New sorting machines

[Stormproof]

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New sorting machines could put thousands of Royal Mail jobs at risk

By Tom Mcghie
Last updated at 2:34 AM on 30th August 2009

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Thousands more jobs in Royal Mail sorting offices are at risk with the planned introduction of high-tech sorting machinery that should dramatically improve productivity.

Their introduction comes at a sensitive time for Royal Mail, which is facing a series of strikes over cuts and modernisation.

Traditionally, postmen arrive at delivery offices early in the morning and spend up to three hours sorting letters into the order they are to be delivered.
Royal Mail

Postmen under threat: 'Walk sequencing' machines costing tens of millions of pounds could put Royal Mail jobs at risk next year

But from the New Year, 'walk sequencing' machines costing tens of millions of pounds will be installed at delivery offices and will do the job in minutes.

A Royal Mail spokesman described the machines as 'the next crucial step in our modernisation'.

He added: 'There are now more than 30 of these machines in use in a number of centres and after the completion of the extensive tests of this equipment, we are planning a nationwide rollout of more than 500 walk sequencers in the New Year.'

The successful introduction of the technology - which is in common use on the Continent --is seen as being vital for Royal Mail, which has come under attack from the Government for being slow to introduce change.

The sequencing equipment works by printing mail with a barcode as it goes through sorting machines. The barcodes are checked against Royal Mail's delivery database and the mail is automatically sorted into the correct order.

The union fears this will mean thousands of full-time jobs will go and that there will be a massive increase in the number of part-time workers.

A spokesman for the CWU union said: 'These new machines have huge implications for jobs. It highlights the need for talks.'

The Royal Mail spokesman insisted there would not be any compulsory redundancies. 'We do these things by agreement,' he said.

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[Stormproof]

The Royal Mail spokesman insisted there would not be any compulsory redundancies. 'We do these things by agreement,' he said.

[tailfly12]

Royal Mail agree nothing they just bully the staff.

[24601]

It takes about 40 minutes to sequence 5000 letters.Before that the mail has to be coded and sorted into batches at the Mail centre.It then needs to be transported to the DO and the trays segged from the yorks.Around 200-300 rejects per batch have to be manually sorted on the IPS.

Sequenced mail saves an experienced post person 8-10 minutes a day on prep.

[24601]

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The sequencing equipment works by printing mail with a barcode as it goes through sorting machines. The barcodes are checked against Royal Mail's delivery database and the mail is automatically sorted into the correct order.

Absolutely not true.The sequencing machines do not print barcodes.This has to be done on an IMP at a Mail Centre.This spokes person doesn't seem to know what he's talking about !!!

[stokes11eg]

Hmm- the most high tech piece of machinery we have is the coffee machine! we were told 3 years ago we were getting these in, and on that basis, all the changes(Cutbacks) startrd to take place--- now very few posties left, and STILL no machines.Shafted again, surprise, surprise.

[steven100]

Its quite clear now what RM game was attack the rm full time workers pay and conditions and hack them off so they would leave. Or dismiss them for trival offences, bringing in part-time staff.
This sickenings me, RM management are nothing but SCUM.

UNION revoke the 3 months .........

[lover]

our machines are in taunton.even though they have been installed for some months,they wont sequance our mail until we pay them for the labour.how bonkers is that. they also charge us out of our budget it we hit a van 2500 a time because it lessens the value.we had two such accidents last month,one wing mirror broken and one hit by an uninsured driver.our dim said thats just wiped out all our savings from lapsing all summer....
what a company :cfo :mfo

[flaminmoses]

our flat sorting machine is shocking.

(its not in our office)

when we get our boxes of flats walksorted they are at least 20% inaccurate....and that is being generous....in some cases ive had more than 50% of the box from other walks and areas!!!!

[stokes11eg]

If we made that many mistakes, we'd be sacked.