The way these new computer 'tools' work

[dropbag_clone]

So I am trying to get my head around the way these new computer ‘tools’ work, enabling them to re-design the walks to produce new delivery routes.

Is this how they work? Say there are 1000 delivery points in a delivery office. Covered by 10 post persons.

The software has been fed in all the details of the entire delivery area, garden paths, hills, flats, location of properties, distance from office, all the variables that that are encountered in the area.

The traffic figures (averaged out) are then fed into the program; let’s say 10,000 items a day.

So we have 1000 delivery points, with 10 staff currently delivering the 10,000 items (small packets) D2D, signed for items etc. Using a delivery method handed down from old postman to the current staff.

Now the computer is able to calculate how long it should take to deliver the 10,000 items, and produce a staffing figure to reflect that, (irrespective of the way it has been done in the past) producing the shortest routes, encompassing the new delivery tools (HTC’s and mini-vans) thus providing a new blueprint for a more cost effective delivery office.

It is obvious then that some of the variables are extremely important in the data the computer will be using. Walking speeds, traffic congestion, parking places, security areas, and accurate traffic figures etc. Feed the right information in, examine and test the results, keep the staff involved and the end product should be fair and acceptable to most.

Well that the theory, reality is somewhat different in my place of work.

Presumably all these variables have been collated and processed in our office as the manager is now able to inform us that the walks are going to 4 hours, and five walks are to disappear before he can reveal what the new delivery walks will be.

Has the Delivery Framework Agreement been duly processed in our office? Who knows, no sign of any weekly updates, any information is passed around the office as a rumor, WTL sessions are far and few between. They consist of a humorless manager hooking his laptop up to a big screen and showing the staff meaningless graphs only matched by a group of apathetic staff watching the clock and hoping that the future won’t be as bad as most people fear it will be.

Was it only a year ago we were involved in industrial action, it seems a lot longer.

[POSTMAN]

You haven't mentioned the rep once in your post,have you one?

[dvbuk55]

You haven't mentioned the rep once in your post,have you one?

I'm surprised postman after all this time you still think that our workplaces are staffed with full timers, everyone a union member with dedicated CWU reps - well that may be true of some places but it certainly isn't true of a great many small and medium sized units. Even a dedicated rep struggles to engender any interest when a third of the workforce are not members of the union and 40% are part time. How many times have people seen managers bypass the rep and go direct to non union part time members to establish a non-agreed procedure -the rep can pass it up the line and what?

[fishtank]

You haven't mentioned the rep once in your post,have you one?

I'm surprised postman after all this time you still think that our workplaces are staffed with full timers, everyone a union member with dedicated CWU reps - well that may be true of some places but it certainly isn't true of a great many small and medium sized units. Even a dedicated rep struggles to engender any interest when a third of the workforce are not members of the union and 40% are part time. How many times have people seen managers bypass the rep and go direct to non union part time members to establish a non-agreed procedure -the rep can pass it up the line and what?

It's true...i'm afraid the template on which the union has planned the implementation of this agreement only exists in certain areas.
The rest will be picked apart by management....not their fault,not a case of growing a pair...just a case of an agreement that was negotiated with only the "strong" or more correctly heavily unionised areas in mind.
Winners and......

[belle smith]

You haven't mentioned the rep once in your post,have you one?

I'm surprised postman after all this time you still think that our workplaces are staffed with full timers, everyone a union member with dedicated CWU reps - well that may be true of some places but it certainly isn't true of a great many small and medium sized units. Even a dedicated rep struggles to engender any interest when a third of the workforce are not members of the union and 40% are part time. How many times have people seen managers bypass the rep and go direct to non union part time members to establish a non-agreed procedure -the rep can pass it up the line and what?

We had a meeting the other day. a new form was passed out to fill in for D2D returns.
ie. D2D failures managers passing the buck to staff, asked if there was any agreement for it's use "it doesn't matter if theres an agreement or not" said the rep.

[mandelsons_toenail]

im a rep.

I had training and an insight into the new IWT ( inward work tool ) the software has many many variables which need to be correct, traffic figures, D2D etc etc, BSI rates

My favourate was the 216 items average letters per tray, which I was told was now 150

I laughed, even my DOM laughed and said no way.

Anyway to work at 100 bsi, means I need to have my round ready to go some 20 mins earlier on an average day

Again I laughed, my DOM laughed and the planner dude just stared blankly.


And 100 bsi means we need to lose 600 hours A WEEK

and thats just on the INDOOR element

Again I laughed, DOM looked scared, planner said nothing.

Thats 14/15 jobs in an office of 90

Absolute madness.

Let the fun and games begin.

[dvbuk55]

im a rep.

I had training and an insight into the new IWT ( inward work tool ) the software has many many variables which need to be correct, traffic figures, D2D etc etc, BSI rates

My favourate was the 216 items average letters per tray, which I was told was now 150

I laughed, even my DOM laughed and said no way.

Anyway to work at 100 bsi, means I need to have my round ready to go some 20 mins earlier on an average day

Again I laughed, my DOM laughed and the planner dude just stared blankly.


And 100 bsi means we need to lose 600 hours A WEEK

and thats just on the INDOOR element

Again I laughed, DOM looked scared, planner said nothing.

Thats 14/15 jobs in an office of 90

Absolute madness.

Let the fun and games begin.

Problems? There are no problems.

[mandelsons_toenail]

Nothing to see

move along

[pop it in pete]

You haven't mentioned the rep once in your post,have you one?

I'm surprised postman after all this time you still think that our workplaces are staffed with full timers, everyone a union member with dedicated CWU reps - well that may be true of some places but it certainly isn't true of a great many small and medium sized units. Even a dedicated rep struggles to engender any interest when a third of the workforce are not members of the union and 40% are part time. How many times have people seen managers bypass the rep and go direct to non union part time members to establish a non-agreed procedure -the rep can pass it up the line and what?

Same in my place divided work force and lower union members what a s**t agreement thanks HQ Thanks a lot................

[dropbag_clone]

You haven't mentioned the rep once in your post,have you one?

Well what can I say about the rep? As far as I know the rep has never been voted into position, more of an inheritance appointment. After the last long term rep retired nobody wanted to stand for it, a ‘fair play’ representative evolved, and over a period of time became the rep. The DOM doesn’t like to tell the staff too much (and I have a feeling that the part timers – arriving later in the morning- get told nothing at all).

Are WTL sessions supposed to involve the part timers?

The rep also shares this approach to information. I cannot remember the last time we had any kind of group update away from the floor. The rep would have the ear of a small cabal of staff, whose priority is to shape the office by looking after themselves first.

Changes are announced not discussed. I don’t know where we are up to with the major revision we signed up for. Dates on the calendar are penciled in, plans ditched and further dates circled, only to fade away as we get nearer to them.

The staff appears demoralized with the level of involvement reduced to a shrug of the shoulder and a fatalistic belief that the changes will be bought in no matter what our opinions are.

More Saturdays off...? In our office more chance of a lead duck taking wing and flying south for the winter.

[stokes11eg]

I Think Big B should do a whistle stop tour round the offices and explain all to everyone! this would surely clear up any confusion! ha ha