MANUAL MODULAR FRAMES DISPUTE
2005

The introduction of Manual Modular Frames in Mail Centres has been done incompetently. The poor Managers and Team Leaders saw it as another opportunity to demonstrate their role in the "master/servant" environment that exists in their minds.

Unrealistic sort rates, arbitrary disciplinary action and health and safety issues soon attracted the attention on the workers union, and a campaign was mounted by CEPU to find sensible, safe and realistic standards for MMF workers.

• 20-05-06 MMF: COMCARE REPORT UPSETS POST
  The Comcare report concluded that Post beached its duty of care under section 16(1) of the OH&S Act in that it contravened the risk assessment and risk control regulations of the Manual Handling Regulations. Post is contesting the validity of the Comcare report and has requested a meeting between senior representatives of Post and Comcare. So far the issues raised by us in relation to sort rates have been substantiated by the Comcare report. The conclusion of the Post challenge to the Comcare report will result in 1 of 3 outcomes, either the Comcare report stays the same, the report is amended or Comcare issues a compliance notice. If Comcare issues a compliance notice it is likely that Post will appeal such an order.

• 20-05-06 MMF: AIRC ACTION UNDER WAY
  In the AIRC on 26 April, Post requested that the proceedings be adjourned until Post resolves all its issues related to manual sort rates with Comcare. We argued that the Post letter to Comcare contesting the report and requesting another meeting added nothing further to what had already been presented to Comcare and that the Commission now had information from independent experts and therefore should proceed to deal with the issue of sort rates. The Commission accepted that the Comcare report must be resolved prior to further proceedings on sort rates. However, the Commission also informed the parties that it was not ruling out that some issues related to the manual modular frames e.g. harassment of employees to achieve sort rates could be dealt with while the Post/Comcare process is being finalised.

• 20-05-06 MMF: SWIPE CARDS
  Post informed the Commission that the generic swipe card system had not been successful and that it intended to implement individual swipe cards. Post reiterated previous assurances that individual swipe cards in the manual sort area does not provide data on individual mail officers sorting performance, that data collected would not be used at the individual level and that there is no linkage between information from the swipe card and team score cards. Swipe card documentation provided previously to the Commission by Post makes it clear that the system will not be used to monitor individual performance or movements as these are management or supervisory issues. This means individuals should not swipe in and out for personal time such as going to the toilet, tea or meal breaks.

• 20-05-06 MMF: AIRC WARNS POST
  We put the argument that the introduction of individual swipe cards was unjustified and that the generic swipe card system had not been properly trialed. The Commissioner informed Post that if individual swipe cards were used to monitor individual performance then the Commission would deal with this in the strongest possible terms.

• 20-05-06 MMF: PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

  In relation to performance assessment and review, we expressed the view that the ongoing monitoring of employees on the floor without their knowledge was unfair of itself, let alone against a sort rate that has not as yet been properly risk assessed. Complaints of unfair treatment in relation to working in MMF area should be raised with us, so that they can be pursued in the Commission if necessary.

  In reply to management's advice, we have advised management that the CEPU cannot agree to their arbitrary wish to require our members who worked on the MMF to `swipe in and out'. The CEPU has also advised management that the MMF elements, which includes the use of swipe cards, are matters currently still "in dispute".

  The Comcare investigation report found that Post has contravened the Manual Handling Regulations by not following an acceptable risk assessment for sort rates on the MMFs, specifically: MMF risk assessment was conducted in non-operational conditions and assumptions were not verified.

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