Imaging and Printing Service (IPS) Review
BRANCH CONSULTATION RESPONSE
MAY 10
Loss of Imaging and Printing Services
will impact on service delivery
The formation of one team
In essence this proposal makes sense, to have a seamless process
from decision to print but there are concerns whether the duties
and job descriptions involved fall within the remit of the current
incumbents.
Staff are concerned about the moving of duties from one person
to another with corresponding changes to grades, either up or
down. Staff felt that the workshops were not clear in their aims.
Staff engaged fully believing the problems they shared would be
resolved to make the service better for the themselves and their
customers. They indicated they were not aware that the information
they gave would create the situation that is being proposed where
some staff may lose their positions and others would lose the
grade of the post and suffer financially.
The closure of Gordon House
This will have a massive impact on the ability to produce documents
in house, at short notice and on time. This is a service valued
highly by the services that use it and the loss will impact on
their ability to communicate with their clients and staff.
Woodhill House is already pushed to capacity and they will have
little ability to pick up the additional work created by the closure
of Gordon House. The staff involved in the IPS Review believe
that the decision to close Gordon House has already been made
and feel their comments and that of the customers will not change
the outcome.
Although the customer focused approach is a sensible and logical
way to proceed, concerns have been raised as to the process of
creating this team. The 2 posts of Customer Liaison Officer and
Assistant have been created by taking duties from other workers.
Some of these staff are not included in the Review or Consultation.
Staff feel excluded
The staff not included in the Review feel excluded and disenfranchised
from a process that fundamentally affects their post and duties
as detailed in their job descriptions. Others feel that the removal
of Customer Liaison from their roles removes them from the understanding
of what the Customer actually wants, losing the face to face nature
of the job and creating a production line with no reference to
the customer and their wants.
All staff are deeply disturbed by the loss of posts from Imaging
and Printing, as staff are hard working and dedicated and all
report being pushed to the limit at present.
Staff rely on their incomes to live, the potential of being out
of a job is horrific to most and all feel disillusioned and undervalued.
The thought of having to carry out the same or a greater workload
for less money is also an insult to these dedicated staff.
The staff believe that from the beginning the purpose of the
review was to save money not to create a better imaging and printing
service. There is a perception from some staff that there have
been deliberate moves to enhance posts for some people they believe
are likely to get the job and for the others they feel their posts
have been devalued.
This the formal response from UNISON about the IPS Review based
on comments received throughout the Consultation period.
Inez Teece
Assistant Secretary
top
|