css machines

[col456xyz]

we have just been informed our 2 css machines are going to be moved to another office 5 miles away.
our rep said she new nothing about it but would not appose the move.
we only found out because it was mentioned in a brief to staff at the other office by their rep.
we feel betrayed by the union and why are we paying subs.
we need help to take this further and need advice please.
it may well be too late as planners are already at work.
if this happens my card is in the bin.

[pinstripe]

we have just been informed our 2 css machines are going to be moved to another office 5 miles away.
our rep said she new nothing about it but would not appose the move.
we only found out because it was mentioned in a brief to staff at the other office by their rep.
we feel betrayed by the union and why are we paying subs.
we need help to take this further and need advice please.
it may well be too late as planners are already at work.
if this happens my card is in the bin.

You're lucky, ours are meant to be going to the mail centre that was closed down when Medway opened. IF we get the opportunity to go with them, it will be an extra hour traveling each way, otherwise we could end up being reserves, in another office, maybe VR.

[jmcg]

clearly your rep is very poor indeed, as it is only affecting 2 of you do not expect too much support...good luck with taking it further, i actually thought these css duties would be a pretty safe option but obviously i was wrong!

[dvbuk55]

The CSS machines was an innovation from years ago and the plans for installation accordingly - with less work at mail centres I feel there may well be a move out of delivery offices and knowing the unions less than enthusiastic protection for delivery staff I don't see any chance of a determined fight to defend the moves. In truth I feel that the shift patterns may well be over generous and over manned and that could well be a factor in deciding to look at the dispersal again.

[SpacePhoenix]

I think eventually where space allows I think the CSS machines will all be moved back into MCs as it'll mean RM don't loose time with engineers having to travel between MCs and the MPUs. At the very least where there are multiple MPUs in an area covered by a MC they may well look to move them all into a single building.

[glenfiddich]

yes our 3 machines are going to be moved to the mail centre when processing ceases leaving us room to get a couple of subs in for p&l paving the way to close more rural post offices me thinks

[dvbuk55]

yes our 3 machines are going to be moved to the mail centre when processing ceases leaving us room to get a couple of subs in for p&l paving the way to close more rural post offices me thinks

It seems to be a never ending round of change for change sake, no sooner is one plan instigated than its changed for another and usually the changes are for the worse.

[clashcityrocker]

we have just been informed our 2 css machines are going to be moved to another office 5 miles away.
our rep said she new nothing about it but would not appose the move.

The decisions about installation and removal of CSS machines are taken far above the level of a unit rep.
They should have been kept in the loop but I don't really think there is anything they could do about it.
Can you come up with a viable business plan that will allow your office to keep the CSS machines where they are?
Being a rep doesn't give you a magic wand to say just say no and expect it to have any influence.

[Budfrog]

The whole philosophy of having MPUs served by MCs who subsequently serve satellite DOs as well as their own DO has always been a bit of a puzzle to me, particularly with falling letter volumes. In logistic terms it would make far more sense to sequence all the mail at the MC end and run it out to each unit rather than the two legs needed for the satellite units and this is on top of the aforementioned engineering support issues.The main reason that MPUs were developed was a lack of space at the parent MC for the CSS machines themselves but with falling volumes there is more capacity on iLSMs (and LSMs) and so it makes sense to move the processing back to the MCs.

What bothers me is the lack of foresight shown by RM, they had a plan for the roll out of CSS machines which was rigidly adhered to and the last machines were only installed only 12 months ago. There was very little re-visiting of the mail volumes/capacities during the course of the project and it makes you wonder what on earth the national planners were actually doing. They were more interested in following PRINCE project management techniques, which they didn't do very well either, than getting things right first time.

There are quite a number of Mail Centre staff (mainly Ex Mech) who chose to become CSS operators in MPUs with the promise that it was a job for the future and hence would take them through a few more years. These people are now quite correctly part of deliveries, however if the CSS machines are relocated to the parent mail centre they may well find themselves as delivery OPGs if they are not allowed to follow the machines.

[clashcityrocker]

What bothers me is the lack of foresight shown by RM.

No real surprise there though.

[Budfrog]

What bothers me is the lack of foresight shown by RM.

No real surprise there though.

Why give up the habits of a lifetime ...

[Tman]

The main reason that MPUs were developed was a lack of space at the parent MC for the CSS machines themselves.

I think it was more down to RM knowing that the actual delivery of mail through front doors would always fall to RM as there was no profit to be had in employing an additional XXX thousands of delivery people for TNT etc, so other postal operators and mailing houses would be able to deliver an area's mail straight to the MPU and leave the local MC to do the O/W etc.
The best example of RM "not seeing it coming" is the CSSs at Newport IoW DO, where the ferries don't run all night anymore...