LTB 316.18 - Duty Manager

[TrueBlueTerrier]

LTB 316.18 - Duty Manager

No. 316/2018

Wednesday 6th June 2018

Duty Manager

Dear Colleagues,

Further to the National Joint Statement and deployment of the Duty Manager in February 2018 there has been several functionality, data inputting, and training problems that have made this tool difficult and not fit for purpose to utilize in the field. This report gives representatives an update on the current position on the Duty Manager.

The use of the Duty Manager should increase until there is an agreed replacement/method to undertake any revision activity as a result of the various trials and initiatives associated with the new technologies that are looking at future resourcing, revision and forecasting processes that will form the basis of any new Delivery Agreement.

In giving this update below we have tried not to be too technical but at the same time cover the main issues so reps have an informed view of the situation;

The Duty Manager tool is now the recognised method for enabling a full, planner-led revision in a unit. It has replaced the Duty Builder, which has now been withdrawn from use. Revisions that have progressed with the use of Duty Builder are able to load the file into Duty Manager and this will reproduce the work done thus far. From this point, Duty Manager is able to work in a similar but much speedier way, to produce the new, or even alternative, potential scenario(s). The current version (v039) does now import locally devised rotations that have been imported via Duty Builder/DDS and allows these rotations to be set or amended as agreed in local discussions.

However, the drive to enforce a universal naming convention to fit with the upcoming FMO has caused an issue with the latest version of Duty Manager. As it stands, the latest version will not load a DDS that has duty numbers with spaces/symbols; they must be alpha/numerical only. Duty Builder and MIT with the same issues can be loaded but will display warnings about potential future incompatibility. It has been recognised that this could cause disruption to revisions in units where much of the work has been done in DDS and consequently, there will be an update to Duty Manager which allows a non-compliant DDS to load. This will display the relevant warnings currently applicable to Duty Builder/MIT. It is expected that these errors would be corrected prior to completion of the revision.

It is important that where Duty Manager is used in revision activity representatives should keep a copy on their own computers of the revised DDS which contains the TM1 for reference when undertaking future changes to their duty structure and staffing base. The type and level of training needed for representatives to have sufficient understanding of Duty Manager is under review within the department.

Any queries to the content of the above please contact the Outdoor Department reference 230.03, email address: outdoorsecretary@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Baulch
CWU Assistant Secretary

LTB 316.18 – Duty Manager http://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-byhiiyk-ztkjiuyil-i/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

JS – Duty Manager http://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-byhiiyk-ztkjiuyil-d/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

View Online http://emails.cwu.org/t/d-l-byhiiyk-ztkjiuyil-h/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TheBushBaby]

Don't go near it until the Rep has been trained !