CSS 1 operator or 2 per shift?

[friely]

We are have a budget cut for 2012-2013 and DOM is trying to cut the 3 full timers down to 1 full time and 2 part time on 19hrs which would mean on a sunday night and monday night there is 1 operator for the full shift is this allowed or should there be 2 for health and safety reasons.We only have 1 css at the moment.

[POSTMAN]

Does this help...
http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 15&t=28505" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Automation Deployment Guidelines

Acting Indoor Secretary Phil Browne presented a document to the PE dealing with the introduction of ILSM’s and Compact Sequencers into mail centres. This covers the rationale for choosing the locations for introducing the machinery, the safety issues in installing them, the success criteria to be achieved, the full involvement of the CWU at all levels and the maintenance of earnings opportunities. The guidelines lay down a minimum level of staffing, which will be one per CSS machine, working for around 2 hours on the machine followed by 2 hours on other associated work. The ILSM’s will have a minimum of 3 operators per machine plus separate porters and staff will rotate around the various roles. The final staffing levels will be subject to local agreement as some mail centres may need more depending on local circumstances. Selection will be as for specialist skills roles under the terms of the Way Forward and initially will be from those already Advanced TPM trained in seniority order. Full training will be given and all staff will receive the TPM allowance. The guide also contains a full description of the agreed TPM tasks for both machines.

[pinstripe]

That would make a mockery of the advertised 2 hours on and 2 hours off which was agreed to prevent fatigue, so a minimum of 2 operators per machine.

I can't believe that a DOM would try to circumvent an agreement.

[Budfrog]

The agreement between RMail and CWU 'recommends' that in a MPU (DO) the operators spend a maximum of 2 Hrs on a CSS followed by at least 20 Mins away from the CSS M/C (Either on other work or a break). For CSS operators in a Mail Centre this is 2 Hrs and then at least 2 Hrs away (there is really no logic to this difference) .

The CSS Planners who set the units up will have followed these guidelines irrespective of which day of the week when the original duties were agreed.

However in terms of health and safety provided an operator takes his relaxation allowance (which is varies according to the type of task) there is nothing to prevent him/her running a machine for a complete attendance.

[BettySwollocks]

The agreement between RMail and CWU 'recommends' that in a MPU (DO) the operators spend a maximum of 2 Hrs on a CSS followed by at least 20 Mins away from the CSS M/C (Either on other work or a break). For CSS operators in a Mail Centre this is 2 Hrs and then at least 2 Hrs away (there is really no logic to this difference) .

I work in a D.O. on CSS machines and once collared my gaffer on this subject, and was told that the reason is because there is far more different types of work in a mail centre than in a D.O,
its far easier to find something else to do

We are have a budget cut for 2012-2013 and DOM is trying to cut the 3 full timers down to 1 full time and 2 part time on 19hrs which would mean on a sunday night and monday night there is 1 operator for the full shift is this allowed or should there be 2 for health and safety reasons.We only have 1 css at the moment.

friely,
Can i ask if u work in a D.O. or a mail centre ?
reason is, is that if u work in a D.O. i presume its a similar set up to ours where u are given the keys to the office and let yourselves in !
security rules state that we (under no circumstances) are allowed to open the gates to the premises (let alone the door to the building) on our own,
failure to comply would no doubt result in dismissal if something happened and we/u were on your own.

[fishtank]

Were there ever deployment guidelines agreed for MPU's?
I know there were for mail centres and that's what POSTMAN quoted but D.O.'s were supposed to be agreed separately.
I'm not sure they were....i might be wrong.

We have also clarified that the Deployment Guidelines for CSS machines in Delivery Units will need to be discussed and agreed separately with Bob Gibson because alternative staffing arrangements may be preferred/necessary due to the difference in the operation, as well as the fact the business may be considering Leadership Allowance for Sequence Operators in some MPUs and a new Grade to maintain CSS machines in Delivery Units.

[Stampy]

1 person per CSS for 2 hours in our MC. They then swap with another person who covers the next 2 hours..... Then the original person comes back on...

This is only on the NIGHT shift..

At all other times there are 2 persons per CSS.


ILSM's there are 3 persons per ILSM on the night shift - 4 on all the other shifts.

[friely]

friely,
Can i ask if u work in a D.O. or a mail centre ?
reason is, is that if u work in a D.O. i presume its a similar set up to ours where u are given the keys to the office and let yourselves in !
security rules state that we (under no circumstances) are allowed to open the gates to the premises (let alone the door to the building) on our own,
failure to comply would no doubt result in dismissal if something happened and we/u were on your own.

I work in a mail centre with a D.O in it as well however the mail centre is to close in a year with us getting up to 3 more CSS .We are all delivery staff no processing staff on our machine at all.When we are not on the CSS we do sorting,putting the mail on the frames off the CSS,the new redirections remove the old and final put the packets away in the callers office we have plenty to do but to DOM does not see it his managers can!!!

[BettySwollocks]

I work in a mail centre with a D.O in it as well however the mail centre is to close in a year with us getting up to 3 more CSS .We are all delivery staff no processing staff on our machine at all.When we are not on the CSS we do sorting,putting the mail on the frames off the CSS,the new redirections remove the old and final put the packets away in the callers office we have plenty to do but to DOM does not see it his managers can!!!

CSS operators are treated no differently to anyone else in RM, it might seem that way to some, but if the DOM can save money in anyway shape or form in that area, trust me, he will do it.
Working to your specific guidelines (health & safety / Safe operating procedures etc) will slow u down, but it both protects you, and helps protect your job (if u have a team of 3, and u show u r "efficient" enough to do it with 2, no prizes for guessing what will happen).

we have plenty to do but to DOM does not see it his managers can!!!

I think u will find selective vision is quite common amongst DOM's, they see what they want to see.

[malstron]

Hi all just a quick qiestion for any CSS operators out there, was there a contract of time on the CSS machines when use took the job ? in my office we were told 18 month MIN and that if the machines moved we could follow them to a nearby office. Now after 10 and a half month Royal mail are sending our work to another office so we have to go back on nornal 5/6 day week as a postman. I have since working part time on the machines have started my own business which I do on my days off as I am P-Time, I started this as Royal mail said I could follow machines when they move. I have spent £12500 to get up and running now they making me choose between business and Royal Mail as they have now changed there mind and are trying to say they said no such thing. All 8 machine operators have said the same thing about 18 month in our office then we follow machines. I do have an Email stating it is a fixed term contract but it doesn't state the lenght of time.

[mattymullings]

2 to a machine is for performance only. how would you sequence all the mail in one night one machine one operator

[thelastpostie]

Does anyone know whether there have been any reduction in the number of CSS operators at any location, be it a mail centre or delivery office?

[pinstripe]

Does anyone know whether there have been any reduction in the number of CSS operators at any location, be it a mail centre or delivery office?

All I know is they are trying. We've had meetings with the DOM where he's tried to push for 3 operators on 2 machines and all manner of "savings".

His latest is a reduction in the SA's attached to the weekend duties from the full 9.45hrs to 7 hours, next will be taking out the entire Sunday night / Monday morning operation.

[thelastpostie]

Does anyone know whether there have been any reduction in the number of CSS operators at any location, be it a mail centre or delivery office?

All I know is they are trying. We've had meetings with the DOM where he's tried to push for 3 operators on 2 machines and all manner of "savings".

His latest is a reduction in the SA's attached to the weekend duties from the full 9.45hrs to 7 hours, next will be taking out the entire Sunday night / Monday morning operation.

So The DOM wants one operator per machine with a floater pinstripe? Are your operators on 4 nighters, any proposed changes affect their times of attendance?

I've heard rumours of ceasing Sunday night/Monday morning operation. This would no doubt result in missing dispatch times in many MPU's.

I spoke with one of the MPU assessor's, who told me that management aren't really concerned about OEE anymore. Having two people per machine allows for high OEE because it allows batches to be turned around quicker.
Seems RM have formed an opinion that clinging to high OEE figures is preventing them from cutting jobs and as long you meet the dispatch times for the offices you sequence mail for they can reduce operators from 3 per machine down to 2. With one person per machine with a floater to assist cleardowns.

[pinstripe]

So The DOM wants one operator per machine with a floater pinstripe? Are your operators on 4 nighters, any proposed changes affect their times of attendance?

I've heard rumours of ceasing Sunday night/Monday morning operation. This would no doubt result in missing dispatch times in many MPU's.

I spoke with one of the MPU assessor's, who told me that management aren't really concerned about OEE anymore. Having two people per machine allows for high OEE because it allows batches to be turned around quicker.
Seems RM have formed an opinion that clinging to high OEE figures is preventing them from cutting jobs and as long you meet the dispatch times for the offices you sequence mail for they can reduce operators from 3 per machine down to 2. With one person per machine with a floater to assist cleardowns.

Yes, that was one scenario he was looking at (hoping for).
we have 4 f/t operators Mon-Thurs Nights, 2 p/t operators Fri and Sun Nights, the other 2 operators are filled by reserves or f/t on S/A. We've managed to hang onto the 4 operators per night, although the Sunday night has been cut back, up till now because of the amount of IPS we do through the night. We explained to the DOM that there would be no IPS done if we only had one person to do the portering while the other 2 operated the machines. As he would have to bring staff in early to do the IPS we would normally do, so the office didn't fail every day, we're still operating as normal. Although, I'd put that down to the efforts of our union rep as opposed to a sensible management decision.

I've heard the same rumors about the Sun/Mon operation, as well as they want all the CSS machines out of the D/O's and back into mail centres, but they're still pushing our OEE figures. We got pulled because we weren't batch sorting the rejects from wave 1, just so they could be rejected again on wave 2.