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management matters
Page 96
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continued from page 93 recorders to describe operations was new to me, though the system is becoming extensively used in the engineering and other industries. Some practitioners of MTM claim that 50 per cent savings are possible by its use.
What is exciting at Bristol is that the team of eight tape analysts—largely recruited internally from repair craftsmen—and four senior staff recruited externally, will not be run down when their maintenance work study stint is over. They will be employed, says Mr Butcher, on many other facets of the business. A draft model agreement accepting the introduction of work study has been accepted by both sides and it is hoped that the maintenance scheme will be in operation by July 1.
A by-product of work study at Bristol Omnibus is the overhaul of the internal communications system. There had been an informal, ad hoc system "used when a fire broke out" said Mr Butcher. There was now a works council designed to meet threemonthly, but meeting monthly currently, depot councils, for the outlying maintenance establishments, a joint council, associating the central repair works and depots, and a working party dealing with specific application problems. Internal public relations via notice boards and the staff magazine had improved and interworks visits had been arranged in the region to compare experience with colleagues at Western National. The foremen in the two NBC companies were getting together, for it was recognized that first line supervision was of crucial importance.
• Morale fostered
Mr Butcher is delighted that six out of eight of the tape analysts were found internally, One, a bus driver, had demonstrated ambition by taking a computer programmer's course. Another, a wages clerk, had previously failed a university exam. Staff morale is clearly fostered if promotion opportunities in an exciting, innovatory field, are open to all ranks. The Bristol work study. exercise can be likened to the proverbial character who sought to lift himself by his own bootstraps. If you exploit available talents you can do just that.
All tape analysts involved with the application of MTM-2 are qualified by examination following short courses run by the MTM Association. The use of a simple work measurement shorthand and a £25 portable tape recorder offers the prospect of greater efficiency rewarded by higher pay for all transport employees. The MTM system will be dealt with in more detail in a further article.