LtB 304/09 POL: "Our Best Way" Pilot: Joint Statement

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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No: 304
Ref: 125
Date: 3 April 2009

TO: ALL BRANCHES WITH POSTAL MEMBERS

Dear Colleagues

POL: "Our Best Way" Pilot: Joint Statement

Please be advised that POL has engaged an external company, OEE based in Oxfordshire, to conduct an eight week pilot of LEAN techniques at Birmingham and Walsall, two flagship Crown Offices. To this end, following discussions with Richard Barker, General Manager Crown Office Network, the Union has agreed a Joint Statement which is reproduced below.

Clearly POL is looking to identify ways of improving revenue through sales growth by enhanced efficiency. This pilot could prove to be an important initiative with regard to how service and sales are delivered to customers by our members. In turn, the outcome could be positive in terms of protecting the future of the Crown Office network.

I have asked Jim Reeves, TCR Western Territory, to engage with POL on behalf of the Union during this pilot. Accordingly, we have agreed with POL that Jim will be fully involved, including participation at the Project Board and Steering Group meetings. I am pleased that someone of Jim's ability and standing within the Union has committed his time and energies to this important development. The members at both Offices have been fully informed of this activity and Jim is visiting these offices regularly to deal with any queries and to receive members' feedback.

Crucially Branches will note that the joint statement commits both parties to full negotiation if changes to working methods or collective agreements are required following completion of the pilot.

Joint Statement on 'Our Best Way' at Birmingham and Walsall Crown branches

The Post Office® has engaged an external organisation called oee to carry out a pilot of Lean principles at two of our flagship Crown Offices - Birmingham and Walsall. oee has a strong track record of helping financial services, manufacturing and public service sector organisations improve their service levels and to become more efficient. Birmingham and Walsall branches have been fully refurbished, operate in a mainly open plan environment, and have implemented the newest initiatives such as Financial Services Areas, Post & Go machines, meeter/greeters and the latest technology in managing customer queuing (Customer Management System).

The pilot, which has been branded 'Our Best Way', started on 30 March and will last for eight weeks. It will focus on examining every aspect of how we currently provide service to our customers and drive sales in our branches. Using established techniques, the pilot may identify where we have spare capacity, and suggest new working methods to deliver enhanced customer service and sales growth.

Two teams consisting of Post Office® managers, and specialists from OEE will be working closely with colleagues in the two branches.

Initially, the emphasis will be on research and understanding, which will include:
• Observation
• Discussions and interview
• Shadowing
• Activity sampling
• Data collection & measurement

Following this research, new ideas and process changes will be trialled to determine if benefits can be achieved across the network. The results and recommendations from the pilot will be fully evaluated and discussed before a decision is made on whether to roll out any recommendations to the rest of the Crown network.

The CWU has accepted an invitation to participate in the project board and steering group of this project, and will be fully involved at all stages. During the course of the pilot, we will jointly agree terms of reference to assist in any future development, and provide policy direction in the event that findings from the pilot are deployed further across the network.
Please be reassured that both the CWU and the Post Office® are committed to a constructive dialogue. If any changes to current working methods or current collective agreements are required, both parties are committed to negotiate change in the normal way at national level.

We believe this important initiative could improve our efficiency, enhance our customer service and sales growth, and help to secure the future of the Crown network.

Thank you to those of you who will be taking part in the pilot, and we will keep you informed of our progress.

Richard Barker Andy Furey
General Manager, Crown Network & WHSmith Assistant Secretary
Post Office Ltd Communication Workers Union

3rd April 2009

Once the pilot has been completed and fully evaluated I will update Branches accordingly.
Branches are encouraged to ensure this LTB is brought to the attention of members working in POL Crown Offices.
If you have any enquiries, please contact Claire Bowers on cbowers@cwu.org.
Yours sincerely

Andy Furey
Assistant Secretary

[BELIAL]

People might want to give a little thought to the fate of the early pioneers and most enthusiastic adopters of 'Lean Production techniques"; I'll name a few , Ford; Chrysler GM

[saunders265]

Or could it be that it is slowly beginning to dawn on Senior POL Management that they have completely mismanaged Crown Offices, particularly over the last two or three years, and this is a sign that they are casting around for ANY way out?

[mollyrodcar]

I think we have been let down by the union,no payrise for 3 years, loss of saturday premium. Agreements that force us into being meet/greet or product champions through the appraisal system, i personally dont mind these roles but would have liked to make my own decision or at least been consulted before the union agreed. We are now told since the upskilling agreement that we are multi taskers and will work any where, be it on the counter in the postshop or lottery machine at the disgression of the manager on a day to day basis.

As far as "our best way" i think your both right , certainly in the past efficiency means lose staff. increased sales means more work for less pay.management not having a clue what happens on the front line, nothing new then its been going on years.

[norbert]

Or could it be that it is slowly beginning to dawn on Senior POL Management that they have completely mismanaged Crown Offices, particularly over the last two or three years, and this is a sign that they are casting around for ANY way out?

Am I surprised