UNI Apro Post & Logistics
POSTAL NEWS No 81-2021
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
1. Postal Service blames ‘Street Crime’ and absenteeism for mail delays. October 15, 2021.
2. Canada Post and all its bargaining agents launch a joint Environmental Action Plan. October 14, 2021.
3. Protecting jobs, fighting for our members and growing Royal Mail. October 14, 2021.
4. Austrian Post eyes further Eastern Europe expansion. October 13, 2021.
5. FedEx opens new gateway facility in Clark, Pampanga, the Philippines. October 13, 2021
1.Postal Service blames ‘Street Crime’ and absenteeism for mail delays October 15, 2021
Lawmakers are looking to make it harder for the agency to slow delivery in the future, while auditor says fixing current problems will be a significant challenge.
Just weeks after the U.S. Postal Service implemented new standards to slow a significant portion of mail delivery, Democrats in Congress are on the verge of proposing legislation to create additional barriers for management before it can take similar actions in the future. Lawmakers blasted the reforms implemented by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy at a hearing of the House Oversight and Reform Committee’s panel on Government Operations that took place in Chicago on Friday, calling them harmful to the mailing agency and suggesting they were part of an intentional effort to undermine it. They similarly criticized USPS for ongoing failures to deliver mail on time, which has improved in recent months but remains below the agency’s targets Eddie Morgan, USPS’ postmaster in Chicago, which has been among the worst hit cities by the delays, blamed a rise in “street crime” and its impact on recruiting and retention. USPS has enough employees on the rolls, Morgan said of his region, but an insufficient number are actually showing up to work. He explained he is working to purge the agency’s rolls of employees with significant unexcused absences and to fill resulting vacancies. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., who chairs the larger oversight committee, said she will soon introduce a bill to require postal management to conduct testing on its nationwide delivery standard changes. DeJoy’s recent changes impacted about 40% of First-Class mail, expanding the maximum time for delivery from three days to five. Postal management conceded they had not examined the impact of the proposed changes on rural versus urban populations, low income communities or elderly communities, nor had they solicited feedback on the changes from customers. The Postal Regulatory Commission, in reviewing the plan earlier this year, faulted USPS for failing to pilot test its slowdowns and creating projections it could not prove would be realized. Maloney’s forthcoming legislation would empower the commission to pause such changes from taking place until it can review testing. It would also require a two-thirds vote from the postal board of governors to approve service standard revisions that had not been tested. Maloney has also sponsored bipartisan postal reform legislation that the oversight committee has approved but has yet to receive a vote on either the House or Senate floor. “Hopefully we can bring postal reform to the floor soon,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly, DVa., who chaired Friday’s hearing. House Democrats originally sought to stymie DeJoy’s efforts to implement the mail slowdowns in that postal reform legislation, but ultimately stripped the language from the measure to win bipartisan backing. Connolly said the delays in Chicago were not anomalous and that Congress could not allow them to continue. He added he hoped to see a change in “the governance of the Postal Service to ensure we have a board of governors and a postmaster general who are, in fact, dedicated to the mission.” Lawmakers throughout the hearing said their offices have been inundated with complaints from constituents about mail issues. They cited a decision by management to start letter carriers on their routes later in the day as partially responsible for the problems. Rep. Fred Keller, R-Pa., the lone Republican to attend the hearing, sought to shift blame away from DeJoy, arguing mail delays predated his tenure and worsened as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. On-time performance quickly plummeted after DeJoy took office, which the postmaster general has conceded was largely due to operational reforms he implemented. USPS has since rolled those back and, like Morgan, the Chicago postmaster, has said ongoing delays are due to employee absenteeism and other fallout from the pandemic. The Postal Service has restored service to pre-DeJoy levels and saw further improvement in the most recent quarter that ended just before the new service windows went into effect. Lawmakers and a National Association of Letter Carriers official who testified at the hearing noted a recent inspector general report that found USPS frequently undercounted its late and undelivered mail. USPS numbers are not always accurate, said Mack Julion, the NALC representative, as front-line supervisors “provide misleading reports to appease upper management.” Melinda Perez, an auditor in the USPS inspector general's office, said the agency's problems include staffing shortages, packages and mail going to the wrong facilities and mail not being pre-sorted when it arrives at post offices. “USPS has plans to address these concerns, however implementing multiple initiatives to correct these issues will be challenging, especially now as the Postal Service is addressing its peak season,” Perez said, adding her office will soon release a report on USPS’ readiness for the holidays. The Postal Service experienced unprecedented delays during the holiday season in 2020, with DeJoy eventually admitting the agency “missed our service standards by far and disappointed the nation.”
Source : https://www.govexec.com/management/2021/10
2.Canada Post and all its bargaining agents launch a joint Environmental Action Plan October 14, 2021
OTTAWA – Canada Post and all its bargaining agents are working together to deliver a sustainable future for the country. Today, the five organizations launch their Environmental Action Plan, which outlines ambitious goals for the next decade and beyond.
“Canadians care about the environment, and so do we,” says Canada Post President and CEO Doug Ettinger. “With a presence in every community, and an extensive network built to provide a vital service across the country, Canada Post has a duty to make changes that make a difference. We can play an important role in protecting the environment today and preserving it for future generations.”
The Environmental Action Plan identifies several key environmental goals and how Canada Post will achieve them. It covers four areas: 1. Climate Action: Canada Post will be Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. 2. Zero Waste: Canada Post will reach Zero Waste in its operations by 2030. By 2022, Canada Post will eliminate all unnecessary single-use plastics in events and meetings. It is also working hard to reduce single-use plastics in its operations. 3. Sustainable Delivery: Canada Post will partner with suppliers and customers to pilot green delivery and packaging solutions. 4. Employee Engagement: Canada Post will offer all employees the opportunity and resources to help the company become a greener organization. “The Environmental Action Plan is a joint call-to-action for Canada Post and its employees,” says Claudia Labonté, UPCE National President. “It is when we all work together that we have the best ideas for how to implement and improve sustainable practices. It is exciting to focus on these important goals.” Five organizations initiated and committed to the Canada Post Environmental Action Plan: Canada Post; the Association of Postal Officials of Canada; the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association; the Canadian Union of Postal Workers; and the Public Service Alliance of Canada – Union of Postal Communications Employees.
Source : https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/our-company/news-and-media
3.Protecting jobs, fighting for our members and growing Royal Mail October 14, 2021
CWU divisional representatives from all across the UK met in Liverpool yesterday to discuss the latest challenges facing our Royal Mail members. And after the briefing, our deputy general secretary Terry Pullinger gave his thoughts on the day and the key issues of the moment in an interview with CWU News…
Q: What have been the main topics here at the CWU divisional representatives’ briefing today Terry?
A: There’s so much that’s gone on since we made the agreement, so much work been done, and that’s really positive. Over a thousand revisions have been done in delivery, which has never been done in that timescale before. And in mail centres, regional distribution centres etc and in all the other functions as well – they’ve all delivered their agreements. There will always be some difficulties, some challenges that people didn’t anticipate, such as problems with trying to get the resourcing right. Everyone knows what’s happening right now in the UK, struggling to get people in place and struggling to get HGV drivers. We’ve discussed that and we think we’ve got answers to a lot of those questions with getting our own people within our own ranks to have opportunities to either step up and train to become LGV drivers or utilise the licence they may already have. There are also ways of incentivising people to cover the pressures we’re going to face as we’re coming up to Christmas. So it’s never easy on the organisational side, but these are problems other companies are facing as well. The good thing is now that we are in a position to utilise the experience and knowledge of our members and our reps and be influential at the highest levels of the business. To me, that’s positive and it’s all part of re-inventing Royal Mail for the future. But it was always going to be difficult, it was always going to be tough, and it’s what we’ve spent today dealing with, analysing, and trying to develop solutions.
Q: There was discussion today about the new Warrington parcels hub, which is set to start fully operating next spring and also the even bigger Midlands hub a year or so further down the line, and the potential impacts. What are your thoughts on these developments?
A: Our national agreement is a growth agenda, our agreement, where before we made that agreement and before we had a new CEO, Royal Mail’s leadership strategy was all about decline and anything up to about 20,000 job losses. We’re not in that place any more and recruitment is a big issue we’re dealing with at the moment – getting people into our ranks. We need the two parcel hubs if we’re going to grow the business, which is our desire and to grow jobs etc, get pay rises and everything else that goes with it, then we need to be successful. And key to that is having the capability to dela with more and more parcels coming through. Ad we agreed that, that we would deal with those issues. But obviously, when you first bring them in and you’re still waiting for some of that growth, there’s going to be an impact and there’s going to be a change to the operation to some degree. So we’re having those talks in earnest to make sure we understand exactly what the impacts are, what the solutions are, what the People’s Issues Plan is. And how we do all that in a mutual-interest way. So, that was another good discussion today and we were certainly pleased with the feedback and people here today were glad to hear where we are and we’re now going into intense talks on those issues. To make sure we get things right.
Q: One of the themes of your contributions today was your point that you feel this is the best chance we’ve had for a long time, probably for many years, to make Royal Mail a success. Do you think this is a crucial time and an opportunity to seize?
A: Yes I do. I think it tests us with change but it also tests the managerial ranks with change. It used to be convenient I think in the past years to blame the union for everything, but clearly that wasn’t the case. We still want it here in future generations. We don’t want Royal Mail to be spoken about in an historical context. This industry is still massively important to this country. Covid proved that. But of course, it’s got to modernise because things have changed. In packets and parcels, the increase in that is phenomenal. There’s money in them and we’ve got to go and get it. That’s what the business is all about and that’s what protects jobs and earnings etc.,
But there are also other new products and services which we still want to develop. Other things that prove key to society in the same way as our universal service does and we want to build on that. The contribution from Royal Mail workers during the Covid crisis has proven that we’re a fundamental part of society and there’s lots of things we could potentially offer to the people of the UK in a fair and equal way.
Source : https://www.cwu.org/news
4.Austrian Post eyes further Eastern Europe expansion October 13, 2021
Austrian Post remains on the lookout for potential acquisitions in Central and Eastern Europe to expand its international activities and complement continuing strong growth in its home market, board member Peter Umundum said yesterday.
The group is also investing heavily in its parcels network to increase capacity and developing new sustainable delivery solutions in Austria, he told participants at the Parcel + Post-Expo conference in Vienna. Outlining Austrian Post’s overall strategy, the Parcels & Logistics chief explained that the postal operator aimed to defend its market leadership in Austria, grow profitably in geographically close markets, develop new retail and digital solutions as well as move to more sustainable operations.
Turkish delight
Umundum said the acquisition of an 80% majority stake in leading Turkish parcels company Aras Kargo last year is proving a major success as the company profits from rapid e-commerce growth in that country. Aras delivered 206 million parcels in 2020, making Turkey into Austrian Post’s biggest market by volume, ahead of Austria (166 million) and the smaller Central & Eastern Europe markets (44 million). The Turkish company’s volumes increased by a further 24% to 115 million in the first half of this year, and Austrian Post has announced plans to invest about €100 million in the company in the next few years. “We are very proud of this acquisition,” Umundum declared. “It’s a good start for further steps in this region.”
International lookout
Asked by CEP-Research if this comment signalled interest in further acquisitions, he responded: “We are looking for partners and are interested in acquisitions.” He noted that Austrian Post already cooperated with various companies in the region through the Eurodis network. In Central & Eastern Europe, Austrian Post already has subsidiaries in Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro and Bulgaria. In addition, it cooperates on the Czech market with DHL Parcel.
Amazon threat
In its home market, Austrian Post remains the biggest parcels carrier by far with a 58% market share (by volume), ahead of DPD, GLS, DHL and Amazon Logistics. But Umundum warned that Amazon will catch up rapidly in the B2C market as it expands its own delivery operations. “Amazon is the biggest customer and a growing competitor,” he admitted. “We expect Amazon will increase its market share this year.”
Capacity expansion
Meanwhile, Austrian Post is focusing on expanding the capacity of its parcels network to cope with the continuing strong rise in volumes. It has invested significantly in new facilities in recent years and a further €500 million is planned for the next 3-4 years. An enlarged centre went into operation in Vorarlberg recently and will be followed by a new facility in Tyrol within the next few weeks. A larger facility (with capacity for 32,000 parcels/hr) will open in Upper Austria next year followed by a new Vienna South centre (23,000 parcels/hr) in 2023. There will also be expansions of two existing facilities in Lower Austria and Styria.
More out of home delivery options
In parallel, Austrian Post is expanding its out of home delivery network with more selfservice parcel boxes and lockers, both indoors and outdoors. Asked by CEP-Research about the progress of the ‘Alles Post’ consolidated final-mile delivery service, Umundum said about 5,000 customers have signed up to date. “We did not push this too much yet but we will push this more in future,” he said.
Finally, the parcels chief stressed that Austrian Post aims to move to more sustainable operations, with a target of CO2-free deliveries by an all-electric vehicle fleet by 2030 and zero emissions overall by 2040.
Source : https://www.cep-research.com/news/
5.FedEx opens new gateway facility in Clark, Pampanga, the Philippines October 13, 2021
FedEx has announced the opening of its new gateway facility in Clark, Pampanga, the Philippines, expected to boost support for Philippine businesses and retail freight amidst e-commerce growth. The 17,000 sq m facility is said to enable faster processing with the capability to sort 9,000 parcels per hour and has a dedicated freight-handling area spans 630 sq m. The facility is aimed to at supporting the growing e-commerce demand of bulk shipments and large items especially for the upcoming peak season shipping volumes. The new Clark gateway also features a cold storage facility for varying temperaturesensitive shipments. One unit has storage temperature capabilities ranging from -20°C to 5°C or -4°F to 41°F, appropriate for storing vaccines, fresh produce, and raw products. Two other units have storage temperature of 5°C to 20°C or 23°F to 68°F, appropriate for keeping vegetables and dry foods such as canned goods. These units help retain the freshness of products and maximize their shelf life, according to the company. “FedEx has always been at the forefront of defining what’s next for our customers. We remain focused on optimizing our air and ground network to meet evolving customer needs. Plans for the Clark Gateway have been in place since before the demand for ecommerce soared. With a finger on the pulse of global trade, we made this strategic investment to enhance connectivity and support for Philippine businesses venturing into international markets”, said Kawal Preet, president of the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa (AMEA) region at FedEx Express. “In our 37 years of continuous operations in the Philippines, we’ve made sure to bring products and services that enhance convenience for our customers. We’ve had contactless options in place for years – enabling remote booking and tracking of packages, submission of import and export documents, and tracking temperature-sensitive shipments from your mobile phone. This infrastructure is one of the reasons FedEx is agile and is key to providing supply chain continuity regardless of global conditions,” shared John Peterson, Managing Director Operations, FedEx Express Philippines. The facility provides customers with more solutions with the launch of Dangerous Goods One-Stop Shop, stated FedEx. This solution hopes to offer customers an end-to-end shipping experience for dangerous goods that is fully compliant with run on fuel.
Source : https://www.ti-insight.com/
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
1 POSTAL NEWS No 82-2021
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
1. TotalEnergies to solarize eight of DHL’s sites in Dubai. October 15, 2021.
2. SingPost launches upcycling initiative for discarded blue uniforms. October 14, 2021.
3. Omniva: Christmas presents from abroad should be purchased early. October 14, 2021.
4. Toll workers win job security protections and 15% super in new agreement offer. October 13, 2021.
5. Australia Post locks in weekend deliveries for Victoria. October 09, 2021.
1.TotalEnergies to solarize eight of DHL’s sites in Dubai October 15, 2021
DHL Global Forwarding and TotalEnergies have signed a contract for a solar energy project in Dubai. It is in continuation with their Strategic Cooperation Agreement signed in 2019.
TotalEnergies will solarize eight of DHL’s sites in Dubai to cover the equivalent of over 46,000m2 of photovoltaic panels. The solar system will save more than 6,000t of CO2 the first year. The project complements Deutsche Post DHL Group’s sustainability roadmap to achieve zero-emissions logistics from 2050 onwards. “With an annual average of 8.7 hours of sunshine per day, Dubai has a clear advantage in terms of solar energy. I am all the more pleased that we can use this asset to advance our sustainability goals further”, says Amadou Diallo, CEO DHL Global Forwarding Middle East and Africa. “With TotalEnergies, we have a partner at our side, not only to drive forward the use of alternative fuels but also to optimize our overall energy consumption. In this way, we are going step by step to achieve our ambitious target to reduce all logistics-related emissions to zero by the year 2050.
The whole solar system will produce over 14,000 MWh per year, enough energy to power over 16,000 homes yearly in the UAE. In addition to supplying the sites with solar power eight electrical vehicle charging stations will also be installed. Thus, DHL Global Forwarding contributes to the Group’s goal of electrifying 60% of its fleet by 2030. Hamady Sy, Managing Director at TotalEnergies Renewables Distributed Generation Middle East and Africa, declared: “We are delighted to support DHL Global Forwarding with their green initiatives in the UAE of which solar will play an important part, and look forward to helping them reducing their carbon footprint in the region and beyond”. Not only does the solar system produce more sustainable energy, but the program also includes that 85% of the solar modules are recycled. Furthermore, they are produced exclusively in Landfill Free certified factories. All this contributes to making the entire product cycle more sustainable and saves more than 150,000 tons of CO2 over the contract duration.
Source : https://postandparcel.info/143681/news/e-commerce
2.SingPost launches upcycling initiative for discarded blue uniforms October 14, 2021
Singapore Post (SingPost) has launched an upcycling initiative to give its iconic blue uniforms a new lease of life as lifestyle products, available to purchase by members of the public. Nearly 33,000 old uniforms weighing 12 metric tons were replaced last year as part of SingPost’s uniform redesign. The uniforms were used in the Re:Post initiative to create 12 lifestyle products, including water-repellent tote bags, tissue holders, cushion covers and picnic mats. SingPost partnered with three homegrown – in designing and producing the 12 products, which were made from standard-issue uniforms including shirts, cargo pants, windbreakers and raincoats. The products are available for sale and all proceeds will be donated in full to SWCDC.social enterprises – Alfya Atelier, Our Barehands and Social Gifting X South West Community Development Council (SWCDC).
Robin Goh, group chief brand and communications officer for SingPost, said, “By upcycling our old uniforms instead of just disposing of them, we are doing our part in minimizing the amount of waste produced and reusing the materials for practical use. By supporting local social enterprises, Alfya Atelier, Our Barehands and Social Gifting X SWCDC have created work opportunities for the communities they are assisting, while producing beautiful, unique and practical items that embody SingPost’s core values and history.” Low Yen Ling, mayor of South West District, said, “The CDC’s efforts in sustainability will continue to deepen and widen in support of the SG Green Plan 2030 goals. Through this campaign, we hope to inspire more people to change from a throwaway culture to living more sustainably. “With some creativity and skills, upcycling can take place anywhere. When old resources are regenerated, new possibilities are created. This project is an example of a circular economy at work – when waste is reduced and the transformation of old postmen uniforms spur jobs and skill development instead, and sales of handcrafted products go to benefit caregivers and residents in need. “As we mark a very memorable World Post Day with this Re:Post initiative, we want to pay tribute to all postal workers and those at SingPost who have kept the nation’s essential services going, rain or shine, amid the pandemic.”
Source : https://www.parcelandpostaltechnologyinternational.com/news/sustainability
3.Omniva: Christmas presents from abroad should be purchased early October 14, 2021.
Omniva encourages people to order their presents from abroad well in advance of Christmas, as global shopping holidays mean longer international delivery times.
According to Kristi Unt, Member of the Board of Omniva, air transport all over the world has to cope with a huge number of packages due to the global shopping holiday. This means that the delivery time for international shipments may be longer in November and December. ‘All large and popular shopping platforms have now adapted to the changes in VAT in the European Union and now collect taxes at the time of purchase. This makes the shopping and delivery experience much easier and more convenient for the customer because when the package arrives, the logistics company performs the declaration activities and the customer does not have to do anything extra,’ explained Unt. ‘As it is easy for Europeans to order from abroad again, high growth is forecast for the peak e-commerce season. Therefore, we recommend start ordering your presents early this season.’ While the number of international shipments was very low in summer, August and September showed a 20–30% increase in parcel volumes. Internationally, the peak of parcel volumes begins in November and lasts until Christmas. At that time, according to Unt, longer delivery times must be taken into account. For example, the AliExpress platform allows a maximum delivery time of 60 days. With this delivery time, presents ordered at the end of October may not be delivered by Christmas’, said Unt. ‘At the moment, however, when ordering from the AliExpress platform to Estonia, we recommend using the AliExpress Standard Shipping delivery service, which uses the most direct delivery channels.’ According to Omniva, some shipments from China to Estonia are delivered in a week and a half with this service. In addition to Asian e-shops, large European e-shops such as Asos and AboutYou continue to be popular. ‘Although many know the former to be a shopping platform in the United Kingdom, Asos has also set up warehouses on European soil and purchases by Europeans are delivered within the European Union. This means that there is no additional declaration or tax obligation for these platforms,’ explained Unt. In the peak months, more than half a million shipments arrive in Estonia from abroad, and the most popular country of origin is still China. According to Omniva, international shipments that have arrived in Estonia and passed customs procedures will be delivered to customers within a few days, and there is no reason to fear delivery delays in Estonia.
Source : https://www.omniva.ee/about_us/news/all_news/news
4.Toll workers win job security protections and 15% super in new agreement offer October 13, 2021
Toll workers have secured job security protections and an industry-first 15% superannuation offer in an in-principle agreement which will be put to national union delegates on Friday. If endorsed, Toll workers will not take part in national strikes flagged for next week.
The offer includes enhanced job security protections including the same pay for outside hire as employees, limits on outsourcing, commitment to give employees first preference over all available work, and improvements to consultation and auditing rights to further protect employees from their work being contracted out. The proposed agreement is a significant development following six months of negotiations and national strikes, with workers successfully fighting off attacks on existing conditions and pressuring Toll to abandon plans to bring in a b-grade workforce on 30% less pay and fixed-term contracts. At negotiation meetings with Linfox, StarTrack and FedEx today, the TWU will present similar settlement proposals with job security provisions which provide guarantees for workers while allowing flexibility for companies. TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine commended Toll workers for staying strong and fighting off some of the worst attacks on job security in the industry, then going on to lead the way in securing additional protections. “This is a major victory for Toll workers and sets an important precedent for transport operators still denying reasonable job security protections for employees. This triumph is all the sweeter given the hard slog Toll workers have endured over the last couple of years battling mismanagement, cyber-attacks, a split of the company with half sold off during negotiations, and proposals to bring in an underclass of workers to undercut employees in their own yards.
“We implore StarTrack, FedEx, Linfox and BevChain to follow Toll’s lead and commit to the reasonable protections workers are seeking. As Christmas draws nearer and negotiations reach their sixth month, it’s time to end the attack on jobs and prevent the need for further industrial action,” he said. TWU NSW/Qld Secretary and lead Toll negotiator Richard Olsen said it was good to see a positive result at the end of a bumpy road. “It has been a long and difficult journey, but the finish line is in sight with Toll taking the lead. It is a testament to the strength and unity of TWU members that job security provisions were retrieved from Toll’s shredder and reinforced with extra protections. The future is looking far brighter at Toll and in later life, with an industry-first offer of 15% superannuation leading the way to dignity in retirement for frontline transport workers. The negotiating committee is pleased to have a decent offer to present to the membership who will, as always, have the final say,” he said. A Senate inquiry into job security will take place today with the TWU and a StarTrack worker giving evidence this morning, followed by StarTrack, Toll and FedEx this afternoon. The TWU is calling for the Federal Government to establish an independent body to set minimum binding standards which would eradicate the ‘Amazon Effect’ of squeezing supply chains from the top while posing an existential threat to operators through exploitative competition like AmazonFlex. “Workers are doing the hard yards of fixing an insecure work crisis in transport, but they are only able to provide band-aid solutions to protect their own jobs. This is an industrywide emergency requiring Federal Government action. Scott Morrison must step in and regulate to tackle the root cause of deadly pressures which are crushing supply chains,” Kaine added.
Source : https://www.twu.com.au/press
5.Australia Post locks in weekend deliveries for Victoria October 09, 2021
Posties and delivery drivers are set to deliver as many as 350,000 parcels across Victoria each and every weekend for the rest of the year, while Australia Post facilities in Melbourne are processing on average a million parcels each day, enough to fill the seats of the MCG ten times.
While the impacts of COVID have been particularly challenging in Melbourne, with hundreds of Australia Post team members forced to isolate and facilities subject to UNI Apro Post & Logistics 7 COVID-safe restrictions, posties and drivers continue to deliver record numbers of parcels Australia Post has also added six additional pop-up sites to process parcels- at Dandenong, Somerton, Tottenham, Thomastown and two at Derrimut – while our two biggest permanent facilities at Sunshine West are processing more than 450,000 parcels a day. To counter a significant reduction in passenger flights, Australia Post has also doubled its weekly freighter flights into Victoria to 60, to help carry more than 340 tonnes of parcels a week, with another 32 tonnes arriving via extra weekly Express Post trucks. Around 1000 additional team members are also being recruited in Victoria to help sort parcels and mail, drive forklifts, delivery vans and trucks, and to help customers with their queries. Australia Post General Manager Corporate Affairs Michelle Skehan said the difficult decision to pause parcel collections from eCommerce retailers in Greater Melbourne had been vital in returning volumes in Victorian facilities to safe levels, with 4.5 million parcels processed during that time, while deliveries continued across the city. “We haven’t stopped delivering and have broken delivery records throughout the pandemic even as we’ve been faced with challenges like having large numbers of our Melbourne people in isolation,” Ms Skehan said. “We recognise that people want their parcels to arrive as quickly as possible, especially as we head into Christmas, and that means on weekends too, and our people really are doing all they can to meet the huge demand under challenging times.” Weekend deliveries will remain across Melbourne and major regional centres for the rest of the year, and where volumes are high in other regional areas. The Australia Post mobile app is the best way to keep across deliveries, choose the best place to receive parcels, and to stay updated about impacts to the network.
Source : https://newsroom.auspost.com.au/article