GSP 11-19 Mails Centre Closure
27/June/2019
Description
You will be aware of the Labour Court recommendation LCR 21563 issued in September 2017, which provided for the possible closure of a Mails Centre. Since that time, the Union has dedicated its efforts towards keeping all four Mail Centres open with the surplus staffing, which arises from significant letter mail decline, redeployed to the growing parcels and packet mails stream. While this has been successful to date, the sad reality is the existing letter machinery network at all four Mails Centres has outlived its usefulness, resulting in a major underutilisation of the 19 letter machines at the four centres. In fact, there has been a further 10% decline of letter mail since the Court issued its recommendation.
As a consequence, regrettably the Union has been advised by the Company that the Board of An Post will decide, at its meeting scheduled for the 27th June 2019, which Mails Centre will close. In advance of this likely decision being made, the Union and Company has agreed provisional arrangements to deal with this most difficult situation facing our members at the Mails Centre concerned. The Company has assured the Union that it will deal with these matters in a sensitive manner and will work closely with the Union in addressing all issues which may arise.
The Company has affirmed that it will operate in line with the agreed ‘Staffing Arrangements’ document issued by the Monitoring Group to apply as follows:
• The Company will seek expressions of interest in Voluntary Severance (VS) from permanent staff based in the Mails Centre.
• The Company will seek expressions of interest in redeployment from permanent staff in the Mails Centre who are interested in working in another area within An Post.
• Based on the expressions of interest in redeployment, the Company will seek expressions of interest in voluntary severance from staff in other areas in An Post in order to facilitate redeployment opportunities.
• In line with current agreements, temporary employees will be released with ex-gratia payments being applied where appropriate.
• Permanent staff employed since 1st July 2014, under the new contractual terms of employment, will be let go on a “last in – first out” basis and will be paid the agreed severance terms.
A full ‘outplacement programme’ similar to that which took place in the recent GPO HQ FTE reduction process, will be implemented. This will involve financial, career and other advice for all staff directly impacted by the closure.
As part of the outplacement programme the Company will hold a ‘Jobs Forum’ in the Mails Centre which is closing, at which local employers who are currently undertaking recruitment campaigns will be invited to come and meet with An Post employees, impacted by the closure, who may be interested in exploring new career opportunities.
It is unlikely the above measures will fully address the range of staff impact issues. Accordingly, we have agreed with the Company that outstanding issues will be referred to the Monitoring Group or the Labour Court, at the earliest opportunity. While our focus will be to maximise voluntary severance/redeployment opportunities, in the event of compulsory redundancies, we will seek enhanced severance terms and address any pension implications.
The Company has targeted the final closure date for the end of March 2020. A Joint Working Group will be established to review and agree the required operational changes to enable migration of mail from the Mails Centre, which is closing, to the remaining three Mails Centres. As a support to Branches, CWU Regional Officers will assist with progressing the changes as follows:
– Bill Colfer – Mails Centre closure
– Jarlath Heneghan – MDN/Network changes
– John Tansey – Mails Centres Reconfiguration
Finally, it is recognised that the impact of the Company’s decision will be devastating for members and their families. The Union will do its utmost to ensure all issues are dealt with fairly and comprehensively by An Post. To assure members and to receive first-hand any other requirements from members, CWU Officials will attend the Mails Centre concerned this evening.