index.cfm?mins=297
Can Safety Reps, Safety Committees and Branches please keep the
Health Safety and Environment Department updated on any events or
initiatives they are involved in.
Any enquiries and updates are welcomed and should be referred to Dave
Joyce, Assistant Secretary, Health Safety and Environment, quoting
reference NS 124.
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TELECOMS
467
Accenture HR Services: HR Administrative Assistants
Given the decision by BT to go live on Peoplesoft 8.8, it has been
revealed that in order to have systems and processes in place within
Accenture HR Services; existing employees are being realigned onto
various programmes and projects to automate, where possible, and to
have systems on Peoplesoft 7 as a backup.
There is a temporary requirement to get extra personnel in order to
meet the extra demand that Accenture have due to Peoplesoft 8.8 go
live work-arounds. This is mainly repetitive, double entry keying and
manual backup work.
Attached is a notice circulated to Accenture HR Services seeking
friends and family to do summer work for the Company.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Attachment
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468
Telewest: Network Operations Bank Holiday Overtime Working Last
Drop Engineers
Following the arrangements that applied over the last May Bank
Holiday, representations were made on the length of the overtime
working day (10 hours) and the TOIL compensation arrangements (7.5 hours).
Telewest management have responded positively and have agreed that
any future overtime bank holiday working will be at 7.5 hours.
With regard to the outstanding 2.5 hours, this is still under
consideration by management and will be the subject of a further
report to branches.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
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469
Telewest: Inland Revenue Regulations and the Use of Company
Vehicles for Private Use
Following the announcements by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on
changes to the taxation of company vehicles and private use, which
came into force at the start of this tax year, Telewest have been
asked to clarify what arrangements they would be making to minimise
members taxation.
Telewest have been working with the Inland Revenue and giving
examples for one field group of employees, they sought confirmation
that they would not be taxed on restricted use of their van for the
current tax year.
The Inland Revenue have advised and agreed that van drivers who meet
the criteria should not be subject to tax on their vans. At this
stage, the Union is not clear whether this will remain the case as we
are aware that other Tax Office positions have been based on the
requirement of comprehensive. Telewest have stated that they will be
writing to the affected group of employees to issue the appropriate
declarations which will have to be returned, following which the
Company will collate, summarise and forward to the Inland Revenue.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
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470
Capacity Planning: NJR Booking for All Team Members
It has come to the attention of the BT Wholesale Executive Team that
clerical support members in Capacity Planning had been asked to use
NJR, which hitherto had not been the mechanism to record their time.
As NJR is not a friendly user system with regard to FWH, this raised
some concerns. This was taken up with BT Wholesale and the following
assurance as to why and how it will not affect those on NJR is given
as follows.
The driver behind this is Capacity Planning's desire to understand
how much pay is being spent on the various switch products. At the
moment, for people who book their hours to NJR, this is straight
forward. However the Switch Management Team are seeking to understand
how to allot the support pay costs, and before this proposal had no
real idea how these costs should be allocated. The key issue is that
the flextime systems operate as normal and time is recorded using
flex sheets. As at the moment there is no attempt to control when
people start/finish work out-with core times or take lunch. Any
overtime will be claimed as at present.
What is different is that, in order to assess costs, the people
working flextime additionally enter details of the proportion of time
worked on each product on NJR based on a standard 36-hour week,
rather than the number of hours actually worked. Any overtime worked
would be entered separately. The effect is to enable one view to be
taken of all the hours worked per product, and identify how.
Contrary to the suggestion in that this cost information will be used
to identify or implement any resourcing reductions, this is most
certainly not the situation. The only use the detail will be put is
to understand time spent on various products.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
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471
One IT - Delivering on One IT Promises
Branches were given a report in Branch Officials Bulletin No. 25,
Paragraph 384, of the potential later in the year for remote/outsourcing.
The Union has been advised that One IT remain behind in two key
areas, namely that they are £25 million adverse to budget as at
period 2, 2005/2006, and secondly are significantly behind the target
of freeing people up to work on ICT and on meeting the target figure
of 4,000 by 2007. To ensure that they deliver on promises to the BT
Board, the One IT leadership team is putting in place a series of
corrective actions to deliver and accelerate its transformation.
The areas that are under review are as follows:
Programmes - Ensure that programmes are of optimum size, aligned to
the ROI and affordability process and demonstrating significant
productivity improvements through deployment of the new working
methods of 90 day cycles and hot houses.
ICT - The need to accelerate plans to move the right people across to
ICT work as this has been happening more slowly than they had hoped.
Off-shoring - They will accelerate off-shoring plans to enable to
deliver on productivity commitments and to free people up for ICT work.
Overheads - They will continue to de-layer, remove overheads and
increase the spans of control.
Resource Management - They will conduct a review of the role of the
Continuity managers, this will include the ratio of people to CM.
Up-skilling - They will bring forward their plans to up-skill One IT
people.
On the issue of offshoring, management has provided the CWU with a
list of commitments following initial but incomplete discussions as
to the approach they will take on this issue, these being as follows:
o Where work is to be off-shored, no one will be made compulsorily redundant.
o All individuals freed up will be moved to the Bench in the first instance.
o They will endeavour to re-train/re-skill people for higher value work.
o Where appropriate, up-skilling will take place prior to assignments
within ICT or high-value own-use programmes.
o People will be redeployed to roles of equivalent value and with
comparable terms and conditions.
o They will encourage their suppliers to have a high standard of
employment (BT's GS18 Sourcing with Human Dignity Standard).
The CWU have raised strong concerns on this issue and will be
following up with further discussions during the coming weeks.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
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472
One IT: Performance Management Update
Discussions have continued over the changes to the Performance
Framework, as detailed in Branch Officials Bulletin No. 23, paragraph 367.
Further clarification has been sought on the attached briefing which
has been issued to Assignment and Continuity managers. On the
question of the Assignment Manager to give a rating, management state
that they will have the appropriate training/awareness. This is due
to the fact that they have had MMP training and there is guidance on
the web. Although they have not had formal training yet, this will be
available in August for them through a business simulation, where
they are told what to do and they can then try in a test environment.
Continuity Managers have been briefed to say that if they do decide
to do this in partnership with the Assignment Managers, then they
will need to have a brief coaching session with them beforehand so
they are giving the individual a consistent message. The individual
will be asked for their feedback before a final rating is agreed, but
will not receive any rating until One IT have ensured that the
individual distribution profile aligns with that of the programmes
performance. Once the rating has been finalised, the Continuity
Manager will have a 1:1 with the individual to share the rating and
discuss other performance issues. When the Assignment Manager is
setting the next 90-day goals, they can also discuss areas for
improvement if appropriate.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Attachment
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473
Integrated Network Management (INM)
Please find attached an internal communication that has been released
by management on the Integrated Network Management programme.
Brian Healy
Assistant Secretary
Attachment
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POSTAL
474
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
The attached correspondence has been received from Royal Mail on this
project and it will also be noted that the Branches involved in the
live testing have been advised of the Union's position on the matter.
Any enquiries to Bob Gibson's Dept - Ref 530, Martin Collins's Dept -
Ref 300.16(a) or Terry Pullinger's Dept - Ref 215G
Att:
PE15
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475
Parcelforce Worldwide Members Transferring to Branch Direct
Following representation made by the department to Royal Mail
regarding the above subject the attached Pay Directive (PE16) has
been received from the business indicating the change of Terms and
Conditions affecting our members who are transferring from
Parcelforce Worldwide to Branch Direct.
It is envisaged that the new rates of pay and any backdated monies
will be in our members pay packets week commencing 8th August 2005
for weekly paid staff and with the August 2005 salaries for those
paid monthly.
Any Branch enquiries should be addressed to Terry Pullinger,
Assistant Secretary, quoting reference 218.
Att:
PE16
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476
Cycle Safety
The attached information has been received from management and should
be given the widest possible circulation within delivery offices.
Any enquiries to Bob Gibson's Department quoting reference, 310.
Att:
PE17