The purpose of this post is to provide a brief update on some of the issues discussed at a meeting held with Senior DCPU Management on 21st January 2009.
Firstly we welcomed the new (old) managers and congratulated them on their promotions. We asked when promotions would be available for the many, many staff rather than the few. Senior Management declined to answer.
Staffing and Workloads
We asked the employer for their intentions with regard to the shortfalls of staff in terms of headcount across Operations and Helpline, particularly whether those shortfalls would be replaced by any further recruitment to address what we see as increasing workloads and pressures on members. We called upon the employer to look to recruitment and promotion for staff. The response was that there were no recruitment exercises planned but that this may change as a result of the new financial allocations expected shortly.
We reiterated our desire for an increase in staff across the units to address what we see as a lack of capacity and an ongoing reliance on overtime, hit squads and moving work around to address work build up combined with the longstanding closed career paths where promotion boards and advancement appear to be a thing of the past for almost all but a few.
Exportability
The update so far is that there is no further update but one is expected soon, as we have reported previously. Senior Management say there is potential for the creation of a dedicated section with up to 40 to 50 members of staff depending upon how the changes to the law (as to entitlement for those living abroad) is interpreted and implemented. Our concern is that there is a potential for these staff to come from existing units across the unit without being replaced and further stretching an already pressured membership unrealistically which means, again, more work with less staff.
LEAN
We continue to closely monitor Lean and have issued several circulars already. PCS’s view is that Lean means Job Cuts and continues to do so. Anyone who says otherwise should remember that a Team going into Lean with 70 staff will come out with 63 – a 10% cut. Whilst there may be “other” work for these to do at the moment there is no indication just what that work will be.
Attendance Management
In a recent circular we informed members of our success in forcing ex DCS Management to recognise they had been incorrectly implementing important parts of the DWP Attendance Management policy, specifically with regard to the Attendance Management Consideration point and adjustments under the Disability Discrimination act (DDA).
We requested that they should now review all Attendance Management warnings and dismissals between the end of 2007 and the start of this year where there has been an underlying Health issue or where it falls under the DDA criteria due to incorrect guidance that line managers had been given during this period. They declined to do this. This is disappointing as not only will members have been disadvantaged by the incorrect advice given, Senior Management accept no responsibility for putting their errors right.
However, we were given assurances that where we have cases where this may have occurred they will review the cases on an individual basis. PCS invites anyone with an underlying condition or who met the DDA criteria who has been given an Attendance Management warning without an adjustment of their consideration point to contact the Branch Office. Likewise anyone who has had their DDA adjustment to the consideration point removed by their line managers should ask for them to be reinstated.
Finally
We hope you have found this update useful. The Branch is committed to, not only taking your views forward, ensuring you are kept up to date with local issues that affect you in the workplace. It is clear to us, and probably to yourselves, that the DCPUs are straining under the weight of work around and continuing to come in. Our view remains that there are not enough staff to do the job. If you would like further details please let us know.
If you are not a member please consider joining your colleagues protecting your conditions of service.
If you have not yet joined PCS then please consider completing the application form here.
