UNI Apro Post & Logistics
1 POSTAL NEWS No 07-2023
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
1.Make the logistics of your online store more flexible with Citypaq. January 27, 2023.
2.Greater health and safety conditions needed for workers in cargo bike logistics, report says. January 27, 2023.
3.PostNL and trade unions sign new collective labour agreements. January 26, 2023.
4.PHLPost warns the public against telephone fraud. January 25, 2023.
5.Swiss Post carried 194 million parcels last year. January 24, 2023.
1.Make the logistics of your online store more flexible with Citypaq. January 27, 2023
Although an online store depends on many areas to function correctly and be successful, the truth is that, for customers, the shipping and returns service is usually a very important part of the shopping experience.
A fast and efficient shipment generates a good impression on the buyer, since when they receive their purchase without complications, they will get the impression that the store has worked quickly. But, in recent years, demands have begun not only for agility but also for flexibility. As a consequence of the fast pace of life and the increase in the number of online purchases, it is sometimes difficult for consumers to be present at home to collect the delivery of all their orders. In this way, more and more options are valued, such as delivery in a specific time slot or the possibility of selecting a collection point. In this article we will tell you how with Citypaq you can offer this flexibility in deliveries and returns to your customers in an easy and comfortable way. How does Citypaq work for ecommerce or for your business? Citypaq works in a very simple way. Access the Correos website and request a parcel contract with Correos or have one. Then, you will have to request the Citypaq service to be able to start offering it in your online store.
Integrating this shipping method into your ecommerce is very simple. If your ecommerce includes Magento, Prestashop or WooCommerce , you will only have to download the Correos modules and plugins and activate this new option. In addition, you can include a map or list of all available Citypaq points in your ecommerce . After contracting the service, you will be able to offer as a shipping or return method, our network of smart lockers spread throughout the country, located in Post Offices and in numerous easily accessible points, such as shopping centers, service stations, supermarkets, etc. Finally, if you have a physical establishment, you can also offer Citypaq as a click & collect point . You will only have to request it and choose if you want to use our lockers at your point of sale with a shared modality, with which you can manage the shipments generated from your store and the user can in turn collect shipments from other e-commerce, or as an exclusive point of collection for shipments only managed from your store.
How can my ecommerce customers enjoy the service? Once you have contracted and activated the service in your online store, your customers can start using it instantly. Remember that you can receive orders, but also manage their returns.
In the first case, they will only have to choose the delivery option at a Citypaq point that will be shown when they shop at your e-commerce. They will have to choose the nearest ticket office through the list or map integrated in the Post Office module ( check here all the Citypaq points ) and then they will only have to wait to receive the message with the code to open their ticket office. You will only need your smartphone to do so , since all Citypaq ticket offices have a code reader and a screen with which to read or enter the opening code associated with each shipment. In the second case, they will be able to choose the return through a Citypaq point and send their package quickly and comfortably, from the box office itself, indicating the code or reference of the shipment provided by the e-commerce. In addition, if you return an order using this option, you will not have to worry about printing the return label or any other shipping document, as we will take care of it. Now that you know how Citypaq Correos works for companies and ecommerce businesses, you will be able to offer a more flexible delivery method in your online store.
Source : https://www.correos.es/es/es/actualidad/2023/haz-la-logistica-de-tu-tienda-online-mas-flexible-con-citypaq
Note: The original article was written in Spanish and the above article is an automatic translation
2.Greater health and safety conditions
needed for workers in cargo bike logistics, report says January
27, 2023 A report by the University of Westminister has found that while the
increased use of cargo bikes in last mile logistics has the potential to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions, the cargo bike sector in its current state poses
financial and health risks to many riders.
The university conducted interviews with riders and managers from 15 different cargo bike companies to investigate the newly popular form of logistics transport. Dr Ersilia Verlinghieri, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Westminster and Lead Researcher on the project, said: “Cargo bikes can provide a reliable alternative to van deliveries, and they contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and improving public space. But this sector can truly thrive only if it centres its growth on prioritising the health and wellbeing of its workers, rather than allowing commercial considerations to be the primary driver of decisions.” As part of the report, the researchers have called for policymakers and cargo bike companies to develop and implement an action plan to improve the sector in six key areas: ensuring fair employment, scaling up the sector, improving cycling infrastructure, improving health and safety, improving communication practises, and adopting a clear equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) strategy. One of the most worrying revelations from the report is that ‘all of the female and non-binary couriers interviewed recounted experiences of physical or sexual harassment whilst out on the road’. In addition to the other recommendations to improve the sector, it is vital that cargo bike logistics companies do everything they can to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its female and non-binary riders, taking action and providing tools to protect them against such harassment. The sector can never be truly diverse and provide equal opportunities while certain groups have to face discrimination on the roads on a regular basis. With cargo bikes resulting in much fewer greenhouse gas emissions than delivery vans, the switch to pedal-powered last mile deliveries is undoubtedly a positive not only for the environment, but for cutting congestion and improving air quality. However, if more deliveries are relying on riders of cargo bikes, it is important that these workers are being fairly employed and their safety is ensured while cycling around the UK’s streets.
Source : https://www.logisticsmanager.com/greater-health-and-safety-conditions-needed-forworkers-in-cargo-bike-logistics-report-says
3.PostNL and trade unions sign new collective labour agreements January 26, 2023
The Hague, the Netherlands, 26 January 2023 – Yesterday, PostNL and trade unions BVPP and CNV formally signed new collective labour agreements (CLA) for PostNL and Saturday deliverers. With this, a new collective labour agreement has been finalized for a total of around 18,000 PostNL employees. The agreements include, among others, a total wage increase of up to 9.5%, and an extra, one-off gross payment of 1.5% of annual salary (in February 2023).
Jeroen Veldstra, Chief HR Officer at PostNL: “We are very pleased that together with CNV and BVPP, we can provide clarity to more than 18,000 colleagues. These agreements helpcolleagues in difficult times, while at the same time ensuring that PostNL remains financially healthy in the long term.”
Wages, additional payments and pension contributions remain unchanged
Besides a structural wage rise and an extra, one-off gross payment of 1.5% of annual salary, agreements were made on a range of other issues such as commuting allowance and extension and expansion of several schemes on sustainable employability. Pension contributions paid by employees will remain unchanged for the duration of this CLA. The new CLAs will run for 24 months, starting on 1 April 2022 and ending on 31 March 2024.
Source : https://www.postnl.nl/en/about-postnl/press-news/news/2023/postnl-and-tradeunions-sign-new-collective-labour-agreements.
4.PHLPost warns the public against
telephone fraud January 25, 2023 The Philippine
Postal Corporation (Post Office) again warned the general public against the
proliferation of fraudulent activities by “Mr. Vishing” that uses telephone
calls in the guise of the Post Office in their extortion activities.
The scammers use computer skills to configure their calls in order to make them appear that these are legitimately coming from the Customer Service Hotline, (02) 8288 7678, of the said government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) which is under the Office of the President. Hence, the phone number registered in the Caller ID of the recipient is the “spoofed or cloned” hotline number of the postal corporation. This official number, however, is being used by the Post Office for the sole purpose of entertaining inbound calls from the mailing public who are tracing the whereabouts of their mail or parcels. It is never used for outgoing or outbound calls for verifications on senders or addressees of postal matters. Dubbed as “Mr. Vishing” for easier recall of the general public, “Vishing” is a criminal racket that uses telephone lines to call would-be victims in order to extract personal information, and generate fear against fabricated illegal acts or issues that eventually lead to extortion. These scammers are able to make their calls appear to come from reputable institutions or government agencies.
Based on the initial information gathered, the modus operandi which began in November 2022 asking would-be victims for their personal information through text or online messaging. In this case, the callers would then tell the targets that they “had discovered an outbound mail or parcel containing illegal substances purportedly sent by the prospective victim through the postal service”. They then claim that these parcels are bound to Malaysia, Thailand or any foreign country but were allegedly “shipped and intercepted at Cebu Central Post Office” or at any post office.
“Mr. Vishing’’ would then refer them to a “local police” who would then use their social engineering skills to instill fear in these victims for them to avoid “legal entanglements”. The victims are then duped or coerced (even by video calls) to shell out huge amounts of money for protection to avoid trial and possible imprisonment. So far, there were three (3) private individuals who visited Cebu Post Office to inquire about these dubious phone calls. They were then referred by postal officials to the local police as these were proven to be spoofed or cloned calls with an end view of extortion. The public is hereby warned not to give personal information over the phone to avoid falling prey to “Mr. Vishing”. It is best and wise to check first the authenticity of the calls, emails, or texts that they receive from proper and legitimate sources or can access valuable information available online against vishing, phishing and other frauds. The Post Office has already referred this matter for investigation to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) or its National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) is one of its lead agencies. Likewise, the postal service is coordinating and seeking the assistance from the Philippine National Police (PNP) as well as the current telephone service provider in order to resolve and address the PHLPost Package Scam.
Source : https://postandparcel.info/151618/news/e-commerce/phlpost-warns-the-publicagainst-telephone-fraud
5.Swiss Post carried 194 million parcels last year January 24, 2023
Over the course of 2022, Swiss Post staff
delivered 194 million parcels to all parts of Switzerland or sorted them for
international shipping. That represents a decline of 4 percent year-on-year.
One of the reasons for this was subdued consumer confidence. Meanwhile, the
long-term downward trend in letter mail continued in 2022, with mail carriers
delivering 1,745 million addressed letters last year. That is also 4 percent
less than in the previous year.
In
2022, Swiss Post processed fewer parcels than in 2021. A total of 194 million
parcels were sorted or delivered by Swiss Post staff to all regions of
Switzerland last year – from Geneva to Scuol, from Basel to Chiasso. That is 4
percent less than in the previous year, which meant that the company was unable
to break the all-time record set in 2021. Parcel logistics was hit by many
uncertainties in 2022. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, for example,
consumer confidence has been subdued as people have been doing less shopping
online. In 2022, global supply bottlenecks in the aftermath of the coronavirus
pandemic also meant that many retailers suffered delays inordering their goods,
or were unable to place orders at all, and parcel volumes declined accordingly.
At the same time, 2022 was the first year since 2019 with no pandemic lockdowns
in Switzerland: people were again able to shop in-store throughout the year and
had their goods delivered by Swiss Post less frequently. For this reason, it is
useful to compare the figures with the year before the pandemic: compared to
2019, Swiss Post carried 30 percent more parcels last year. This comparison
with 2019 shows that the long-term trend in parcels is upwards, albeit much
less pronounced than in the two years of coronavirus. 
People in Switzerland are sending fewer and fewer letters Letter volumes have declined by about one third overall over the last 10 years. As expected, this trend continued in 2022. Swiss Post’s mail carriers delivered a total of 1,745 million addressed letters in 2022, a decline of 4 percent over the previous year (2021: 1,811 million addressed letters).
Swiss Post has become more flexible Fewer letters, more parcels – this is a trend going back many years now, and it is set to continue. In total, Swiss Post created around 230 new jobs in the sorting and delivery of parcels in 2022. It has also brought two new regional parcel centers on stream, in Rümlang (Canton of Zurich) and Buchs (Canton of Aargau). This enabled Swiss Post to sort and deliver parcels to the usual high standard of quality – quickly and reliably – especially in the run-up to Christmas. In 2021, Swiss Post brought together its letter and parcel units in organizational terms, a step which again proved valuable in 2022. Parcel carriers now receive considerable support from colleagues who previously only delivered letters. Today, around half of all letter mail carriers deliver parcels as well. This means that Swiss Post has not only secured jobs with new responsibilities for letter mail carriers, it has also become more flexible when facing shortterm increases in parcel volumes. Swiss Post can now sort up to 200,000 small parcels per day in letter centers. Synergies like this make Swiss Post more efficient. The company will continue with this focus in the future and invest in its parcel infrastructure. For example, Swiss Post is currently installing a sorting system for parcels at its letter center in Härkingen. It is expected to start operation this year.
Source : https://www.post.ch/en/about-us/media/press-releases/2023/swiss-post-carried-194- million-parcels-last-year
UNI Apro Post & Logistics
1 POSTAL NEWS No 08-2023
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
1.Giuli: "Poste is a quality brand, the trust of Italians is safe". January 27, 2023.
2.DHL Global Forwarding supports Grundfos to reduce CO2 emissions along its supply chains. January 26, 2023.
3.USPS to install QR codes on its leased trucks and trailers. January 25, 2023.
4.Posti: Amending the Postal Act to adapt to the digital transformation. January 25, 2023.
5.Dave Ward appeals direct to Royal Mail shareholders. January 24, 2023.
1.Giuli: "Poste is a quality brand, the trust of Italians is safe" January 27, 2023
According to Alessandro Giuli, president of the Maxxi foundation and journalist, "2023 could prove to be a year of recovery for the country's economy"
Italians hope to be able to hope again
, in this 2023 which has just opened and which, according to Alessandro Giuli, a journalist recently appointed president of the Maxxi Foundation , could finally mark an economic and social turning point for our country, also thanks to the contribution of funds from the PNRR. Large companies will be essential in this phase in supporting institutions, in transmitting the solidity of our economy to international markets, in promoting training, skills, digital technology as well as research and culture.
Giuli, help us draw up a balance sheet for 2022 for Italy and introduce the most important challenges of 2023 for our country. “2022 was complex for Italy: a year of transition into an unexpected war economy and a change in the political scenario due to early elections. In general, also in the light of the economic indicators relating to the last quarter and the projections for the beginning of next year, I think I can say that the country has been able to give a positive response: the system has held up also thanks to the performance of tertiary sector, as well as exports, and at least at the moment there are no signs of worrying social tensions. Thus we come to 2023: the year in which it will be seen whether the new government will be able to manage the PNRR in an "autonomous" form with respect to Mario Draghi's executive, coordinating its update with Brussels; the year in which the model of active policies should be reformed and the tax dossier tackled. If the Russian-Ukrainianconflict finally finds peace or at least a credible truce, and if Covid remains endemic and no longer pandemic, 2023 could prove to be the year in which Italy will lay the foundations for exiting stagflation".
In Italy in 2023, what role and what responsibilities will large companies have, especially those involved in sectors such as logistics and energy? “Large companies will maintain their strategic role as national assets in guaranteeing adequate levels of growth, in managing private savings and in supporting government action on ecological transition and the energy crisis. The Italian solidity on the markets and our international reputation will also be measured by the quality standards of our excellences owned by the State. I imagine for them a growing centrality also in providing "models of reference" to politics in the management of administrative processes as well as in the service relationship with the citizenry. Last but not least: the main large companies allocate a budget every year to the promotion of culture, research and sponsorship of events related to tourism;
How can the main economic players help the institutions in relaunching the economy? “It obviously depends on the respective missions. In general, however trivial it may seem, it is always a question of doing one's job well: achieving market objectives, streamlining the bureaucratic apparatus, working in concert with a system constellation that goes from credit and savings to industrial development. Furthermore, Italy still needs a concerted action in the training of cadres as well as in the selection of ruling classes. In this direction, the main players of the economy perform a valuable function”.
From your observatory, that of Libero and the televised debates, but also that of the daily confrontation with reality, what concerns and what hopes do you raise most among people? “Citizens are asking for the satisfaction of primary needs: reassuring prospects in terms of well-being, a health system worthy of the name, a state that is not pervasive but close to people in the provision of elementary services. In a word: stability. The most widespread hope is that a cycle of uncertainty, emergency and erosion of the social security acquired in the last century will come to an end as soon as possible. In a joke: the average Italian hopes to be able to hope again”.
Poste has always been the safe of Italians. In a period characterized by inflation and global uncertainty, how much is this safe worth in terms of confidence and security for savers? “ Poste Italiane is a centuries-old quality brand that has been able to renew itself in the digital age and at the same time is one of the few analogue proximity institutions that citizens perceive as safe. Despite the permanent risk associated with public debt, Italy's consolidated balance sheet is one of the most solid and it is what guarantees us in international offices and on the markets. The Italians are more informed than we think: they know perfectly well that their trust has so far been well placed".
With the complementary funds of the PNRR, Poste will build 7,000 branches in the post offices of Municipalities with less than 15,000 inhabitants, dedicating them to public administration services. The goal is to help streamline bureaucracy and guarantee services in small towns. How do you judge the digital transition in our country and how important is it to accompany this transition with a physical support such as a simple post office counter? “We start from the self-evident assumption that Italy is quite late both in the digital transition and in ordinary infrastructural maintenance, even before the new planning. The PNRR represents an extraordinary opportunity to modernize the public administration in tangible and intangible terms. In this context, Poste can already boast a branched out structure on theterritory. Each post office is perceived as a Carabinieri station: a garrison of assistance and security, an object of trust but also of expectations. With the increase in branches, accompanied by the simplification of services thanks to technological devices and the new skills acquired by the younger staff, it will be possible to strengthen the national connective tissue and the relationship between citizens and the State. In the end,
2.DHL Global Forwarding supports Grundfos to reduce CO2 emissions along its supply chains January 26, 2023
DHL Global Forwarding focuses on reducing Grundfos' carbon emissions in ocean freight transportation for both less-than-container-load (LCL) and full-container-load shipments (FCL) via its GoGreen Plus service. • DHL's GoGreen Plus service drives carbon reduction in ocean and air freight shipments while using sustainable fuels. • In the first year of the cooperation 6,500 t CO2e TtW of carbon emissions have been reduced in ocean and air freight transportation. • Grundfos reduces the environmental impact for the transport of its products significantly.
Bonn - DHL Global Forwarding has successfully implemented sustainable logistics solutions for its customer Grundfos. Since one year DHL supports the world's largest pump manufacturer and water solutions provider to decarbonize ocean and air freight shipments by providing GoGreen Plus insetting solutions. Both companies share a sustainable vision and regard this partnership as an important milestone on their science-based path to carbon neutrality. "We are deeply committed to helping our customers reach their sustainability goals by reducing carbon emissions along the supply lanes. Working together with the world's leading pump manufacturer Grundfos is a great pleasure for us, as we both share a common perspective regarding the need to achieve carbon neutrality through auditable and scalable carbon-cutting solutions. Our GoGreen Plus services helped Grundfos decarbonize their ocean and air freight routes and we look forward to continuing this strategic partnership," says Torben Pagh, Managing Director DHL Global Forwarding Denmark.
DHL Global Forwarding focuses on reducing Grundfos' carbon emissions in ocean freight transportation for both less-than-container-load (LCL) and full-container-load shipments (FCL) via its GoGreen Plus service. The LCL GoGreen Plus service comes even without any additional costs for customers. Last year, both companies also launched a pilot project which aimed to reduce carbon emissions in air freight shipments (AFR). Grundfos accessed DHL Global Forwarding's AFR GoGreen Plus service which cuts emissions in air transportation by using Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF).
"Grundfos produces more than 16 Mln pumps a year and ships more than 20.000 containers over the ocean every year. Grundfos always pioneered in water solutions to address the water and climate challenges in the world and improve quality of life for people. That is part of our core and DNA, says Dirk van der Heijden, Senior Director Global Logistics in Grundfos. "A testimony of that DNA is that Grundfos is the first company in the water solution sector to receive the full validation from SBTI (Science Based Target Initiative) of our net-zero emission target by 2050. The use of alternative biofuels from DHL Global Forwarding as one of our global ocean partners allows us to decarbonize our Ocean transport port to port. At the same time together we stimulate the freight industry to invest in a sustainable future. An industry which is critical for our company Grundfos. DHL's GoGreen Plus service is based on the insetting approach where customers are offered various solutions for minimizing logistics-related emissions along the entire supply chain. DHL Global Forwarding's GoGreen Plus solution is facilitating a sustainable fuel switch. Hereby carriers consume sustainable fuel on behalf of DHL. Subsequently the resulting Scope 3 emission reductions are passed on to DHL and will then be allocated to cargo owners. This allocation is linked to the transport profile to the GoGreen Plus shipments of the cargo owner. Both DHL Global Forwarding and Grundfos aim to strengthen their ambitions to align with the Paris Agreement and adhere to the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi), which aims to define a path towards zero carbon emissions based on scientific and auditable measures.
Source : https://www.dpdhl.com/en/media-relations/press-releases/2023/dhl-globalforwarding-supports-grundfos-to-reduce-co2-emissions-along-its-supply-chains
3.USPS to install QR codes on its leased trucks and trailers January 25, 2023
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is to place new two-dimensional barcodes on its leased box trucks and trailers.
The new 99V barcodes use two-dimensional data matrices – also known as QR codes – and are replacing traditional barcodes. When scanned, they provide a vehicle identification number and information about the vehicle, such as its type and dimensions. They are expected to be more robust but can still be scanned if they do get damaged.
During processing, packages are assigned to a container before being placed on a truck or trailer. The barcode on the truck or trailer is then scanned, thereby associating that vehicle with the package containers it is carrying. The USPS logistics team expects to have the new barcodes installed on the entire fleet by the end of the summer. The company says it has installed new barcodes on approximately 95% of its fleet of owned and leased trailers and box trucks. Mike Taylor, a USPS logistics program analyst, said, “These barcodes improve the visibility of packages as they move through the network. We know what is in these trucks and trailers and where they are at any given moment.”
4.Posti: Amending the Postal Act to adapt to the digital transformation January 25, 2023
Posti considers the amendment to the Postal Act approved by the Parliament to be a responsible and positive reform, which will bring the regulation of the sector into line with the drastically decreasing mail volumes. In practice, the impact of three-day universal service delivery on mail recipients will be small, as the delivery speed of letters will remain unchanged. The new delivery support will create the conditions for the continuation of the five-day delivery of paper publications in sparsely populated areas.
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Today, the Parliament has approved the Government's proposal to amend the Postal Act. The Act is due to enter into force on 1 October 2023. In order to enter into force, the President of the Republic must ratify the Act. The amendment will reduce the delivery and picking days of the universal service from five to three weekdays. Another important reform is the introduction of a new delivery subsidy to support newspaper deliveries in sparsely populated areas. In Finland, delivery support was last in use in the 1990s.
“The reforms approved by the Parliament are really important due to the sharply decreasing delivery volumes. The volume of letters delivered by Posti has fallen by nearly 70%, so there are no longer enough letters to be delivered profitably every day. When postal regulations are relaxed, the state will not have to finance the universal service with tax revenue in the future either,” says Yrjö Eskola, Posti’s Senior Vice President, Postal Services.
Delivery support needed for paper publications for 4–5 years Posti considers the delivery support for newspapers to be a very necessary measure to ensure the delivery of paper publications in sparsely populated areas. “The extent of the digital transformation is illustrated by the fact that the number of printed newspapers has decreased by more than 60 percent since the beginning of the 1990s. It has also increased the unit costs for the delivery of publications. In sparsely populated areas, the cost of outdoor delivery work per delivered product can be three times higher than in urban areas and five times higher than in city areas. “If it is not profitable to deliver paper publications on market terms and in a financially sustainable manner, but the service is considered necessary for society, it is the state's job to support the delivery of newspapers,” says Eskola. Eskola estimates that state delivery support will be needed at least until the end of 2027 to help the media industry adapt to the digital media environment.
The reforms will enable significant emission reductions and full-time work for deliverer Posti commends the Government and Parliament for the fact that the amendments to the Postal Act enable the provision of alternate-day delivery and, at the same time, full-time work for the personnel in mail delivery. According to Eskola, Posti wants to act responsibly towards its personnel. The climate also commends the amendment of the Postal Act. By reducing the number of delivery days and making delivery more efficient, Posti is able to significantly reduce its carbon-dioxide emissions. Posti's daytime delivery currently covers approximately 310,000 kilometers on weekdays and 170,000 kilometers on lightened mail delivery days. Posti's goalis to reduce unnecessary kilometers driven, cut fuel consumption and transport all items fossil-free by 2030.
The new Postal Act will not affect the delivery speed of universal service letters and letters from the authorities The Parliament's Transport and Communications Committee stated in its report that the amendments to the Postal Act must not slow down the item delivery or receipt of postal items sent by the authorities that are relevant to legal protection. Eskola points out that the reduction in delivery days does not affect the delivery of official letters, which are commercial and competitive contract-based deliveries, and Posti delivers these products fully in accordance with the service level agreement agreed with the customers The amendments of the Postal Act will not affect the delivery speed of stamped letters, which will be maintained unchanged in the Postal Act. The universal service obligation imposed on Posti by the Postal Act applies to cash-paid products (including ordinary letters, registered and insured letters, letters with advice of delivery and parcels sent abroad) that represent less than 3% of all mail delivered by Posti. The delivery of newspapers, magazines and advertisements is not covered by the universal service. Corporate letters, domestic parcels and parcels sent from abroad are also not covered by the universal service.
5.Dave Ward appeals direct to Royal Mail shareholders January 24, 2023
CWU leaders put their case direct to Royal Mail investors yesterday, urging them to question the company’s strategy and push for a resolution to the ongoing dispute.
In a webinar hosted by Tom Powdrill, head of stewardship at corporate governance consultancy PIRC (Pensions & Investment Research Consultants), people from the business sector heard a detailed summary of the issues at stake and the reasons why the union has been forced into action.
Our general secretary Dave Ward and acting deputy general secretary postal Andy Furey set out the union’s case, supported by head of research Bill Taylor, who presented a series of slides with the facts and figures of the situation. These reminded the audience of the record £758 million profit announced by Royal Mail Group last year, the fact that, even with international division GLS removed from the equation, Royal Mail UK still made £416m and that, last May, the company forecast that profits would fall slightly in 2022/23 but still remain at a healthy £303m. But that profit forecast fell in October to a predicted loss of between £350m and £450m – a sharp drop which followed a £567m giveaway in dividends and a share buyback during the 2021/22 financial year. The slides also highlighted the high levels of total remuneration received by Royal Mail’s CEO and CFO – £753,000 and £1.3m respectively. These totals included bonus payments of £142,000 (to the CEO) and £847,000 (to the CFO), despite missing important quality of service targets.
The slide presentation set the scene for the conversation to follow, in which our general secretary expanded on the key points at issue. On the change aspect of the dispute, he explained that the company had provoked this by walking away from the Pathway to Change – a national agreement, which was signed up to in March 2021 by our DGSP Terry Pullinger on behalf of the union and by CEO Simon Thompson for Royal Mail. “But the CEO who signed that agreement has walked away from it,” said Dave, adding that walking away from the Pathway to Change agreement showed “a lack of integrity.” The union recognised – and has always recognised, our general secretary continued, that this industry cannot face away from change. “And the workforce understands this as well – the CWU has often been at the forefront of pushing to develop new products and services and we’re in favour of change and modernisation. But what the company leadership has recently been putting forward is not modernisation. They’re putting all their eggs in one basket in seeking to become parcels only and looking to shrink the company’s infrastructure.” This represented a significant point of difference between the CWU and the company leadership, Dave explained, saying: “Where we see the infrastructure Royal Mail has as a competitive advantage which should be used to grow revenues, increase shareholder value and build success for Royal Mail – they see it as a disadvantage.” The proposed later starts for delivery workers was a key example of this ‘infrastructurereducing’ perspective, which would mean, he said: “Abandoning the ‘am’ delivery period. And once Royal Mail abandon what is currently its ‘sweet spot’, then competitors will move in on that slot. Letters will not disappear.”
While the union opposes the abandonment of the early-morning period, and of the letters market, it does fully support the development of afternoon shifts, the ‘one-parcel-network’ concept, Sunday working and ‘24/7’ operation in principle. But, our general secretary continued, the company’s current plans to bring in a new workforce on lower pay, worse terms and conditions, and to increase owner-driver and agency resource are staunchly opposed and will not be agreed to. Once again, it was explained that the already agreed Pathway to Change – with its nine sub sections covering every function of the business and setting out how change is to be discussed, decided upon, implemented, deployed, reviewed and improved – provided a clear way forward through all of this and, once again, it was remarked upon that the company should not have walked away from that agreement. It was the company leadership’s decision to renege on that agreement that had sparked the ‘change’ aspects of this dispute – not change itself. On pay, Dave pointed out that the company’s claim that it had offered a 9 per cent increase was not quite what it was being presented as – and he reiterated the union’s position that, if a genuine, straightforward 9 per cent pay offer was put forward by the business, this would be taken back to the membership for their endorsement.
Tom Powdrill then fielded questions from the online audience – which ranged from whether the company had been incautious in its financial decisions of last summer, to the impact across the economy of the current dispute, the way that Royal Mail leaders engage with the union and with the workforce, had an error of judgement been made, and was there now a question mark over the leadership of the company?
Dave Ward thanked people for attending the webinar and for their many and varied points and he and Andy Furey responded to each. Dave suggested that the increased share holding by one capital investment group last year – and the heightened speculation around this – may have impacted on the company’s financial decision-making, that a Royal Mail dispute was highly significant in terms of the overall economy, that competitor companies were, to acertain extent, gradually starting to close the gap with Royal Mail on employee remuneration and that “we want to see pay, terms and conditions up right across the sector.” With regard to the questions on engagement, our general secretary said that the CWU believes that the company’s senior bosses were “taking advice from union busters” and “they’re not seeing their workforce as an asset.” He added: “We would urge investors to ask questions of the company on this.” One shareholder asked directly: “What is it that you think we can do? What do you want from us that can help to come to a resolution?” and Dave thanked him for his question and replied: “We would want you to raise concerns, do everything possible to get the company to reach a settlement.” The settlement reached must, he reiterated, align the interests of workers and the company and the customers.
Source : https://www.cwu.org/news/dave-ward-appeals-direct-to-royal-mail-shareholders