I know the news came as a shock to many people but we need to act quickly if we are to try and influence the implementation of the move from a Benefit Delivery Centre to a Contact Centre.
PCS will try and fight this decision at national level (local management were no more involved in deciding this than we were) and we at local level need to highlight our hopes, fears and problems so we can try and sort them out.
Thank you to everyone who took part in the meetings on Wednesday. The issues highlighted are recorded below.
Everyone has a chance to comment on this blog so if you have any further issues or just wish to comment or let off steam please post a comment.
Please remember that this is a public forum, particularly if you post from a work PC.
Our issues:
1. Health Issues - what happens to those with health issues who cannot do phones ?
2. FTA - What is their position next week and long term in CCD ?
3. Surpluses - eventually there may be some who will take these members ? Especially as other business units in DWP and OGD's cutting headcount
4. BDC Leicester is large building can take up to 600 staff only 270 envisaged for CCD - will partners such as CMEC and Local service be pushed out to make a 'super CCD' with 600+ staff at some stage - what will happen to the other regional CCD's in Lincoln and Derby ?
5. Band C's mainly team leaders in CCD - what happens to appeals EO's ? Will those who do not want to team lead be declared surplus ?
6. Role of Band A's - less needed in CCD's job uncertainty - this is also same in othe parts of DWP so limited scope for transfer.
7. European CC Award - means little to members as pay not reflected by this award DWP lowest paid as usual.
8. Role for Social Fund on site in future ?
9. Will it be 8 till 8 like pension centres in near future ?
10 Need to know breakdown of staff by grade for new CCD, need to know training program for CCD.
11. RECIPE Role - handling any surplus DWP and OGD
12. Due to current pressures - management unlikely to release to other parts of DWP so members stuck in CCD.
13. Why spend money training on processing now if becoming CCD staff ?
14. Stress / uncertainty - need counselling / stress risk assessments.
15. Voluntary transfers - at members expense cannot afford as other regional BFD's will be expensive to travel to at own expense and if care issues not feasible anyway.
16. Not long enough to absorb significance of announcement should have been longer lead in to help members adjust.
17. Why not voluntary ? Some may prefer phones it should not be imposed.
18. BFD processors will sit tight 'as no one likes phones' there will be little turnover so less scope for transfer.
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It seems most of the BDC's that are changing to CC's are from cities with a high population of ethnic minority as well as a large number black members of staff.
ReplyDeleteIt is normal practise to do an equality impact analysis of any major change such as this one.
ReplyDeletePCS will need to ensure that this is done, if it has not been done already.
Having said that I would not regard it as a victory if a different centre were to be chosen instead of Leicester. That would just be nimbyism.
If management were to insist on a change surely a better solution would be a CC & a BDC on the same site so staff could move from one to the other.
And while we are at it let's have real joined up government by having a single Jobcentre Plus rather than 3 directorates with their empire building rivalries and petty jealousies.
I live in hope (but not much).