Union wins concessionary payout for PO product specialists

Postal, Post Office (PO) July 22 2020

Image credit: Richard M Lee / Shutterstock.com

Wednesday 22nd July 2020

Despite their key target products having been withdrawn throughout the Covid-19 crisis, Post Office product specialists will still receive a nominal sum at the end of this month, in lieu of the scheduled bonus, following representations from the CWU.

“Travel insurance and bureau de change are the key drivers of the product specialists’ bonus scheme,” explains assistant secretary Andy Furey, “but of course both of these products were effectively withdrawn from sale due to the Coronavirus restrictions.

“So our hard-working members were faced with the complete loss of their bonus payment through no fault of their own. But despite the fact that, strictly speaking, it seemed a fait-accompli, we were absolutely determined to find some way of getting at least some extra cash onto these members’ pockets – in view of the fantastic efforts they’ve made over this recent period.”
Following discussions with Post Office senior management, a short-term interim agreement has been reached so that all product specialists receive a special payment of £62.50, which will be paid into July salaries.

“I’m pleased to have concluded this agreement and, although of course it’s not the sort of sum our product specialists would normally be expecting to earn – I do stress that this is an interim arrangement, purely aimed at getting them something now.

“We have agreed to have further discussions with the Post Office in September – when we’ll be able to have a detailed look at the complete figures for the whole quarter – and looking at issues around retrospective payments, calculating criteria and, hopefully, facilitating some good top-up payments for our members.

“And once again, I want to say on record what a superb job our product specialists – and all Post Office grades – have been doing during these extremely difficult times.”