LTB 420/19 - Letter Automation Strategy - CSS Machine Removal Programme

[TrueBlueTerrier]

LTB 420/19 - Letter Automation Strategy - CSS Machine Removal Programme

No: 420/2019

8th July 2019

For the Immediate Attention of All:

Postal Branches

Divisional Representative



Dear Colleagues

Letter Automation Strategy – CSS Machine Removal Programme

Both departments continue to receive reports from Branches and Divisions on proposals in the field for CSS machine removals from MPU’s. In some cases these proposals involve changes to mails presentation and sequencing levels to the point that sequenced mail on Wave 2 could be replaced by walksort or even batch sort solutions. In our opinion this flies in the face of previous business policy with regard to sequencing levels and indeed National agreements.

Within our respective forums we have informed the business that we do not believe that this activity could be described as Business as Usual and that matters relating to future automation strategy and the location and utilisation of machines across the Mail Centre and MPU estate are an integral part of the Strategic Review of the Operational Pipeline defined in Section 14 of the Guiding Principles agreement. It is the non-adherence to the commitments in Section 14 of our agreement which has in large part led to the current Point of Principle disagreement between the company and the Union.

Clearly letter decline will be a factor in any agreed strategy going forward. However much like the Parcel Strategy announced by Royal Mail at their Capital Markets day, the CWU expect to be fully involved in the development of future operational design rather than have the business thinking forced through as a “fait accompli”.

We have therefore written to the business requesting that all current activity in this area is ceased until such time as proposals on any National strategy have been presented to the CWU, cross functionally in line with the commitments in the Guiding Principles and that agreement has been reached on an onward process.

We would therefore request that where proposals are received for CSS machine removals that they are brought to the attention of the respective departments and that they are entered into the IR Framework on the basis that the strategy is proper to National consultation and agreement in line with National agreement.

Any enquiries in relation to this LTB should be addressed to Davie Robertson, Assistant Secretary, email: dwyatt@cwu.org or shayman@cwu.org quoting reference number: 712.02.

or

Outdoor Department, email: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org quoting reference number: 540.

Davie Robertson – Assistant Secretary

Mark Baulch – Assistant Secretary

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[SpacePhoenix]

More sequencing to be done on iLSMs/IMPs instead of CSS machines?

[postman_jack]

I our MC has been sending our second wave of mech unsequenced for a while now to the DO's. Basically the second wave is just like the old walksorted stuff we used to have. So I believe this is what this LTB refers to. The processing reps in the MC are now going through IR framework to get all mech mail back to being walk sequenced.

[SpacePhoenix]

I our MC has been sending our second wave of mech unsequenced for a while now to the DO's. Basically the second wave is just like the old walksorted stuff we used to have. So I believe this is what this LTB refers to. The processing reps in the MC are now going through IR framework to get all mech mail back to being walk sequenced.

AFAIK it's been going walk sort on wave 2 because DOs want their work in earlier. For it to all go back to being sequenced on wave 2, DOs would have to back to having their work in later

[Binsey]

Yep just as I have been saying.

A save face with all this for the Union will be a hour of the working week.

[Celgar]

Do you think this is another sign that RM are looking to pull out of the letters side of the business at the earliest possible opportunity? I realise they have things like the USO, public opinion, & politicians standing in their way but I think RM may be starting to give up on the future of letters.

[Celgar]

Yep just as I have been saying.

A save face with all this for the Union will be a hour of the working week.

Not seeing how giving us less time to complete the same job paints the union in a good light or makes posties happy. I do see how it makes more stress and ****** us off.

[Tman]

Do you think this is another sign that RM are looking to pull out of the letters side of the business at the earliest possible opportunity?.

More prosaic than that, it's just bowing to the consequences of the inexorable decline in letter traffic. No point in keeping machines which are never going to be economically justifiable ever again.

[SpacePhoenix]

Do you think this is another sign that RM are looking to pull out of the letters side of the business at the earliest possible opportunity? I realise they have things like the USO, public opinion, & politicians standing in their way but I think RM may be starting to give up on the future of letters.

Unless there was an alternative company that could deliver letters anywhere i cna't see the government allowing RM to completely pull out of the letters market, unless they split RM into two companies, one doing letters, flats and d2d and the other being parcels (including Tracked and SDs), with probably Parcelfroce merged into it

I think that ALL batches on wave 2 going walksort only is a possibility

[daveyeff]

I our MC has been sending our second wave of mech unsequenced for a while now to the DO's. Basically the second wave is just like the old walksorted stuff we used to have. So I believe this is what this LTB refers to. The processing reps in the MC are now going through IR framework to get all mech mail back to being walk sequenced.

AFAIK it's been going walk sort on wave 2 because DOs want their work in earlier. For it to all go back to being sequenced on wave 2, DOs would have to back to having their work in later

well we aren't getting out any sooner as a result of getting it walk sorted we are taking longer.

[SpacePhoenix]

I our MC has been sending our second wave of mech unsequenced for a while now to the DO's. Basically the second wave is just like the old walksorted stuff we used to have. So I believe this is what this LTB refers to. The processing reps in the MC are now going through IR framework to get all mech mail back to being walk sequenced.

AFAIK it's been going walk sort on wave 2 because DOs want their work in earlier. For it to all go back to being sequenced on wave 2, DOs would have to back to having their work in later

well we aren't getting out any sooner as a result of getting it walk sorted we are taking longer.

Some DOs the staff were apparently sat down waiting for 2-3 hours for their wave 2 sequenced to come through. With the amount of wave 2 mail these days by sending it out to the DO as walksort they get out a lot sooner

[Binsey]

I our MC has been sending our second wave of mech unsequenced for a while now to the DO's. Basically the second wave is just like the old walksorted stuff we used to have. So I believe this is what this LTB refers to. The processing reps in the MC are now going through IR framework to get all mech mail back to being walk sequenced.

AFAIK it's been going walk sort on wave 2 because DOs want their work in earlier. For it to all go back to being sequenced on wave 2, DOs would have to back to having their work in later

well we aren't getting out any sooner as a result of getting it walk sorted we are taking longer.

Some DOs the staff were apparently sat down waiting for 2-3 hours for their wave 2 sequenced to come through. With the amount of wave 2 mail these days by sending it out to the DO as walksort they get out a lot sooner

It will be worksorted on Imps and iLSMs. Like it was pre- 2007/8

[SpacePhoenix]

I our MC has been sending our second wave of mech unsequenced for a while now to the DO's. Basically the second wave is just like the old walksorted stuff we used to have. So I believe this is what this LTB refers to. The processing reps in the MC are now going through IR framework to get all mech mail back to being walk sequenced.

AFAIK it's been going walk sort on wave 2 because DOs want their work in earlier. For it to all go back to being sequenced on wave 2, DOs would have to back to having their work in later

well we aren't getting out any sooner as a result of getting it walk sorted we are taking longer.

Some DOs the staff were apparently sat down waiting for 2-3 hours for their wave 2 sequenced to come through. With the amount of wave 2 mail these days by sending it out to the DO as walksort they get out a lot sooner

It will be worksorted on Imps and iLSMs. Like it was pre- 2007/8

That'll be the dispatches being made later then (and possibly a lot more manual for some DOs)

[endofdays1982]

how many machinists will lose their jobs?

[97gaz]

[