A number of enquiries have been received at Union Headquarters in recent weeks in relation to the new leave arrangements applied to individuals encompassed by the C&D Agreement and the arrangements that apply in the transitional leave period operating from 1 April 2006 to 30 September 2007.

 The following is intended to clarify matters for members affected by the changes.

Chapter 7 of the Collection and Delivery Agreement provides for the following agreed changes to be implemented.

•  Composite annual holidays allowance consisting of, in the main for serving POC, Postal Sorters and Postperson of 23 days plus 9 Public Holidays.
•  This includes 3 days leave for Christmas and Easter (Privilege Days) and Good Friday. These are shut down days as referred to in the agreement.
• The New Leave Year is to be 1 October to 30 September
• The main holiday period is to be 1st May to 30th September with a guaranteed minimum of two weeks and up to three weeks, if it can be accommodated locally, will be provided
• The Secondary Holiday period is the remainder of the calendar excluding the period 1st December to the 24th December.

In order to provide for the change and deal with the overlap caused, it was necessary to agree interim/transition arrangements which allow for the introduction of a once off Transitional Leave Period which will run for 18 months.

The 18 month transition period is designed to ensure the following:-

• Change from the existing Leave Year (April – March) to the new Leave Year (October – September) as provided for in the agreement.
•  Staff who had already signed summer leave sheets for April – October 2006 are allowed this leave.
   
      There would be no loss of leave entitlements.
• There would be no loss of Holiday Average Pay Entitlements

Process
The Transitional Leave Period is over an 18 month period which began on 1st April 2006 and will run until 30th September 2007.  During the 18 months staff will be entitled to 35 days Annual Leave which is made up as follows:

Leave Allocation 1st April 2006 to 31st March 2007 (12 months)                      20 days
Leave allocation 1st April 2007 to 30th September 2007 (6 Months)                 10 days
Good Friday 2006                                                                                                  1 day
Easter Tuesday 2006 (Privilege Day)                                                                    1 day
December 27th 2007 (Privilege Day)                                                                     1 day
Good Friday 2007                                                                                                  1 day
Easter Tuesday 2007 (Privilege Day)                                                                    1 day
                                                                                                                        ________
                                                                                                                           35 days

Staff will qualify for 23 days leave from the 1st October 2007 to the 30th September 2008 (20 days annual leave plus 2 privilege days and 1 day for Good Friday)

Holiday Pay arrangements continue to apply to each full week taken i.e. each full week taken within the 18 month period.

I have taken the opportunity to set out a number of examples as to how the 35 days leave may be taken during the 18 month period which are as follows:

Example 1
Leave Allocation 1st April 2006 to 30th September 2007                       35 days

Good Friday 2006                                                                                      1 day
3 weeks during the summer of 2006                                                     15 days
Privilege day 27th December 2006                                                            1 day
1 week during the winter of 2006/2007                                                   5 days
Good Friday 2007                                                                                     1 day

Days remaining to be taken during the summer of 2007                       12 days
                                                                                                             _______
                                                                                                              35 days
The next leave year will then begin on 1st October 2007

Example 2
Leave Allocation 1st April 2006 to 30th September 2007                     35 days

Good Friday 2006                                                                                    1 day
2 weeks during the summer of 2006                                                    10 days
Privilege day 27th December 2006                                                          1 day
1 week during the winter of 2006/2007                                                  5 days
Good Friday 2007                                                                                    1 day

Days remaining to be taken during the summer of 2007                      17 days
                                                                                                            _______
                                                                                                             35 days
The next leave year will then begin on 1st October 2007

Example 3
Leave Allocation 1st April 2006 to 30th September 2007                    35 days

Good Friday 2006                                                                                   1 day
2 weeks during the summer of 2006                                                  10 days
Privilege day 27th December 2006                                                        1 day
2 weeks during the winter of 2006/2007                                           10 days
Good Friday 2007                                                                                  1 day

Days remaining to be taken during the summer of 2007                    12 days
                                                                                                           _______
                                                                                                           35 days
The next leave year will then begin on 1st October 2007

If anyone has any queries they should be raised locally in the first instance.

I trust the foregoing clarifies the situation for members and would appreciate if you would bring this circular to the attention of all members.