CWU and Royal Mail commit to agreement by 12 March
CWU and Royal Mail have released a statement committing both parties to reach a full national agreement by Sunday 12th March.
Importantly, the statement includes an appendix covering unagreed revisions, executive action and an independent review of all suspensions, conduct cases and dismissals arising from the dispute. The next stage of negotiations will continue to be facilitated by former TUC General Secretary, Brendan Barber and ACAS.
In recognising the seriousness of the ongoing dispute between Royal Mail and the CWU both parties have now agreed to enter into a new process of talks between the senior leadership of both RMG and the CWU facilitated by Brendan Barber (former TUC General Secretary and ACAS Chair) supported by Marina Glasgow (Chief Conciliator of ACAS). Maria da Cunha and Shashi Verma (Non-Executive Directors) will support the talks process and provide Board oversight.
Both parties recognise that for these fresh talks to reach a successful resolution by 12th March every effort needs to be made to urgently address and minimise the current tensions across Royal Mail Group workplaces, arising from the long-lasting dispute.
The talks will focus on and work at pace on all the issues that have given rise to the dispute, or arisen during the dispute, including the pay and changes required to secure the future of RMG, the most constructive way to work together in local revision activity, and an appropriate independent process for reviewing any issues regarding fair treatment of employees and/or TU representatives arising out of the dispute.