Aberdeenshire UNISON
       
 
 

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

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