Walk Sequencing CWU Brief

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Walk Sequencing

CWU Brief


http://www.cwu.org/uploads/documents/po ... gdec05.ppt
The slide show presents us with some facts.

It is not intended to frighten people but is an honest exchange of information. It is important that we are all aware of Royal Mails plans for the future.

Slide 2

The trial originated in just the Mail Centre to test if the ‘Legacy’ equipment was capable of sequencing the mail. The trial showed that it could so we moved into the 2 phases indicated in the slide.

Slides 3 – 7

The next few slides are a bit Janet and John but they illustrate in a very simple fashion the differences between the current manual sorting, Postcode sequenced and Delivery point sequenced mail (Walk Sequenced). The intention of course is that when mail is walk sequenced you do not put it into the prep frame.

Slide 8

This slide shows some interesting statistics especially the accuracy of the sequenced mail at 93% and the level of Delivery Point sequenced mail at 73%. All the incorrect sequencing is down to the poor maintenance of the Aplus system. This will be vital in any future Walk Sequencing of mail. In Holland the system is updated every 2 weeks, in the States it is done everyday. Any changes to the delivery route or the number of delivery points can be input into the Aplus system and immediately downloaded into the sort plans of the automation equipment to maintain accuracy and quality.

It is also worrying to note that in the trial 25% of the prep time was removed this is on top of an almost total reduction in IPS.

A saving grace at this point in time is that Royal Mail does not have Flat sorting machines and if and when they do they will not be able to walk sequence so this element of manual handling will remain. (Initially?)

But there are already machines with this capability in the States. The US postal administration has just ordered 500 of them, and they are also looking to develop a machine capable of sequencing ordinary letter mail and flats at the same time.

Slide 10

In slide 10 Savings potential – currently 68% of all Royal Mail operational costs are associated with delivery indoor and outdoor with by far the largest element being the outdoor. It is does not take too much to see why they see a savings potential in delivery.

Slides 14

The pink card in slide 14 is in the sequenced mail and indicates the presence of a redirection. Very simple process to follow and minimises mistakes.

Slide 15

This shows the revised RM2000 frame without any wings. Some believe that walk sequencing machines will not be able to fit into delivery offices. When you consider the massive reduction in IPS frames and the reduced size of the prep frame you can start to see how the machines can be accommodated into existing buildings – by creating space. Also in the Induction & Coaching trial Royal Mail have down played the significance of IPS they have been very low key on this aspect, this could be due to the probability that IPS as we know it will almost disappear and for the element that does remain existing experienced employees will be sufficient to carry this out.

Slide 18

Siemens and Solystic are the machines that will be tested in the trial sites. Solystic are in use in Holland which was part of the reason for the visit to Holland.

Slide 22

This one of the machines we saw in a delivery office in Holland. The machine uses about 20 selections but they can be adapted for up to 27. It takes this machine between 30 minutes and 50 minutes to walk sequence deliveries dependent upon the number of selections of course. The time taken also depends upon the volume of mail on any given day. The operator said on average it was about 40 to 50 minutes to sequence 20.

The red cards indicate the redirections. The green cards indicate the start and end of a delivery route, and the yellow cards correspond with a selection on the prep frame. In Holland they use impact fittings to sort the flats to each of the selections which are then merged with the letter mail. The yellows can also be used to single out a particular part of a walk such as a block of flats.

Slide 23

This machine is sited in the MC, when not dealing with outward it sequences inward firms’ deliveries. It has 120 selections either side and is staffed by 3 people. There are machines in existence far bigger than this with up to 500 selections. Royal Mail believe they only need 100 selections on a 1 pass system to process outward mail in the future.

Slide 25

Walk Sequencing can sequence the mail in any order required to suit the individual performing the delivery. It can be done 2 to 100, or 100 to 2, or 2 to 50 and then 100 to 52. This can be done overnight and down loaded into the sort plan via Aplus.

Slide 27

These are some of Royal Mails initial views; they are not necessarily the views of the CWU. This will be part of the negotiating process. tthe only thing we can definitely agree at this point in time is the reference to delivery equipment.

Slide 28

This is Royal Mails timeline which is currently on course. It is possible that the end date could move forward to 2009 but this would obviously depend on a number of influencing factors such as investment and deployment, and of course the negotiations with the CWU.

Slide 29

There to deliberately confuse for effect. People ask why a football ground. This is a delivery depot in Holland. The changing room is the delivery unit.

Slide 33

The fillets are removable so when 4 deliveries have been completed they are taken out and a fresh set inserted. They are all colour coded, so you can prep the black walk then the red walk etc. This enables the frame to be used for as many walks as is required, obviously creating the space to accommodate the machines.

Slide 35

The full timers are in the main the ones who were in situ prior to all the change. They are the ones who prep the deliveries and do firms and special deliveries.

The small contracts (15 hours max) allow management to flex hours up. It means they do not have to negotiate hours down as they have staffed to the minimum.

Slide 36

Pensioners tend to be former Post persons who have either taken evr due to the changes that have taken place or they have bought their hours down and now just do a delivery.

The 16 - 18 year olds tend to be students who perform a delivery in their break from college or on their days off. There is no apprenticeship scheme.

Slide 38

This is a record of the conversation Bob Gibson had with one of the Housewives performing a delivery, who has a 7.5 hour contract.


Slide 40

D2D has become a critical component in the discussions regarding the future delivery structure. It is obvious that it can play a major part in protecting jobs - especially full time jobs. Our members’ perception of D2D must change. This is a growth area as mailsort is replaced in some cases by D2D. The competition sees this area as the access route to them performing deliveries. CD Ltd (Circular Distributors) is owned by TNT the Dutch Post Office the only ones so far who have openly stated their intention to deliver mail in the UK.

Slide 41

The trolley on the right is already in trial sites being overseen by the Walk Design Group. Weight on Delivery is already an issue that we have to deal with, with or without an increase in D2D.

The Union now has a responsibility to deal with this and get the best deal possible for all of its members.

The support of our members and activists is vital if we are going to achieve improvements in our members’ terms and conditions and if we are to minimise job loss and maximise full time jobs.

[Tman]

Even worse is how good the iLSMs are. The introduction has been put back due to the unexpected potential impact on hours/jobs and the need to negotiate further changes.

As the cliche goes, "be afraid, be very afraid......."

[BELIAL]

Yeah love that frame

[Tman]

"Frame"?

Those pithy witticisms become so pithy as to be inpenetrable at times, although I'm sure you know what you're trying to say.
I've been wrong before though..........

[BELIAL]

It's what you prep letters into in a Royal Mail delivery office so you get them in the correct sequence,so that when you put a rubber band(please pm me if you are unfamiliar with elasticated ties) around a manageable or efficiently practical number of aforementioned letters/mail items(some are really heavy)they mostly correspond to the required order of delivery.
"whats a frame" "

[Tman]

It's a different world for you blokes, that's for sure.

Now tell me the link between the latest automation and sorting frames..if there's one....

[BELIAL]

Click on the link and read the document, all should become clear

[Tman]

Click on the link and read the document, all should become clear

Thanks, now I see what you're on about.

[BELIAL]

No problem

[24601]

"All the incorrect sequencing is down to the poor maintenance of the Aplus system"

Absolute rubbish.The machine can't handle items with poorly printed codes,the codes have to be perfect,items such as stuff from British Gas which has the code printed over the logo are rejected,a lot of stuff arrives from the mail centre "out of plan" which mans it is labelled for the wrong batch,the list goes on and on.

That one statement at the top proves what we have been saying for nearly 2 years,nobody is listening to the input by the machine operators.

[24601]

I've just downloaded and read the presentation - NATIONAL BRIEFING DECEMBER 2005 - is that right 2005 ????

If it is a lot has happened in the last 3 years and this document is hardly relevent

[Tman]

Absolute rubbish.The machine can't handle items with poorly printed codes,the codes have to be perfect,items such as stuff from British Gas which has the code printed over the logo are rejected

But that goes for all automated mail items passing through all machines. There is an allowable percentage of machine rejects purely because of the unavoidable problems (+ others) you mention.



,

a lot of stuff arrives from the mail centre "out of plan" which mans it is labelled for the wrong batch,the list goes on and on

.

That happens in MCs too, where operators process the "wrong" twill. It's human error rather than machine error though.

[libertinecarlos]

How much prep time does w/s mail save? is there an agreed or stated by cwu amount of time? doing a revision so interested to compare with iwt or agreed time and actual!