POSTAL NEWS
No 45-2021
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
1. Royal mail plans for ten-fold increase in electric vehicles. June 11, 2021 .
2. Das 110 HCRs Noncompliance Award Issued. June 11, 2021.
3. JD delivery robots arrive in Guangzhou for Covid-19 relief. June 10, 2021.
4. USPS defends slower mail to achieve more reliable delivery. June 09, 2021.
5. Australia Post offsets emissions from 108 million parcels in partnership with Qantas. June 04, 2021.
1. Royal mail plans for ten-fold increase in electric vehicles
June 11, 2021
Royal Mail has announced plans for a ten-fold increase in the number of electric vehicles it uses across its UK fleet.
In a statement issued today (11 June), the company said it is rolling out around 3,000 additional electric vehicles targeting delivery offices in areas focused on ultra-low emission zones and green cities.
Royal Mail said that it already has ‘the lowest reported CO2e emissions per parcel amongst major UK delivery companies’, and the investment announced today is part of its plans to reduce the emissions associated with its operations still further.
The Company will additionally introduce charging points to all the Delivery Offices set to receive the vehicles as part of the plans. The roll out of the vans will initially focus on ultra-low emission zones and green cities.
The vehicles are specially designed to help postmen and women deliver letters and parcels in a secure and environmentally-friendly way. With load capacities ranging from around 3.7m3 to 6.3m3, the vehicles will operate as part of the Company’s usual delivery routes.
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
2
The addition of this latest tranche of electric vehicles brings the total amount of electric vehicles operating within Royal Mail’s fleet to around 3,300.
Simon Thompson, CEO of Royal Mail said: “Due to our feet on the street delivery model, we are the clear leader in low emissions per parcel in the UK. Electrification of our vehicle fleet will strengthen our advantage. That’s good for our customers, our people & the planet. We look forward to working with vehicle manufacturers and government to increase supply so we can accelerate our transition to electric vehicles in the UK. It matters to our customers, and it matters to us.”
The UK’s Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng commented: “I am sure customers will be delighted to know that that while their local postie’s van may be red on the outside, it’s greener than ever at heart. The UK is leading the world in tackling climate change, and action like this from UK businesses will be crucial as we look to build back greener from the pandemic.”
The new roll-out of electric vehicles builds on other recent initiatives by Royal Mail to reduce its carbon footprint.
In May, the Company announced the launch of 29 low emission gas powered trucks, fuelled by Bio-Compressed Natural Gas (Bio-CNG). The 40 tonne Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) are similar in size and look to a conventional Royal Mail truck but are significantly quieter. They also emit roughly 84 per cent less CO2e than a typical diesel-fuelled vehicle of this size.
Also in May, Royal Mail announced the launch of its first ever Delivery Office to feature an all-electric fleet of collection and delivery vehicles.
The Bristol East Central Delivery Office, located in the City’s Easton area, has had its 23 diesel delivery and collection vans replaced by fully electric equivalents – comprising the Office’s entire collection and delivery fleet. Six electric charging posts and 12 charging points have also been installed on the site as part of the transformation.
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
3
Bristol was selected due to the City’s plans for a Clean Air Zone (CAZ), which will require certain vehicles to pay a daily charge to enter its centre. At present, other Delivery Offices across the UK are being considered for similar fleet makeovers in coming months – particularly those in places with existing CAZs, or that have plans to introduce them.
Source : https://postandparcel.info/138518/news
2. Das 110 HCRs Noncompliance Award Issued
June 11, 2021
In August 2016, National Arbitrator Shyam Das issued an arbitration decision sustaining APWU’s case Q06-4Q-C 11182451. In November, the APWU invoked the arbitrator’s retained jurisdiction, complaining that the USPS had not insourced the 110 HCRs into PVS assignments within 6 months (February 2017) as the Award as ordered.
On June 4, 2021, he ruled that the USPS had indeed not complied with his August 2016 decision.
• 74 of the 110 HCR routes had been converted to PVS by the end of 2018.
• Only six additional routes were converted in 2019;
• By November 20, 2021, ninety (90) of the 110 routes had been converted.
During the November hearing, the APWU asked for a monetary remedy and an order requiring the Postal Service to keep all 110 PVS routes as PVS until four years after all 110 routes had been converted from HCR to PVS. Arbitrator Das agreed with the APWU and rejected the Postal Service’s contention that the union acted unreasonably when it rejected some Postal Service initiative attempts that could have adversely affected our members of the bargaining unit.
Das ruled that “...the PVS bargaining unit as a whole has been harmed by the Postal Service’s failure to convert the work at issue as provided for in the 2016 HCR Award and subsequent May 2017 MOU. The evidence may not establish that the Postal Service has acted in bad faith, but it also has not maximized its efforts to comply over a lengthy period of years.”
As a remedy for the Postal Service’s failing to comply with the award, Arbitrator Das ordered the Postal Service to provide the bargaining unit a monetary remedy “based on the number of additional hours that would have been worked on unconverted routes if they had been timely converted during the periods from January 1, 2019 through March 31, 2020, and prospectively, from July 1, 2021 until the conversions are completed.”
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
4
He ordered that “[t]he Union will be responsible for ensuring that the amount so paid is expended for the benefit of PVS employees in the bargaining unit.”
He also ordered the Postal Service to:
• complete conversion of the 110 routes (as soon as reasonably practical);
• provide the union, within 45 days, a timetable for the complete conversion of the 110 routes; and
• comply with the commitments made in the parties’ May 2017 and May 2018 MOUs regarding compliance with the 2016 Award.
“The Das 110 Award has been a significant award for the Motor Vehicle Division, and the Craft officers have been committed with compliance,” said Director Foster. “We will continue to enforce this award and extol the virtues of the MVS Craft.”
Source : https://apwu.org/news
3. JD delivery robots arrive in Guangzhou for Covid-19 relief
June 10, 2021
JD has announced that its autonomous delivery vehicles are now operating in Guangzhou to provide contactless delivery service to districts currently under home quarantine due to new Covid-19 cases. This is the third time JD’s delivery robots have been sent to the frontline for Covid-19 relief efforts, following Wuhan and Shijiazhuang.
“The first robots will be sent to 14 residential compounds in Guanggang (GZ Steel) New Town in Liwan District, ensuring the last-mile delivery for daily necessities,” said Qi Kong, chief scientist and head of autonomous driving at JD Logistics. “Now we are planning for the transportation routes and technology testing.”
During the peak of the pandemic in early 2020, JD quickly allocated the robots in Wuhan for support after just one week of preparation time. The robots traveled over 6,800km and delivered more than 13,000 packages during this time.
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
5
Since its commencement in 2016, JD’s autonomous delivery program has developed from delivery within school campuses to open roads at scale. Powered by high-level autonomous delivery technology, the robot can avoid obstacles automatically, recognize traffic lights and drive automatically without assistance from humans.
Last month, JD became one of the first three enterprises in China to obtain road test license plates for autonomous delivery vehicles. “It will provide more space and opportunities for the industry to grow,” added Kong.
Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news/vehicles-fleet
4. USPS defends slower mail to achieve more reliable delivery
June 09, 2021
The Postal Service’s regulatory agency is in the final stretch of drafting an advisory opinion that, if favorable, would give USPS approval to slow first-class mail delivery standards.
USPS officials told the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) on Wednesday its proposed changes would affect nearly 40% of first-class mail volume, and would go into effect as early as the first quarter of next year.
By widening out first-class mail delivery to four- and five-day delivery in some cases, USPS is looking to cut costs and provide a more consistent level of service — a metric USPS management believes its customers value more than overall speed.
The commission’s opinion, however, isn’t binding, and USPS is free to implement the slower service standards, even if the PRC doesn’t issue a favorable opinion.
PRC Chairman Michael Kubayanda said he expects USPS management will consider the commission’s advisory opinion, regardless of the outcome.
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
6
“The law does not give this commission a veto over operational and service decisions of the Postal Service,” Kubayanda said.
USPS Vice President for Logistics Robert Cintron said the agency’s core focus of the service change is to provide “consistent, reliable [and] predictable service.”
“Being reliable means that if we say three days, four days or five days, that we deliver within that span,” Cintron said.
USPS seeks to reduce costs by shifting more of its mail volume away from air transportation contractors, which Cintron said have limited schedules and limited capacity to deliver mail.
“They are over capacity, but there’s not enough expansion,” Cintron said, adding that capacity fell by 80% in fiscal 2020. Cintron said the USPS ground network, however, only operates at 42% of its capacity and has “plenty” of room for growth.
Steve Monteith, the chief customer and marketing officer for USPS, said the plan would make USPS more efficient, while continuing to provide six-day delivery for mail and seven-day delivery for packages.
“It’s a cost-driven proposal, but it does take customers into consideration, from the standpoint of we are looking at building on that consistency and reliability — and also the viability, as we move forward in our ability to deliver for the long term,” Monteith said.
While USPS estimates an average 18% increase in delivery time nationally, Monteith said some would see a greater impact than others.
“It’s really a function of what volume is being mailed and where it’s being mailed to. There are areas of the country, where if they mail cross-country volume, they will have the greatest increase,” Monteith said.
Mail that travels the furthest — from Maine to San Diego, or Miami to Seattle, for example — would likely fall into the 9% of mail that would take up to 5 days to deliver
“I don’t necessarily concede the point that delivering mail within five days isn’t fast in terms of certain types of mail,” Monteith said.
Cintron said USPS has some data on the service breakdown between rural and urban delivery, but said the agency hasn’t been able to measure the impact this would have on demographics such as the elderly, veterans or low-income customers.
“I’m not sure how we would capture the data for all of those categories,” Cintron said.
Members of the commission have expressed support of the USPS push for more reliable delivery, even if some of those deliveries take longer.
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
7
Commissioner Ann Fischer said USPS is “likely correct” that customers value reliability over speed of delivery.
Fischer said PRC receives thousands of letters, emails and cards from USPS customers every year, but a random sampling of correspondence from April, she said encapsulates an inconsistent level of service.
Complaints include customers who received a box of dead baby chicks and individuals who received birthday cards in the mail, but not the gift cards inside.
Another customer gave high marks to her regular letter carrier, but complained mail is either delayed or not delivered at all.
“I do believe that if the proposal can improve reliability so that customers actually received their mail within the plan timeframe. I do think that that’s movement in the right direction,” Fischer said.
Monteith said USPS in its 10-year reform plan expects to offset continued declines in first-class mail volume with steady increases in its package business.
To accommodate this shift, USPS seeks to remove mail-sorting equipment from processing plants to store packages, and make room for 138 package-sorting machines it expects to have up and running before this year’s peak holiday rush.
“This is really rebalancing the whole network for the new reality of our total volume, that we have to handle the combination of declining mail volumes with growing package volume and positioning us to handle that volume in the most efficient manner,” Monteith said.
USPS, meanwhile, is also seeking a slower standard for its first-class package service, which is used for everything from small electronics to medicines.
USPS said the changes downgrade service standards for more than 30% of first-class packages.
The agency seeks to move away from relying on air transportation — and would instead deliver more of its packages through ground transportation.
Source : https://federalnewsnetwork.com/agency-oversight/2021/06
5. Australia Post offsets emissions from 108 million parcels in partnership with Qantas
June 04, 2021
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
8
Australia Post has today announced that since October 2019, through its Post Office Network and MyPost Business platform, and working in partnership with Qantas Future Planet, it has offset more than 200,000 tonnes of emissions – the equivalent of taking 85,000 cars off the road.
The announcement comes ahead of World Environment Day on Saturday, and as the organisation’s science based target to reduce absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 15 per cent by 2025 was officially validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative, making Australia Post one of 13 organisations nationally to have their target validated.
Australia Post Executive General Manager Community & Consumer Nicole Sheffield said she was incredibly proud of these results and Australia Post’s commitment to reduce its environmental impact to help drive a sustainable future for all Australians.
“This significant offset of 108 million parcel deliveries and more than 200,000 tonnes of emissions has occurred during a period of incredible growth in eCommerce with the help of Qantas Future Planet,” Ms Sheffield said.
“Australia Post invests in a mix of carbon offset programs both domestically and overseas and the programs we fund, such as Indigenous Fire Management in Arnhem Land and Native Forest Regeneration in NSW, align with our strategic priorities, as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals we impact most directly through our operations.
“We know every delivery has a carbon footprint and offsets are only part of the solution, that’s why we’re committed to reducing our emissions while growing our business through energy efficiency upgrades in our facilities, network improvements, adoption of low carbon technology, and increasing our use of renewable energy,” Ms Sheffield concluded.
Qantas Group Executive for Government, Industry, International and Sustainability Andrew Parker said carbon offsetting plays a critical role in managing the environmental impact of doing business today.
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
9
“We are proud to be partnering with Australia Post through the Qantas Future Planet program on high-quality carbon offsets that deliver immediate environmental impact and are key in financing projects which create Indigenous employment opportunities, deliver clean energy and restore native Australian landscapes,” Mr Parker continued.
Australia Post is Australia’s largest electric fleet operator with more than 3300 electric delivery vehicles and electric bikes delivering around the country. The organisation will also soon welcome the Fuso eCanter to its fleet, with the small electric truck completing deliveries in Melbourne’s CBD after having completed a trial in 2019.
Australia Post is currently two-thirds of the way through its 2020-22 Group Corporate Responsibility Plan Everyone Matters: Our plan for inclusive and sustainable prosperity. The strategy is available at: auspost.com.au/CR.
Source : https://newsroom.auspost.com.au/article
POSTAL NEWS
No 46-2021
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
1. Poste enters the car insurance market. June 11, 2021.
2. Post Office Service & Support – restructure complete & members protected. June 10, 2021.
3. UPS announces strategic priorities, three-year financial targets and new ESG targets. June 09, 2021.
4. Posti's new outdoor parcel lockers. June 08, 2021.
5. Canada Post releases comprehensive 2020 Sustainability Report. June 07, 2021.
1. Poste enters the car insurance market
June 11, 2021
The car insurance solution that protects the whole family
Poste Guidare Sicuri is the car insurance solution that marks Poste Italiane's entry into the RCA market. It is distributed by Poste Insurance Broker Srl through Poste Italiane SpA - BancoPosta RFC and consists of two products: Poste Guidare Sicuri LN, made by Linear Assicurazioni of the Unipol Group and Poste Guidare Sicuri GN, made by Genertel SpA of the Generali Group .
The product is characterized by the breadth of coverage, starting right from the RCA, which includes a series of free warranty extensions, for example:
• free driving (anyone can drive the car as long as they have a driving license);
• protection for accidents caused by driving licenses or inspections expired for no more than 120 days;
• coverage for damage caused by passengers;
• no price increase in the case of children with new drivers;
• coverage for damage caused by an underage child who drives.
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
2
Optional covers
In addition to the mandatory RCA guarantee, there are several optional guarantees, which against the payment of an additional premium, cover the risks related not only to the car but also to the safety of the driver and his passengers. Between these:
• theft and fire;
• driver injuries;
• satellite device;
• road assistance;
• legal protection;
• Kasko collision;
• Complete Kasko
• and others.
In the event that other people who are seriously injured are involved in an accident, Poste Guidare Sicuri can provide for treatment plans offered by the reference insurance company with the possibility of using rehabilitation services at affiliated health facilities and interventions at their home aimed at 'removal of architectural barriers.
Promotion
Until December 31st, all BancoPosta customers who subscribe Poste Guidare Sicuri will receive a free month of coverage, the initiative is valid only for the first year.
There are also permanent discounts which are granted to BancoPosta customers on the basis of belonging to one of the following categories: a 10% discount is applied to current account holders; a 7.5% discount to customers with savings accounts to other BancoPosta customers a 5% discount.
Further information on the offer is available on https://posteinsurancebroker.poste.it/ where it is possible to simulate a first indicative quotation and consult the list of Post Offices authorized to sell Poste Guidare Sicuri.
Source : https://www.postenews.it/2021/06/11
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
3
2. Post Office Service & Support – restructure complete & members protected
June 10, 2021
No compulsory redundancies and almost all redeployed staff get their first preference, thanks to agreement achieved by CWU, which is designed to improve postmaster support going forward.
A reorganisation of support services, including the auditing team who have responsibility for our approximately 11,500 sub-post offices, was announced several months ago and the associated preference exercise got underway in March.
Lynn Simpson, CWU postal executive member, says: “A large part of the reason for this restructure was to change the way our postmasters are supported – it’s a change to a more proactive and upfront approach – and our union welcomes and supports this reform following the Horizon scandal as it is designed to benefit postmasters going forward.
“Our priority, however, was to ensure this positive reform could be introduced without compulsory redundancies and also to make sure any redeployed members were offered reasonable and appropriate new positions – meeting their own choices as far as possible.”
On behalf of the CWU, Lynn worked closely with the impacted members and had lengthy talks with the Post Office to achieve these priorities and, earlier this week, a joint statement was released confirming that all members wanting to remain within the Post Office will be able to – with 93 per cent of those being redeployed having got their first preferences.
And she adds: “The very small number who have not got their first choice have got a very acceptable second preferences.”
CWU assistant secretary Andy Furey says: “Lynn’s done a great job achieving this agreement, which is the result of direct engagement with members, tenacity when negotiating with management and hard work on her behalf.
“It’s great that the union has met the aspirations of our members, who do such a superb job supporting our postmasters – and the new structure represents a significant step
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
4
forward in improving the working life of our postmasters, which is, we hope, the first of a series of reforms that we need to see within this company.”
Source : https://www.cwu.org/news
3. UPS announces strategic priorities, three-year financial targets and new ESG targets
June 09, 2021
The company will highlight priorities for its Customer First, People Led, Innovation Driven strategy; discuss targeted areas of growth including small and medium-sized businesses, healthcare and international; provide 2023 financial targets; and discuss newly established ESG targets.
ATLANTA – UPS (NYSE:UPS) will host its investor and analyst conference today beginning at 9:00 a.m. EDT. The virtual event will be available in its entirety through a live webcast and replay at investors.ups.com.
The company will highlight priorities for its Customer First, People Led, Innovation Driven strategy; discuss targeted areas of growth including small and medium-sized businesses, healthcare and international; provide 2023 financial targets; and discuss newly established ESG targets.
• Customer First: The company’s Customer First strategy strives to provide the best digital experience powered by its global smart logistics network.
The company will showcase the actions it is taking to make it simpler and more helpful to do business with UPS. Customer First focuses on removing friction when doing business with UPS, as measured by gains in Net Promoter Score, or NPS. The company has targeted a 2023 NPS score of 50 or higher.
• People Led: The company will discuss the measures it is taking to improve the employee experience and increase the likelihood that an employee recommends UPS as a great place to work. The company has established a 2023 “likelihood to recommend” target of 80 percent or higher.
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
5
• Innovation Driven: By highlighting technology and productivity initiatives, the company will address its approach to creating shareowner value by delivering consistently higher returns on invested capital, as well as returns to shareowners through dividends and share repurchases.
“We are creating a new UPS, rooted in the values of the company. Our strategic priorities are evolving to reflect the changing needs of our customers and our business, and what matters most to our stakeholders,” said Carol Tomé, UPS chief executive officer.
Outlook
2023 Financial Targets
Today the company will discuss its 2023 financial targets as follows:
• Consolidated revenue ranging from approximately $98 billion to approximately $102 billion.
• Consolidated adjusted* operating margin ranging from approximately 12.7 percent to approximately 13.7 percent.
• Cumulative capital spending from 2021–2023 of approximately $13.5 billion to approximately $14.5 billion.
• Adjusted return on invested capital ranging from approximately 26 percent to approximately 29 percent.
* “Adjusted” amounts are non-GAAP financial measures. See the appendix to this release for a discussion of non-GAAP financial measures, including required reconciliations.
The company is only able to provide operating margin and return on invested capital guidance on an adjusted (non-GAAP) basis because it is not possible to predict or provide a reconciliation reflecting the impact of future pension mark-to-market or other unknown or unanticipated potential adjustments which would be included in reported (GAAP) results and which could be material.
ESG Targets
The company is also announcing a new set of company-wide ESG targets, including its pledge to be carbon neutral across scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions in its global operations by 2050.
Interim 2035 environmental sustainability targets include:
• 50% reduction in CO2 per package delivered for its global small package operations (2020 base year).
• 100% of company facilities powered by renewable electricity.
• 30% of the fuel used in its global air fleet be sustainable aviation fuel.
UPS has published its ESG strategy at investors.ups.com/esg.
Source : https://about.ups.com/us/en/newsroom/press-releases/financials
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
6
4. Posti's new outdoor parcel lockers
June 08, 2021
Finnish postal operator Posti has launched its new outdoor parcel lockers. According to Posti, the new lockers have been developed for Finland's demanding weather conditions.
The new outdoor lockers allow Posti to install locker banks where it previously wasn’t able to install indoor lockers or extend existing parcel lockers.
Posti currently has 2,200 parcel lockers banks, with over 130,000 individual doors. It plans to increase the locker network by about 10-15 sites per week.
The new parcel lockers are to be installed in connection with Posti’s retail partners and other public places located along various shopping routes.
The new outdoor Parcel Lockers have been developed with local technology partners and will use advanced wireless communication and connection technologies, which will allow the lockers to be opened using the OmaPosti application in the future. In the initial phase, the lockers are opened with a PIN code.
“The parcel lockers are quick to set up, as the required energy is obtained from the batteries and there is no need for separate mains connection or telecommunication cabling.” - Jari Paasikivi, Posti
The launch of the new lockers followed several months of outdoor testing during the winter, as well as low-temperature tests in the laboratory.
Posti estimates it will need more than 200,000 lockers in the next few years to cope with growing e-commerce volumes.
Source : http://www.thepostalhub.com/blog
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
7
5. Canada Post releases comprehensive 2020 Sustainability Report
June 07, 2021
Postal service is working hard to live up to Canadians’ expectations on issues such as the environment, safety, accessibility, equity and diversity
OTTAWA – Canada Post today released its 2020 Sustainability Report, a comprehensive portrait of its progress in and commitment to environmental, social and governance performance. In sharing its strategies and results, Canada Post recognizes that the strength of its relationship with Canadians is shaped by more than delivery.
Canadians want the postal service to keep its employees safe, reduce its environmental impact and build an inclusive workplace – and much more. Canada Post is working hard to live up to Canadians’ expectations.
While there is a lot of work ahead, some key highlights of the positive momentum include:
• In addition to working hard to keep employees and communities safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada Post reduced its Total Injury Frequency rate by 31 per cent in 2020.
• In 2020, Canada Post added 353 hybrid vehicles to its fleet – Canada’s largest alternative propulsion delivery fleet. More upgrades to the fleet are to come.
• In 2020, Canada Post diverted 73 per cent of its waste.
• The Canada Post Registered Pension Plan has invested $221 million in renewable energy, and over $1 billion (69 per cent of the Plan’s commercial real estate portfolio) is invested in buildings with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design™ (LEED®) or other environmental rating.
• In 2020, Canada Post became the first Crown corporation to launch an Indigenous and Northern Reconciliation Strategy. It includes initiatives to improve service, increase procurement from Indigenous-owned companies, and do better on Indigenous employment and retention.
• In 2020, the Board of Directors approved Canada Post’s Accessibility Strategy, which will help the postal service to become a best-in-class accessible Crown corporation.
• In early 2020, Canada Post launched a Joint National Equity and Diversity Committee with the national presidents of its bargaining agents. As well, it jointly launched an Anti-Racism Action Plan, which offers training and
UNI Apro Post & Logisticsawareness tools for employees, and aims to increase the representation of racialized communities within Canada Post.
Highlights of the 2020 Sustainability Report and Canada Post’s size and scope are available in this two-page infographic.
Source : https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/our-company/news-and-media