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Checkout training

Started by bornfree, 21-03-22, 06:02PM

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bornfree

 Can anyone point me towards where it says people who worked before 2005 cannot be forced to be till-trained?Thank you in advance

Nomad

https://www.verylittlehelps.com/index.php?topic=6656.msg9580#msg9580

The above is on VLH, however it is not new.  Best option is to contact union for verification, unless somebody knows of better option.
Nomad ( Forum Admin )
It's better to be up in arms than down on your knees.

kaled78

several of the pre 2005 staff who escape checkouts,were made to train as .com pickers instead,some refused and went to the union only to be told the 2005 agreement only covers checkouts,not other departments as well

madness

If checkouts could stand on their own two feet for once instead of using the store staff all the time the shops would all be alot better.

FarmerFred

Checkout manning is supposed to rely on store staff for handling peaks, otherwise you end up with far too many checkout staff sitting on their backsides doing sfa for extended periods. Other departments' hours are based on a percentage of department time being used for multi-skill calls to checkouts or dot com. Up the manning levels on checkouts and department other hours will be cut to compensate. 

lucgeo

Quote from: kaled78 on 21-03-22, 08:41PM
several of the pre 2005 staff who escape checkouts,were made to train as .com pickers instead,some refused and went to the union only to be told the 2005 agreement only covers checkouts,not other departments as well

Yes, plus some stores are also stating the self serve checkouts are not covered under the 2005 agreement, as they weren't in situ at the time.
The agreement was because checkout staff were, at the time, in a higher band than shop floor colleagues. They did try a system that the shop floor colleagues could claim a higher rate for every straight  ?30 mins? they were on checkouts, but it all went pear shape when the runners and managers started taking them off a few mins before, then calling them back almost immediately  :-X

Quote from: FarmerFred on 22-03-22, 08:13AM
Checkout manning is supposed to rely on store staff for handling peaks, otherwise you end up with far too many checkout staff sitting on their backsides doing sfa for extended periods. Other departments' hours are based on a percentage of department time being used for multi-skill calls to checkouts or dot com. Up the manning levels on checkouts and department other hours will be cut to compensate. 

In theory...but in practice the % hours allocated for cover from other depts no way reflects the actual time spent covering checkouts! Some spend the majority of their shift supporting checkouts, being left on whilst the manager sends their staff for their breaks! The shop floor managers are constantly at loggerheads with the checkout manager, but it falls on deaf ears as the SM always prioritises the IDQ measurements to protect there Brucie bonus!
Live for today. Learn from yesterday.

barafear

Keep up to date Lucego (I know you've left) - IDQ no longer in use - no doubt the replacement has a brucie bonus attached.

Actually. I might be misquoting - the one-in-front policy is no longer in place. It's now a "timed wait" - based upon the fact/belief that more and more customers are doing smaller shops - so in reality there's no point opening a new till if there are two people in front of you with basket-loads rather than trolley loads.

FarmerFred

Every minute that a colleague is signed into a checkout is logged and that information feeds into a whole range of analyses that will feed back into things like heatmap/rhrp etc., there's even data produced to highlight if particular departments or colleagues are being unfairly targeted for multi-skill assistance. In the same way consistently having high idle levels will generate red flags.

barafear

in terms of checkouts, being signed on or not signed on seems to be a bit of a mystery to me - sometimes, team leaders/managers will tell you to stay signed on - sometimes even if you're off the till doing something else (bit of rumbling, collecting baskets etc.) - other times, they'll tell you to sign off if you haven't got any customers to reduce your idle time - it all seems to be at a whim - or more accurately based on the current running "IDQ score". I'd quite happily reduce my idle time to near zero by not being signed on unless I am actually serving/scanning.

I've been at Tesco too long to try to understand any new ruses they come up with - but ultimately, it creates a very uneven playing field if GAs are pressurised/castigated for supposedly failing to meet spurious targets that only affect the pocket of managers. Yes, I understand in a way it could affect the "hours on the dept" -but as per another thread on here about checkout hours will always be kept at a level which can be supported by shop floor at peaks of busyness - the only way that "hours" will affect most cashiers is if they are "reliant" on "extra hours/overtime" which is a whole new ball game - and opens up that argument of "if you need 30+ hours a week" to survice financially, you're better off looking for a job that offers this as a contract and not keep playing the game of being on a 15 hour flexi contract with the hope/expectation that you will always get the extra hours on days/hours that suit you.

We all know on here that the flexibilty is heavily in favour of Tesco.

FarmerFred

The "system" will have a target level of manning & if the manning level isn't achieved then it's a black mark regardless of whether those tills are idle or not. As for being signed on... if you are not at the till ready to serve a customer then you should not remain signed in - ever! If anything goes wrong then you will be thrown under the bus for leaving the till signed in/insecure.

barafear

Asked my manager on my last shift (the team leaders were in cash office or otherwise engaged) - checkout manager running the front end - anyway - poor English - but I needed the toilet (been on the till for more than two hours since returning from my break, our store is running at about 30 degrees plus! - so lots of drinking - and then the need to relieve ) - anyway, any other time I just "jump off till on my own accord - and let team support know of course, I always sign off and lock my till/security tag - this time, the manager closed my gate - told me to be quick but told me in no uncertain terms to remain logged on - as the "queue length figures were bad" !!!

as I say, I really cannot see how the system can accurately calculate what the right hours/times for checkouts should be - there are so many variables!!

As an example, there are some cashiers who will offer help to every customer - to the extent that it encourages customers to just stand back and let the cashier get on with scanning their shopping and also packing their bags - and normally under instruction/supervision from the customer as to how to pack their bags!!

Bottom line:

Whilst more efficient/less helpful cashiers might serve 5 customers in 15 mins - the helpful cashier struggles to serve 3. (in this example I'm assuming similar customers/similar number of items etc).

Some cashiers will like a nice chat with customers - ultimately, I cannot see how any system can properly account for these variables and more -

It's got to be an element of trial and error - if you have too many cashiers on - you can always send them home early/send them onto shopfloor if reqd/etc.

But I'd be surprised if all of us are not experiencing a situation where it is clear that staff numbers are being cut back - or moved onto other sections - we are not a dot com store - but I guess those that are have seen people switched from checkouts and shopfloor -

Retailing or shopping in Tesco is ever revolving - and Tesco can't seem to workout whether they want shoppers in store or online - seemingly the ideal seems to be  the middle ground - which is SAYS - get them to do all the work but also be in shop for those unplanned purchases - which are more difficult online.

Anyway - bit of cross-threading - the wait goes on until we hear how much Tesco are going to increase our pay to - and when!!!
Of course, we all "know" it will be £10 ish....in October/November ish.....


Batmanjo

Quote from: bornfree on 21-03-22, 06:02PM
Can anyone point me towards where it says people who worked before 2005 cannot be forced to be till-trained?Thank you in advance

If you ask your rep, it is in the News from Usdaw under the heading Tesco Multi-Skilling for the agreement of the pay review concerning old Grade B customer assistants and there responsibilities at the time of the 2005 pay review to consider training for and taking on checkout duties, taking on these additional responsibilities is optional. Such staff may be encouraged but NOT COMPELLED to take on checkout duties. So it is optional not forcible. 


Birdseye_007

#12
The 2005 review only covered main bank checkouts I believe not scan as you shop or self scan, as such there's potential to get trained on those sections to relieve a colleague who could then open a main back checkout.

Rumblerumble

That scrapped come October.

Quote from: bornfree on 21-03-22, 06:02PM
Can anyone point me towards where it says people who worked before 2005 cannot be forced to be till-trained?Thank you in advance

fscer

Incorrect. But you can be trained on self sevice.

kaled78

#15
Yes and our store manager said he is going to make sure all pre 2005 staff will be trained on self serve so it releases the women who run it to go on main bank checkouts when it's busy.  Loads of staff in my store have been going to the doctors to get notes to try and excuse them from being multiskilled.

century99

They can also be made to train on dot com as well. Our store are slashing checkout hours because a load of mainbank tills are going and we will only have 8 "normal" tills left. Big expansion to self scan. Checkout staff were basically told your contract hours on checkout have to be cut these are the departments we can offer hours on and it was mostly dot com or petrol. One staff member has been referred to occ health and I suspect they will push her to retire early to be honest (not fair as she is lovely and has been there years and its only recent issues make it hard for her to walk and stand).
I was lucky as I had already been covering an open shift on CSD and any extra hours over there and was flexed up on other areas of front end so my contract is now CSD. In 8 months I have trained on checkouts, SAYS, self scan, petrol, dot com and CSD and sometimes cover the TL on a break so my flexibility means the new market place and way of work suits me. But I can see how tough this is for some of my colleagues and the hit to moral. I have spoken to many, many staff who are applying for other jobs elsewhere as they are so upset by all of the changes. A few are just waiting out retirement in the next few months and are relived to go to be honest. A few younger staff who were kept on after Christmas have been given notice rather than being made permanent, all good workers but hours being slashed everywhere. This is also upsetting staff and there is a creeping feeling of just do enough to get through the day as Tesco don't give a c**p so why should we.


tescopleb

 I get the impression that despite talk of 16 hour contracts what they really want is a casual work force it can use and abuse to its hearts content. Lets upset all the cashiers, get rid of the older ones who can't work on the shop floor and call it natural wastage when they all leave. Mind you I don't imagine they expected to be landed with the amount of OH referrals they have - something I suspect they might not have anticipated and may well regret. Usdaw really should be holding them to account for this but as usual are posted missing. From the days of Iain Maclaurin and even Terrys early years, it's been a rapid drop back to the bottom.
.
 

Hibobhi

Your 100% right, in my dotcom there's loads of overtime as much as you want, but as soon as the students come back overtime is slashed and the students get all the hours, and since most people nowadays in Tesco work less than 16 hours contract they get shafted, I'm lucky that I'm still contracted full time

Redshoes

It's very, very hard to get ill health early retirement. OH tend to suggest changes to shift patterns and light duties. The reality of retail is not much is classed as light duties. Slabs of beer, big boxes of carbonated drinks are not light. Checkouts is seen as light duties by many but they have to scan heavy items.
The reality is that the stores that have run very heavy on hours will have bigger movements as there will not be the overtime to support. The hours may all be in the wrong place, as most stores seem to run light in the evenings and many colleagues don't or won't work peek weekend hours you end up with no overtime for when you need it and extra staff in during times that they are not really needed. People like school hours, I get it. I understand the life work balance but it's retail. If the shift pattern you do is more important than the role you perform you may need to move roles. If the role you do is more important than the shift pattern you may need to change hours. It does not have to be big changes either way, it might be for a few but again that depends on store.
At the end of the day Gloria who has been on checkouts for 35 years and is 5 years off retirement but has health issues is not going to be a lot of use filling juice but she many manage a bit of health and beauty in quiet times on the tills but if the shop floor has the choice of her or Joan who is of same age but fit and healthy and regularly picks up overtime in all areas of the store they are going to select Joan. I suspect a lot of checkout support to shop floor help with be rumble. Unless the store is hugely over hours on checkouts they will not be spared away from tills for long.
On the other side of things the shop floor colleagues have to tick three boxes the same as everyone else. They have to serve, pick and fill. Serving on checkouts, self service or scan as you shop are the options. Out of the three the checkouts is the easiest option. Sometimes customers turn up at tills as if a bus has arrived. If enough reliefs turn up it's minimal time on a till. Self service and scan as you shop can be very busy, looking after multiple tills rather than one. No cash on the majority of these tills but there are more complex interventions to deal with.

tescopleb

#20
I would agree that checkouts isn't light duties but by going down this road they are asking for trouble. What may work in an Aldi or even an Express isn't going to work in an Extra and they are potentially leaving themselves open to yet another discrimination case. I know some brilliant female grocery workers but would you ask them to work slabs of beer or carbonated drinks?- personally I wouldn't - not because the can't but simply because that's why nightshift staff to be battle hardened guys. It's horses for courses. So, going forward are they going to employ only strong men types? In my opinion it all goes back to the top - you talk about stores being over hours - I get that, my store is HOWEVER if you ask a frustrated customer who has walked from Grocery to GM on a busy Saturday afternoon just to find a member of staff, that question then I suspect you would get a very different answer. The problem isn't old Gladys on a checkout or even bolshie Vlad P types it's those at HO who have no idea how to run the business let alone make money.
 

thor god of thunder

Quote from: tescopleb on 20-05-22, 03:12PM
I get the impression that despite talk of 16 hour contracts what they really want is a casual work force it can use and abuse to its hearts content. Lets upset all the cashiers, get rid of the older ones who can't work on the shop floor and call it natural wastage when they all leave. Mind you I don't imagine they expected to be landed with the amount of OH referrals they have - something I suspect they might not have anticipated and may well regret. Usdaw really should be holding them to account for this but as usual are posted missing. From the days of Iain Maclaurin and even Terrys early years, it's been a rapid drop back to the bottom.
.

the whole 16 hour thing is utter nonsense. I think if it was to really benefit staff you would say all staff should be allowed full shifts(7.5 hours) on a contract. 16 hours but remember they want your availability 50% more then this....just means your on call all the time. I won't be setting my availability any wider then my current contract.

you are correct its a good bonus and stealthy way of pushing older/long serving staff out. it gets said a lot about staff getting till trained but how many checkout staff are going to happily got filling pop? then when they refused and get around it which is inevitable there will be a massive divide created. its pretty soul destroying as it is its only going to be worse.....let the games begin.

lucgeo

A lot of checkout staff are fit and able and would love the opportunity to go fill on shop floor, for a change of scenery. Trouble is as soon as they get off, they're promptly called back, as all shop floor colleagues for red calls can testify!

So if there are to be less manned checkouts, those unable to work the floor will be covering the checkouts, and breaks etc. many are happy to get off to fill and tidy the ends opposite the checkouts, which are mainly high value for tagging, sweets, hair accessories or other light goods, as it breaks the monotony of the day.

Many of the shop floor colleagues enjoy the spontaneity of their job, and detest being stuck on a checkout, whilst they're own dept is left running behind!

It's all well & good having everyone able to do everything, it does make sense, but the hour allowance is against it from the get go...after all the faffing about of RHRP over the years, just goes to show it's always been about cutting hours not having people RHRP!! All that's ever happened after each RHRP initiative, is each dept has lost hours, but the training and flexibility hasn't materialised, because they haven't been trained, the team managers start arguing amongst themselves, treating the GA's like pawns.  The only consistent training has been checkouts, but no effort for GA's to train on other depts, learn to use the PDA's, read them on each function and give them the opportunity to work and learn on other depts!

They made a big thing a few years back on changing the badges and contracts to remove the specific dept for all to become a customer assistant to support the store...yet the checkout GA's aren't given the same opportunity, they are suffering a detriment under that same contract!
Live for today. Learn from yesterday.

viperex

Need some advice on this also i have worked 4 years for Tesco and work 30hrs on Produce . I have never once been called on checkouts or self service as when i joined Tesco and in the interview , they did ask me as there anything i would like to mention and i stated i Do Not touch alcohol and since i have been with them NEVER asked to go down there. Busy enough on my own department and dont mind helping other like dairy, meat , bakery even trolleys . what options do i have ? As if there gonna force me with deffo look for other job 

lucgeo

 8-) There's your answer  8-)

You told them in your interview you don't handle alcohol, and they employed you knowing that from the outset!
The fact they have never requested you support checkouts or BWS would appear to verify they are still aware of this.
Live for today. Learn from yesterday.

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