Royal Mail’s new machines going to waste, says CWU

[Geezer]

http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2009/0 ... -says-cwu/

August 14, 2009 4:00 pm


by René Lavanchy

Royal Mail is delaying the introduction of mail sorting machinery over concerns that it will result in mail being delivered later, the Communication Workers Union suggested this week. CWU officials say most of the machines bought, part of a planned order of 1,000 to be used to replace manual sorting by postmen, are lying idle at an undisclosed location in the Midlands.

The equipment has been bought with a £1.2 billion modernisation loan secured from the Government in 2007. Royal Mail has already come under fire for failing to spend all the money yet.

A CWU spokesperson said this week: “We think they’ve bought a large number of machines and they’re sitting in a dusty hangar.”

The union last week announced it would hold a national strike ballot over Royal Mail’s modernisation plans, which it says it is not being properly consulted on. Royal Mail accuses the CWU of trying to block change, but the union said this week it would accept job losses and cost savings if they were properly managed.

Royal Mail is thought to have planned to buy 1000 electronic walk sequencing machines from French company Solystic in order to automate the manual sorting of letters into “walk order” ready for delivery to letterboxes.

CWU London divisional representative Mark Palfrey said: “Do the machines do the job? Yes they do. Do they do it as quick as the current machinery? No they do not.”

“Distance mail [from distant parts of the country] does not arrive in inward mail centres till four o’clock in the morning… That mail would not now land in delivery offices till ten o’clock.”

“Royal Mail is having a debate. That’s clearly what’s going on, hence the attack on the front line postmen to reduce the cost, where they thought machinery was going to do that.” Union activists were not “Luddites”, he insisted.

Politicians are also puzzled about plans for the equipment. During a House of Lords debate on Royal Mail, Labour’s Lord Clarke said: “I have made exhaustive inquiries but no one can tell me where these machines are.”

Royal Mail had not responded as Tribune went to press.

Relations between Royal Mail and the CWU have currently broken down with company bosses accusing the union of refusing to negotiate despite being offered meetings. A CWU spokesperson said: “It’s just a lecture. There’s no negotiation going on at all in these meetings. It’s not talks, it’s being talked at.”

[Tman]

Royal Mail is delaying the introduction of mail sorting machinery over concerns that it will result in mail being delivered later, the Communication Workers Union suggested this week. CWU officials say most of the machines bought, part of a planned order of 1,000 to be used to replace manual sorting by postmen, are lying idle at an undisclosed location in the Midlands.

The equipment has been bought with a £1.2 billion modernisation loan secured from the Government in 2007. Royal Mail has already come under fire for failing to spend all the money yet.

A CWU spokesperson said this week: “We think they’ve bought a large number of machines and they’re sitting in a dusty hangar.”

CWU London divisional representative Mark Palfrey said: “Do the machines do the job? Yes they do. Do they do it as quick as the current machinery? No they do not.”

“Distance mail [from distant parts of the country] does not arrive in inward mail centres till four o’clock in the morning…

“Royal Mail is having a debate. That’s clearly what’s going on, hence the attack on the front line postmen to reduce the cost, where they thought machinery was going to do that.”

Union activists were not “Luddites”, he insisted.

Sadly, the usual ill-informed journalism sprinkled liberally with some half-truths. Pointless.

[andy2007]

So where are the machines then?
We keep hearing about them. But how many people have actually seen one?

If you have any evidence to back up your accusations of lying, and half truths. Then please feel free to post them on here. But personally, I've seen no evidence of the automation we've been promised. Although it's a different type of machine, that we're supposed to be getting, in the RDCs.

[CourtneyCox]

Tman that is a very picturesque post but it did not really add to the debate did it. You called them liars but give readers no pointers as to how you came to this conclusion, you may indeed be right in your conclusion but we need evidence to help us weigh up both sides of the argument lots of does not really count.

Any independent, or even biased articles you can perhaps point us to that refute the original article.

[hubbahubba]

So where are the machines then?
We keep hearing about them. But how many people have actually seen one?

If you have any evidence to back up your accusations of lying, and half truths. Then please feel free to post them on here. But personally, I've seen no evidence of the automation we've been promised. Although it's a different type of machine, that we're supposed to be getting, in the RDCs.

There are 3 in my MC,but only used on nights!!

[24601]

There are 3 Solystic sequencing machines in my DO but they are only used on nights.The last mail for sequencing arrives at 05:40 and is due to all be processed by 08:30

[Ahebban]

may i enquire as to how many duties (average delivery points on each duty?) are covered in that time - delivering walk-sequenced mail to the frames for final prep?

[BELIAL]

may i enquire as to how many duties (average delivery points on each duty?) are covered in that time - delivering walk-sequenced mail to the frames for final prep?

Give you a clue ,claimed 9000 items per hour ,average +4runs per walk , goes a bit tits up when all the barcoded postcode recognition cards get shipped off to a distant DO with the first wave

[piranha]

We have some new flat sorting machines in our area somewhere and they are complete rubbish, got a code sorted tray the other day with 2, yes just 2 items of mail in it! Im yet to receive a full tray its usually only half full at the most and have even had a few missorts in em too, thank :lfo & :cfo for the useful modernisation eh?

[Phantom]

Royal Mail is delaying the introduction of mail sorting machinery over concerns that it will result in mail being delivered later, the Communication Workers Union suggested this week. CWU officials say most of the machines bought, part of a planned order of 1,000 to be used to replace manual sorting by postmen, are lying idle at an undisclosed location in the Midlands.

The equipment has been bought with a £1.2 billion modernisation loan secured from the Government in 2007. Royal Mail has already come under fire for failing to spend all the money yet.

A CWU spokesperson said this week: “We think they’ve bought a large number of machines and they’re sitting in a dusty hangar.”

CWU London divisional representative Mark Palfrey said: “Do the machines do the job? Yes they do. Do they do it as quick as the current machinery? No they do not.”

“Distance mail [from distant parts of the country] does not arrive in inward mail centres till four o’clock in the morning…

“Royal Mail is having a debate. That’s clearly what’s going on, hence the attack on the front line postmen to reduce the cost, where they thought machinery was going to do that.”

Union activists were not “Luddites”, he insisted.

Sadly, the usual ill-informed journalism sprinkled liberally with some half-truths. Pointless.

So where is your proof that this is not the case?????

[CourtneyCox]

So where is your proof that this is not the case?????

Well you put it better than I did - I did not get a reply lets hope you do.

[Tman]

So where is your proof that this is not the case?????

Funny that. A while back you said you wouldn't believe me if I said it was dark outside, but now you want "proof"?

I don't have "proof" and even if I did have "proof" of some kind, I'd hardly post my employer's dealings on the 'Net, would I?

There's enough tech reports on how this rolling project is going, including the batch delivery of new machines to see how it's progressing, but then it doesn't take much of a brain to see the errors in the last four statements I highlighted either.
Just crappy journalism.

[Phantom]

So where is your proof that this is not the case?????

Funny that. A while back you said you wouldn't believe me if I said it was dark outside, but now you want "proof"?

I don't have "proof" and even if I did have "proof" of some kind, I'd hardly post my employer's dealings on the 'Net, would I?

There's enough tech reports on how this rolling project is going, including the batch delivery of new machines to see how it's progressing, but then it doesn't take much of a brain to see the errors in the last four statements I highlighted either.
Just crappy journalism.

Care to share some of those Tech reports to see how our new walk sorting machines are progressing?

[axeman]

Ahha so your not up the tree as far as you'd like to be mrtman ? (maybe more in the nether regions ) haven't quite got the finger on the pulse you like then these machines will not materialise for a long long time when hopefully that loser lil ad will be found out to be the charletan he is

[DGP1]

I remember a couple of years ago getting a 'talk' from the senior management in my area and his complaint was 'We have these machines sitting in a warehouse and we can't get them installed because of the union' now I don't know what is happening now but that was then.