Calling All Css Operators

[fishtank]

Sequencing mail for Tuesday delivery is,in most cases a waste of time and money.
The savings in prep time from less than a full tray of sequenced mail per delivery are negligible.

[Budfrog]

Another part of the work we do that managers/staff don't appreciate, is that if it's a really quiet day, i'm talking about batches of mail where there are approx 1200 items or less, it is far far harder than dealing with batches 4 times the size, it's virtually impossible to keep the machine fed with that amount or less, i don't try, i admit when i started on nights, i was a "runner", but not anymore,
last night was as above, around 1k per batch, i'd finish a sequence, box up everything upto stacker 16-17 at least, then start next batch,
i'm no spring chicken anymore

The 'light' Mon/Tue is especially difficult to maintain a decent OEE for this reason and walk sorting, if needed, whilst a lot quicker as it is only one pass is simply non-stop.

The workplan and a decent OEE need to be achievable by an average worker its just that some work plans and batch sizes simply allow little contingency for when machines malfunction or the mail arrives late. The worst are the smaller units with 2 machines as when one goes down all of a sudden you have lost 50% of your throughput and are hit with a double wammy of working harder to walksort and a much poorer OEE.

[BettySwollocks]

One of our machines recently suffered 3 breakdowns in 3 days where an engineer was required
and we never walksort, been told in no uncertain terms is that an option !

[Budfrog]

One of our machines recently suffered 3 breakdowns in 3 days where an engineer was required
and we never walksort, been told in no uncertain terms is that an option !

Walksorting is part of your units contingency plan and is the only way that you can hit workplan under certain circumstances, i.e. if traffic is heavy and a machine is out of commission for a long period of time. Whilst it should only be a last resort it is sometimes unavoidable.

[kidderlaar]

Virtually impossible targets, liverpool 6 sacked / suspended, due to manager fiddling figures, nothing new eh,

[BettySwollocks]

Virtually impossible targets, liverpool 6 sacked / suspended, due to manager fiddling figures, nothing new eh,

I thought it was 5, and that they were re-instated ?
or am i thinking of other people

[Budfrog]

One of the main problems with the deployment of the CSS project was that although it was standardised as far as the product based project management side was concerned there was little standardisation between regions on Dutysets, Service Level Agreements, Contingency Plans, End of Shift Reports and the like so basically everyone was trying to invent the wheel at the same time.

There are however national documented SSOW and SOPs which should be followed by all units.

There is a worrying variety of dutysets some of which I believe do not allow enough in terms of contingency for when mail arrives late or there are machine breakdowns. Considering the fact that the vast majority of workplans are quite similar I would have expected a far better steer nationally and even allowing for local wishes it is an area that maybe needs more work. I know of two units within a few miles of each other both running identical workplans through 2 machines, one with 3 operators and one with 4, ludicrous. I have seen operators not take a Meal Relief to get the mail out when things go wrong and there is one word for this ... Illegal !

Mind you the raising of stamp prices to 50p and 60p may help a bit, it fact it may help a bit too much !!!