Letters To Branches & News
a full list LTB's is available from the national CWU website
Ltb 021_10 Severe Weather and Heavy Snow
****************UPDATE ON NATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS*************
Progress Report on Negotiations
Intensive negotiations have taken place since my last report. Groups covering Delivery, Processing, Network, RDCs, MDEC, Fleet and Maintenance Services and Engineering have all been meeting to discuss key topics and reach agreements on a complex and wide-ranging set of issues. Talks have also commenced about Reward with useful meetings taking place to negotiate and agree a new employee reward package. A separate group has also been looking at how a final agreement will be deployed.
We have made good progress and many issues are agreed in principle, although there are some important issues still to be agreed. All agreements in principle are of course subject to what the final overall agreement looks like. Acas and I have been helping as necessary and have been encouraged by the constructive approach which both management and the union are taking towards the talks.
At local level, review negotiations continue and good progress has been made with 411 out of 764 now concluded with agreements reached.
The timescale we were set by the interim agreement was always going to be a challenging one. The priority has to be to reach good agreements which stick rather than quick agreements which unravel when implemented so we have allowed ourselves a short extension of the talks into the New Year. We will next meet formally on Tuesday 5 January and redouble our efforts to conclude an agreement by 22 January
Groups may well be swapping drafts over the break but I hope they will all find time for a well-earned rest. I wish them and you seasons greetings and best wishes for 2010.
Roger Poole
Independent Person
