Please find enclosed a circular outlining the Branch structural issues which will be debated at Conference this year. I would be obliged if you would bring the contents to the attention of your members.

Rationalisation Sub Committee Report

Re:  Review of the Postal Branch Structure

The NEC decided the Rationalisation Sub Committee should review the Postal Branch Structure with a view to bringing forward a discussion paper for consideration by delegates at the Biennial Conference in Kilkenny next May

1. Background

In conducting its review the Sub committee gave consideration to the following;
• The last review of the An Post Branch Structure was conducted in the early 1990s.
• The Provincial structure which mirrored the Head Postmaster structure at that time has been abolished
• In Dublin, the Dublin Clerks Branch, DPDB, Dublin Drivers and Postal Amalgamated Branches continue to represent their own dedicated areas
• The Dublin Managers are represented by two Branches i.e. Dublin Postal Managers, and Dublin Postal Inspectors
• The Managers Structure in the provinces was changed in 2001 to reflect the Area Office Structure

2. Issues impacting on existing Branch Structure

Since that time the Company has been restructured a number of times i.e;

• The Head Postmaster structure was abolished in 1998
• It was replaced in 2000 by the Area Office structure for the then ‘Post Offices’, Letter Post with SDS having its own identity
• In 2004 SDS was closed with staff and the remaining Parcel services reintegrated into Collection & Delivery/Mails Processing
• In the past year, agreement was concluded with the Company to introduce a Regional Structure for Retail and C&D i.e.

• Eight Regional Offices(comprising of)
 Four Retail at Dublin, Cork, Galway and Portlaoise
 Four C&D at Dublin, Cork, Galway and Naas

• Establishment of four Mails Processing Centres at Dublin, Cork, Athlone and Portlaoise

• Aside from the above Managerial Structural Changes a number of staff impact changes are being introduced by agreement as part of the Company’s Change Agenda

 Conversion of 40 Branch Offices.
 Collection and Delivery Agreement has abolished the POC and Postal Sorter Grades, working at DSUs.
 In Delivery Offices there will be no demarcation between or among the grades.

• Standing Orders

The Standing Orders of many Branches which were introduced in 1991 are outdated, and probably are in breach of the existing Rules of the Union.  Protections were put in place at that time by the NEC, to protect the minority Indoor staff Grades by stipulating that one officer of the Branch must come from those Grades.

• Supervisory Grades

In the C&D Area, the DSM at Supt II/DPM level is the only recognised former CMU (Scale C) Grade now working in this area.  They report directly to their respective Regional Office

           P.T.O.
• Working Leaders

In the C&D area, Working Leaders have effectively replaced the IOP/Frontline Supervising Staff, although in most respects, they are doing the same work

• CAD/Transport/RLB/ T.V. Licence Work

Dedicated Clerical Stream working in the above areas is agreed and implementation almost complete.  All of these sections report directly to the GPO Headquarters

• Release Arrangements

In August 1994 facilities for CWU Branch Representatives were agreed with An Post that provided time off for them to conduct local Union business, including local meetings under the McNeill Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures. 

• Grievance and Disputes Procedures

Many of the Unions successful outcomes to individual grievances or resolution of local disputes have resulted from local Branch Secretaries operating the Agreed Procedures meticulously.  Although the Union conducts training courses for its Representatives, it is somewhat regrettable that there is an increasing failure by some Branch Committees to operate those procedures.  While this has been evident for some time, there has recently been a dramatic increase to in a lack of compliance with those important procedures with a corresponding impact on the members of the Branches concerned.  This may be attributable in some way to the failure of management during the “Curtin” era to follow any logical procedures but it is incumbent on us to address the problem

Possible New Structure

Although it is not necessary for the Union to react to or indeed ‘mirror’ any particular structure introduced by An Post Management, it would be folly to ignore these changes and the impact they have on the service the Union provides to its members. It is not our intention to dismantle the existing Branch structure but rather to have an informed debate at conference on the merits and demerits of that structure with a view to enlightening the NEC and the officers to the views of the delegates.

The Regional Structure in C&D and Retail presents the Union the opportunity to re-organise its Branches in a similar manner.  In doing so the sub committee believes that the following possibilities deserve your consideration:

           
• To create a full time assigned Regional co-ordinator who could provide in conjunction with the Branches a local professional service for members while also acting as a support to the National Officers.
• To ensure standardisation and compliance by the Company and indeed our members, across the Regions, and not just in areas where the Unions Branch is active or strong
• To give members of common grade and concerns, the opportunity to approach these issues in a collective manner at both local and national level.

• To ensure the current resources provided by the Company for time off/Partnership are used to the fullest extent for the benefit of the Union and its Members.
• To conduct a full review of Branch Standing Orders to ensure compliance with the Rules of the Union and to reflect the changes to the grades.

The above list is not exhaustive and it is our hope that delegates will use the opportunity at conference to bring their own views and ideas to the debate. The NEC is also open to receiving submissions on this key issue from Branches and members which should be received in CWU HQ no later than Monday 24th of March.