POSTAL NEWS
No 21-2021
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
1. DeJoy: This recovery in our mail delivery efforts speaks to the dedication of our postal employees. March 19, 2021.
2. Bringg’s delivery hub sees 11-fold growth within 12 months. March 18, 2021.
3. American Rescue Plan Act: Update on Emergency Federal Employee Leave (EFEL). March 18, 2021.
4. Posti's emissions fell by 37 percent, according to a newly published sustainability report. March17, 2021.
5. Rakuten to sell 8% stake to Japan Post in Amazon battle. March 12, 2021.
1. DeJoy: This recovery in our mail delivery efforts speaks to the dedication of our postal employees
March 19, 2021 The U.S. Postal Service announced today strong improvements in mail delivery service performance across all categories and regions as its third-party- operated air network and mail and package processing and delivery operations continued to stabilize from a historic peak holiday season and severe February storms throughout the country.
For the week of March 6 through March 12, 2021, overall service performance recovered to pre-holiday levels with First-Class Mail reaching 83.69 % of the Post Service’s national performance standard of one-to-three-day delivery. Mailing of Marketing Materials (90.84 % ) and Periodicals (77.64 % ) rebounded to levels of service performance on par with Postal Service deliveries before last year’s record-breaking peak holiday season, from mid-November through mid-January.
“This recovery in our mail delivery efforts speaks to the dedication of our Postal employees as they overcame crippling winter storms and the impact of COVID-19,” said
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
2
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. “While we have much more room for improvement, I am proud of the courage and determination our USPS team have shown as they’ve delivered for the American people and worked toward achieving a consistent level of service excellence.”
Following an unprecedented three-week impact on the air network due to the February 13-17 winter storm, which crippled regions of the country, the Postal Service focused on network stabilization to help address First Class Mail delays. The resulting air network backlog has now been cleared. The Postal Service expects continued and sustained improvement in mail delivery performance moving forward.
Additionally, the Postmaster General and the USPS Leadership Team have been working on a 10-year plan to address service performance challenges. As Postal Service data and numerous OIG reports have repeatedly shown, over the past eight years, the Postal Service has chronically failed to meet service performance targets. Details on the plan, which focuses on service excellence and financial sustainability, are forthcoming.
Source : https://postandparcel.info/135331/news/post
2. Bringg’s delivery hub sees 11-fold growth within 12 months
March 18, 2021
Delivery and fulfillment cloud platform provider Bringg has announced that its Delivery Hub experienced 11-fold growth across key retail verticals in North America, Europe and South America over the past 12 months.
Bringg’s Delivery Hub enables brick-and-mortar retailers and delivery providers to access a common platform that not only allows access to the delivery resources available in the market, but coordinates to improve performance and efficiency for both sides. Synchronizing delivery, driver arrival and retail operations means less congestion, fewer delays and faster, more reliable delivery and returns, according to the company.
“The global pandemic has created a clear demand for retailers to optimize their delivery models, and this most often means working effectively with multiple providers,” said Niko Avrutov, VP of alliances at Bringg. “The Delivery Hub now includes almost 40 fleets, with access to approximately eight million local delivery drivers. The growth of this movement proves that the retail industry is coming together to provide better solutions to retailers and shoppers. We are thrilled to continue to expand our offering and in turn improve customer experiences when demand for delivery continues to increase.”
The Delivery Hub enables retailers to select and manage new fleets as demand requires, without the need to build or maintain integrations. They are able to implement and deploy
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
3
delivery options faster, brand deliveries to match the same brand feel that consumers would see in-store, easily measure and automate performance, scale up delivery and create cost and operational efficiencies.
“Now more than ever before, retailers are using their physical retail footprints to offer better pickup and rapid, convenient delivery,” said Avrutov. “As consumers continue to expect and demand delivery options that are reliable and flexible, retailers need to prioritize their strategies for meeting these expectations while also optimizing efficiencies.”
Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news/delivery
3. American Rescue Plan Act: Update on Emergency Federal Employee Leave (EFEL)
March 18, 2021
Multiple questions have been submitted regarding the recently passed stimulus bill known as the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). Under section Title IV Section 4001 of the bill, funding for Emergency Federal Employee Leave (EFEL) was appropriated. The APWU is monitoring all developments regarding EFEL and will continue to share information as it is received.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is responsible for administering the fund and issuing the guidelines on this new leave. How this leave will be implemented government-wide will not be known until OPM issues the regulations and guidelines.
However, this is what is known:
• All Postal Employees, career or non-career, qualify for EFEL
• $570,000,000 has been allotted for payment of EFEL government-wide.
• Employees can utilize up to 600 hours of EFEL in total.
• The law allows these 600 hours to be used through September 30, 2021 or until the fund is depleted—whichever comes first.
• There are 8 qualifying reasons to utilize this leave if unable to work due to a COVID-19 related reason:
1. Is subject to a Federal, State, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19.
2. has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19.
3. is caring for an individual who is subject to such an order as in (1) or has been so advised as in (2).
4. is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis.
5. is caring for the employee’s son or daughter if the school or place of care of the son or daughter has been closed, requires or makes optional a virtual learning instruction model, requires or makes optional a hybrid of in-person and virtual learning instruction models, or if the child-care provider of the son or daughter is unavailable, due to COVID-19 precautions.
6. is experiencing any other substantially similar condition.
7. is caring for a family member with a mental or physical disability or who is 55 years of age or older and incapable of self-care, without regard to whether another individual other than the employee is available to care for such family
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
4
member, if the place of care for such family member is closed or the direct care provider is unavailable due to COVID-19. 8. is obtaining immunization (vaccination) related to COVID-19 or is recovering from any injury, disability, illness, or condition related to such immunization.
• Pay is at the employee’s normal rate of hourly pay, up to a maximum of $2,800 per pay period.
• NTFT, PTF, PTR, and PSEs weekly hours paid will be based upon the average numbers the employee worked the 26-pay periods prior to the leave being taken up to a maximum of 40 hours a week.
• Employees will not earn credit towards retirement, retirement contributions, contribute to TSP, or receive TSP matching funds on hours paid under the EFEL.
The Postal Service has sent out a communication to management on EFEL and the current method to request the leave and how it is to be coded in TACS.
According to Management’s initial communication employees should submit a PS Form 3971 and indicate they are requesting EFEL on the form. Employees must identify which of the 8 qualifying conditions they qualify under for the leave. Postal management is to code the leave under TACS code 086-21. The Postal Service informed the APWU that this code was made available in TACS on March 17, 2021, at 8:00 CDT.
The Postal Service is taking the position that qualifying reasons number 1 does not apply to postal employees as they are not subject to Federal, State, or local quarantine/isolation orders related to COVID-19. Also, there has not been “any other substantially similar condition” identified at this time that would qualify under number 6.
In an update provided to President Mark Dimondstein the afternoon of March 18, 2021, the Postal Service informed him that they are awaiting further clarification from OPM on the implementation, documentation, and other items related to the usage of EFEL. OPM has instructed all government agencies including the Postal Service not to issue their own official permanent policies until the OPM issued guidance is released. It is anticipated that the OPM guidance will be released sometime during the week of March 22, 2021. If the Postal Service issues any additional interim guidance prior to the OPM guidance being released, the APWU will share the interim guidance after an initial review.
Source : https://apwu.org/news
4. Posti's emissions fell by 37 percent, according to a newly published sustainability report
March 17, 2021
Posti has today published its annual sustainability report. The report shows, among other things, that the company's own emissions fell by 14 percent last year. The previous long-term emissions goal was exceeded, as the reduction relative to net sales was 37 percent. The report also explains how occupational safety developed despite increased parcel volumes due to the corona.
Posti Group Oyj published its sustainability report today, describing how the company has promoted its goals in the areas of economic, social, and environmental responsibility
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
5
during the reporting year. As in previous years, the report's frame of reference is the international Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
Posti's previous long-term emissions goal was to reduce total emissions in Finland in proportion to net sales by 30 percent compared to the level of 2007 by 2020. We exceeded the target, as the reduction relative to net sales was 37 percent. In absolute terms, emissions decreased by 34 percent compared to 2007, with the reduction amounting to 71,000 tons.
"We have been reporting our emissions openly since the beginning of the 21st century and have been actively working to reduce them. We launched our first environmental program in the late 1990s, and we currently have the most ambitious emissions goal in the logistics industry and a clear roadmap for achieving that goal," says Head of Sustainability Noomi Jägerhorn. "Also, we have compensated our emissions for mail delivery since 2011 and all Finnish operations since 2015."
Posti's current goal is to reduce its own emissions to zero by 2030. Progress towards the target has been good, as emissions decreased by 14% last year compared to the previous year.
Emissions were reduced by, among other things, the introduction of renewable diesel in Posti's own parcel transports, the increased use of electric vehicles, the acquisition of Finland's most extensive heavy truck equipment powered by renewable diesel, and the transition to renewable electricity in those sites where it had not yet been done.
The scale of operations is illustrated by the fact that Posti employees visit the door of three million homes or businesses every day. The company delivered more than 64 million packages last year.
In total, the company drove about four million kilometers with renewable fuels last year. In mail delivery, electricity already reaches almost 40 percent of households.
During 2020, Posti committed to the Science Based Targets initiative to ensure that all our targets align with the latest climate science.
Responsibility even stronger at the heart of the business
"Our updated strategy, announced at the beginning of the year, as well as our purpose, place responsibility even more strongly at the core of the business," says Jägerhorn. "We have also updated our sustainability program. In addition to the environment, its second priority is the well-being of our people. We want all Posti employees to be able to be proud of their postal service and the work they do."
The increased importance of sustainability is also highlighted by the fact that Posti's emissions target is one of the meters company uses to reward its top management.
The corona situation required a special focus on occupational safety issues throughout the company, especially in sorting, transport, and deliveries. At the heart of all operations is the safety of staff and customers. The parcel business saw a significant increase in volumes from the beginning of 2020 due to the exceptional situation.
Despite the exceptional year, the entire company's accident rate decreased by 13% from the previous year. All in all, Posti has coped well with the challenges of the corona epidemic so far.
Source : https://www.posti.com/en/media/media-news/2021
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
6
5. Rakuten to sell 8% stake to Japan Post in Amazon battle
March 12, 2021
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese e-commerce firm Rakuten Inc said on Friday it would sell an 8.32% stake to postal and banking giant Japan Post Holdings Co Ltd, deepening a logistics tie-up in the face of competition from rivals such as Amazon.com Inc.
Rakuten, which plunged to an operating loss in 2020, is under pressure on multiple fronts as it battles Amazon in e-commerce and takes on Japan’s cash-rich telcos with its own mobile network.
“Rakuten is the best partner for us, as it has advanced digital technology,” Japan Post Holdings Chief Executive Hiroya Masuda told a news conference.
Friday’s deal makes Japan Post Holdings the biggest shareholder in Rakuten outside the founding Mikitani family, and is part of a 242-billion-yen ($2.2-billion) share sale to companies including Tencent and Walmart.
A former state-owned utility that was later privatised, Japan Post Holdings has a presence on almost all Japanese high streets, with its postal unit having around 24,000 post offices nationwide.
“As tech giants grow in power we’re combining our strength,” said Rakuten’s chief executive, Hiroshi Mikitani.
This month, chat app operator Line merged with SoftBank’s internet business Yahoo Japan in a deal first announced in 2019.
Shares of both Rakuten and Japan Post rose in afternoon trade in Tokyo after Reuters and other media reported the tie-up.
Image Frame Investment, a unit of Chinese tech giant Tencent, will take 3.65% in Rakuten through third-party allotment, with Walmart also to buy shares.
Last year Rakuten acquired a 20% stake in Walmart’s Japanese supermarket unit. It has had a partnership with the unit, Seiyu, since 2018.
Source : https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-post-rakuten
POSTAL NEWS
No 22-2021
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
1. Arrival to make UPS electric vans in US$41m Charlotte micro-factory. March 19, 2021.
2. Norway Post has been named Norway's most sustainable logistics company. March 18, 2021.
3. Is home delivery in Poland dead? March 17, 2021.
4. Incoherent safety measures putting DHL workers in “danger”, CWU warns. March 16, 2021.
5. India Post in talks for global Speed Post delivery via DHL. March 15, 2021.
1. Arrival to make UPS electric vans in US$41m Charlotte micro-factory
March 19, 2021
Electric vehicle manufacturer Arrival will invest over US$41m in a new micro-factory in Charlotte, North Carolina, to produce zero-emission vans for UPS and other fleet operators.
The UK-based startup’s second US micro-factory will be built in West Charlotte, near Charlotte Douglas International Airport, and is due to begin production by Q3 2022, creating more than 250 new jobs in the area.
The modern production center will be able to assemble up to 10,000 electric delivery vans each year, many of which are expected to enter UPS’s North American fleet as part of the post’s commitment to purchase up to 10,000 vehicles from Arrival in the USA and Europe.
Luke Wake, vice president of maintenance and engineering, UPS Corporate Automotive, commented, “We’re excited by this significant milestone that will enable UPS to
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
2
economically deploy electric vehicles throughout our global operations at an increasing pace.
“At UPS, we’re laser focused on finding operational efficiencies. Establishing factories that can quickly serve both the European and North American markets is a masterful use of logistics. We can’t wait to see UPS’s new electric vehicles roll out of this factory, as this is one of many paths UPS is taking to reduce its CO2 emissions.”
Arrival’s first two micro-factories, in Bicester, UK, and Rock Hill, south Carolina, are due to go into operation this year.
Michael Ableson, CEO, Arrival Automotive, said, “Our newest micro-factory will be producing two different classes of EV vans for our US customers, expanding the zero-emissions options for fleet operators and accelerating the mass adoption of electric vehicles.”
Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news/delivery
2. Norway Post has been named Norway's most sustainable logistics company
March 18, 2021
Today, Europe's largest brand study on sustainability, the Sustainable Brand Index, is published and Norway Post is the brand in the packaging and logistics industry that Norwegians perceive to be the most sustainable. Bring comes in second place. Norway Post is in sixth place among all brands that Norwegians perceive as most sustainable. .
Norway Post is part of Norwegians' everyday lives and it is very gratifying that the work we do to create positive values for the environment and society is noticed.
This is motivating for our further sustainability work, says Tone Wille who is CEO of Norway Post.
Norway Post is also the logistics company that comes out best in the selection in the Sustainable Brand Index overall ranking when looking at the results in the Nordic countries.
In Norway, Posten comes in 6th place out of 254 brands, in Sweden PostNord in 145th place out of 390 brands, while in Finland Posi comes in 71st place out of 212 brands.
Source : https://www.postennorge.no/presse/arkiv/3083080
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
3
3. Is home delivery in Poland dead?
March 17, 2021
Poczta Polska (Polish Post) has announced a new partnership with health and beauty retailer Hebe for delivery of online orders.
What’s interesting about this deal is that it primarily focuses on out-of-home delivery, rather than residential delivery.
Poczta Polska will deliver Hebe parcels using its Pocztex Ekspres 24 courier service. This is the fastest delivery provided by Poczta Polska.
Orders will be delivered to the selected collection point. In the longer term, Poczta Polska will offer Hebe customers a residential delivery option.
Poczta Polska and its partner networks provide over 13,000 locations throughout the country. The network includes post offices, Żabka stores, Ruch kiosks, Biedronka grocery chain stores, Orlen petrol stations and parcel lockers.
Customers shopping at Hebe’s online store have a range of delivery options open to them, including:
• Click-and-collect at one of Hebe’s 250 stores – which offers collection in as little as two hours
• Residential delivery via carriers including DHL, GLS and DPD (2 – 3 days)
• Express super-fast courier delivery for some city addresses in two hours
• Delivery to InPost’s network of over 11,000 parcel lockers across Poland
The Polish Post deal seems to be aimed at creating more delivery options for Hebe shoppers who live outside Poland’s main population centres.
Hebe is creating a wide range of delivery options for its customers, from super-fast home delivery or click-and-collect, through to economic out-of-home delivery.
Source : http://www.thepostalhub.com/blog
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
4
4. Incoherent safety measures putting DHL workers in “danger”, CWU warns
March 16, 2021
DHL’s workers and customers have been put under “unnecessary danger” after the company allowed a manager with flu-like symptoms to return without taking necessary measures, the Communication Workers Union has claimed.
Large numbers of workers at DHL Parcel UK’s depot on the Trafford Park industrial estate in Manchester have been off work sick with Covid.
They believe this is down to a manager who had flu-like symptoms, but returned to work without taking the mandatory self-isolation period off, or getting a coronavirus test.
Concerned workers raised the matter at a works meeting but were told that the shift manager was “confident” he didn’t have Covid-19.
This is despite the manager having come into close contact with another shift manager who had tested positive – and, sadly, has since died from the virus.
Furthermore, over a third of workers at DHL Trafford Park have tested positive for the virus since the manager returned, prompting the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to be called in to examine how to implement measures to protect employees.
This also includes numerous van drivers, who come into direct contact with DHL customers when delivering parcels and goods.
Additionally, managers told workers that if they take time off for a Covid-19 test, they would only receive their pay if the test came back positive. However, once the instant of workplace infections became clear, they u-turned and implemented workplace testing.
The CWU has previously written to the company’s HR Director, Sarah Maddox, raising concerns over the removal of Covid-related absences from the Company’s Sickness Absence Policy and contractual Sick Pay process (effective from 1st July 2020).
Nerijus Pangonis, a CWU Rep at DHL Parcel UK’s Coventry hub said: “DHL workers aren’t paid for Covid isolation.
“As key workers, DHL staff are at an increased risk of contracting the virus and the company should be making it as easy as possible for them to isolate when necessary.”
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
5
CWU Greater Manchester Central Branch Secretary Jim McNicholls said: “Unfortunately, this worrying development is not completely unexpected.
“Throughout the pandemic, DHL Parcels have continued to operate a ‘business as usual’ approach, even though their policy decisions impact the spread of the virus.
“It is simply wrong and is putting employees and customers in unnecessary danger.”
The CWU’s concerns have been echoed by Trafford Labour councillor Mike Cordingley, who sits on Trafford Council’s public health committee. Cllr Cordingley said: “DHL is a multinational company that has benefited massively from the pandemic because of the increase in online sales.
“It is an absolute disgrace that they have failed to protect their staff, and potentially their customers, in this way.”
CWU General Secretary Dave Ward, alongside Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, Trafford Council leader Andrew Western and local MP Kate Green have all written to DHL Parcels UK CEO Peter Fuller to raise their concerns over the lack of any nationally applied policy.
Source : https://www.cwu.org/news
5. India Post in talks for global Speed Post delivery via DHL
March 15, 2021
Looking at increasing revenue from mail services, India Post is in advanced discussions with global logistics firm DHL to deliver Speed Post to all countries, said a senior official.
“We want to have more Speed Post and increase revenue,” said Pradipta Kumar Bisoi, Secretary, Department of Posts. “We are tying up with DHL and in the final stage of discussions with them,” he added. Currently, India Post delivers Speed Post to about 100 countries, and aims to deliver worldwide with the tie-up.
India Post’s total revenues from Speed Post declined to ₹1,002.75 crore in the current financial year up to December due to the impact of COVID-19. This amount was ₹1,764 crore in the comparative period of 2019-20, ₹1,922 crore in 2018-19, ₹1,829.80 in 2017-18 and ₹1,783 crore in 2016-17.
“This tie-up will make tracking also easy for the consumers. Now also we provide tracking services for mails, but we are dependent on the receiving country,” Mr. Bisoi said.
“DHL will be able to provide live tracking... we will book postage and hand it over to them,” he added.
The department, which currently gets a majority of its revenue from banking and related services, is also working to compete with private players for e-commerce deliveries in big cities.
“In rural and remote areas, we still have an upper hand, but in big cities it is difficult for us to compete because of very low charges by private players.We are looking at ways to compete with them,” Mr. Bisoi said.
As per the annual report for 2020-21, India Post targets to achieve 10% revenue market share by 2024 in the domestic courier, express and parcel sector, wherein “growth of e-
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
6
commerce has created enormous opportunities for the department.”
It also intended to increase parcel handling capacity to 24 crore per annum as against 9.68 crore per annum as of December 31, 2020.
Additionally, the department’s total revenues, including remuneration from savings bank and savings certificate work, stood at ₹8,539.43 crore for the April-December 2020 period. Of this, over ₹6,200 crore is remuneration from savings bank and savings certificate work, while the remaining ₹2,300 crore is from postal operations. In contrast, the department’s revenue expenditure during the period stood at ₹22,661.71 crore, resulting in a loss of ₹14,122.28 crore for the first three quarters of the year.
Mr. Bisoi said that while posts were badly hit during the pandemic, from October they were seeing normal levels of business. India Posts also started its road transport network amid suspension of rail and air services during COVID-19. “A dedicated nationwide road transport network for shipment of essential items, especially ventilators, medicines, testing kits etc, was operationalised using our existing fleet of vehicles,” he said.
About 3,700 tonnes of essential items in 7.5 lakh bags were transported during the lockdown period (April 24, 2020-May 31, 2020) through this network.
Source : https://www.thehindu.com/business