CSS Operation - Success or Failure

[Budfrog]

Just wondered what CSS Operators feel about thier jobs, MPU or Mail Centre based.

Have the duty structures been deployed well and is enough in place concerning contingencies should mail arrive late etc etc. Do the Mail Centres respond to feedback about mail presentation and do MPU managers show enough of an intrest? Is performance feedback pitched about right and do operators feel that there is enough appreciation of how much work a CSS is night after night.

What could have been done better ?

[ACACIA45]

Only get letters from DOM when things don't go well or when he does speak to us its what went wrong last night NEVER praise. The three of us regular operators believe that we are like Millwall no one likes us but we don't care .
Always moaning delivery staff moaning about the time they get the second wave even when its 20 minutes early
But we have yet to go to park and loop and full revision so can't wait for the moaning then
But still happy with job its better than get soaked, putting up with the public and all the other crap.

[Budfrog]

In terms of the CSS Operation Royal Mail have been fortunate to have a good pool of committed OPGs who have often been left to manage themselves in sometimes difficult circumstances. In terms of the workload requirements of the job itself this is often understated by senior managers who have no experience of running a machine themselves - it is a job where you need to be physically fit and mentally aware not only of the machine itself but wider issues of workplan and distribution.

In terms of deployment there were good and bad offices as well as regional variances. Whilst attempting to follow a standard approach to project management (PRINCE) key setups of duty structures and workplans were not issued with everyone trying to invent the wheel at the same time. The same can be said of contingency plans and service level agreements - so really the national team did not provide the required support and thats why today there is little standardisation.

In terms of CWU many of the local/area reps actively assisted the regional project teams as did the safety reps. One area that did fall down quite badly was selection and recruitment where some DOMs deviated from the nationally agreed process.

As a key process in the pipeline RM needs to provide ongoing support to MPUs and not just the knee jerk reactions when things go pear shape. MPU managers and DOMs need to change their approach and be proactive rather than reactive and start to take on board operators' thoughts and concerns.

[BettySwollocks]

Just wondered what CSS Operators feel about thier jobs, MPU or Mail Centre based.

Have the duty structures been deployed well and is enough in place concerning contingencies should mail arrive late etc etc. Do the Mail Centres respond to feedback about mail presentation and do MPU managers show enough of an intrest? Is performance feedback pitched about right and do operators feel that there is enough appreciation of how much work a CSS is night after night.

What could have been done better ?

On the whole, I much prefer doing nights on CSS than being on delivery, especially after park and loop was introduced,
my relationship with my gaffer when i was a postie was (to put it mildly) strained, mainly because i would fight my corner unlike most of the sheep that i work with,
now that i work nights, she thinks the sun shines out of my arse, i'm fast, and quite good at what i do,
i honestley believe if i didn't go onto nights, she would have found a way to sack me by now.

No there isn't enough in place concerning contingencies should mail arrive late, we are told under no circumstances should mail just be walksorted, it has to be sequenced

Mail centres don't seem to respond to feedback at all, because, regular mistakes such as letters being bar coded on the rear of letter, mis-labeled trays, massive amounts of wrong postcode in trays (for instance, if i'm sequencing for an area which includes NW 1,2,3, i get 70 letters for SW13, happens very, very regular, and these have an impact on our OEE even though it's no fault of ours.

our managers to be fair, do express an interest in what we do, and make a point of coming to us to ask how our night was as soon as they walk in,
i do feel my managers appreciate the effort i make as the DOM worked for a few weeks on the machines when they first came in and knows the effort required, her understudy, has also experience working ILSM's or suchlike.

It can be hard work, and if u are in a small unit with people u don't really get on with, it's frikkin' torture,
but to be able to work without having daily arguments and confrontations with the gaffer is a huge burden lifted,
no way would i go back to delivery.

[Budfrog]

if i'm sequencing for an area which includes NW 1,2,3, i get 70 letters for SW13, happens very, very regular, and these have an impact on our OEE even though it's no fault of ours.

You must be at Camden a unit the mangement were literally shitting themselves would be a great deal of hassle but has turned out to perform really well ...

[BettySwollocks]

if i'm sequencing for an area which includes NW 1,2,3, i get 70 letters for SW13, happens very, very regular, and these have an impact on our OEE even though it's no fault of ours.

You must be at Camden a unit the mangement were literally shitting themselves would be a great deal of hassle but has turned out to perform really well ...

I'm miles away from there.....
i put random postcodes to avoid anyone working out who i was.

[Budfrog]

if i'm sequencing for an area which includes NW 1,2,3, i get 70 letters for SW13, happens very, very regular, and these have an impact on our OEE even though it's no fault of ours.

You must be at Camden a unit the mangement were literally shitting themselves would be a great deal of hassle but has turned out to perform really well ...

I'm miles away from there.....
i put random postcodes to avoid anyone working out who i was.

My comment about Camden are still valid ... good crew of CSS, just shows how disconnected RM mangement are :(