POSTAL NEWS No 54- 2022
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
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1. USPS Ends FY2022 third quarter with continued service improvements across all mail categories
July 08, 2022
WASHINGTON — The United States Postal Service reported new preliminary delivery performance metrics for the fiscal third quarter ending June 30 showing continued service improvements across First-Class Mail, Marketing Mail and Periodicals. For the third quarter, the average time for the Postal Service to deliver a mailpiece or package across the nation was just 2.5 days.
FY2022 third quarter service performance scores covering April 1 through June 30 included:
· First-Class Mail: 93.5 percent of First-Class Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 5.6 percentage points from the fiscal second quarter.
· Marketing Mail: 94.7 percent of Marketing Mail delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an increase of 2.5 percentage points from the fiscal second quarter.
· Periodicals: 86.3 percent of Periodicals delivered on time against the USPS service standard, an improvement of 4.8 percentage points from the fiscal second quarter.
One of the goals of
Delivering for America, the Postal Service’s 10-year
plan for achieving
financial sustainability and
service excellence, is to meet or exceed 95
percent on-time service performance for all mail and shipping products once all elements
of the plan are implemented. Service performance is defined by the Postal Service
as the time it takes to deliver
a mailpiece or
package from its acceptance into our system through its delivery, as measured against published service standards.
The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
Source : https://postaltimes.com/postalnews/usps-ends-fy2022-third-quarter-with-continued- service-improvements-across-all-mail-categories/
2. Australians smash online shopping records in FY22
July 07, 2022
Australia Post has delivered
an online shopping bonanza in the past financial year with a record
9.3 million Aussie households buying
online.
For just the second time ever, total households shopping online across the nation surpassed 9 million. This was up from
9.1 million the previous financial year, while online purchases grew almost 12 per cent.
The six months from July to December 2021 were particularly strong as the impacts of the pandemic saw Australians turn to eCommerce like never before, and an average of 5.6 million
households purchased something online each month in FY22, 1.5 million more than the average in FY20.
New South Wales, which experienced extended lockdowns last year, grew more than 27 per cent year on year (YOY) and had the highest participation compared with its share of population, with around one in three purchases destined for the state.
The ACT (more than 27 per cent YOY) and Western Australia (14 per cent YOY) also saw significant growth in online purchases year on year.
More than a billion parcels have been delivered via Australia Post’s online parcel management platform since its launch in 2016, and Australia Post Head of eCommerce Analytics Rose Yip said the growth in online shopping had accelerated beyond expectations throughout the pandemic.
“We’ve seen more than 900 million parcels delivered in the last 3 years alone, which says so much about how quickly eCommerce has grown in a short amount of time,” she said.
“It's now the norm for so many Australians, with more than 5 million households regularly shopping online every month, which is why we’ve not only increased our network capacity but we’re investing in more new facilities, technology and our fleet to set up a strong and sustainable network for the future.”
Popular buys were pet products (up 38 per cent YOY), tools and garden items (29 per cent) and products from major and discount stores (32 per cent), while baby products and athleisure items also grew. Recent End of Financial Year (EOFY) sales were also a boon for sellers of athleisure, sporting and outdoor goods, which were all up on the previous month.
Source : https://newsroom.auspost.com.au/article/australians-smash-online-shopping-records- in-fy22
3. DPD UK to launch autonomous delivery robots in Milton Keynes July 05, 2022
Autonomous robots will each deliver up to 30 parcels a day, in two neighbourhoods
Leading parcel delivery firm DPD UK is to commence autonomous robot deliveries in two Milton Keynes neighbourhoods, as part of a trial with AI-powered robotics and last mile delivery company, Cartken.
The DPD branded robots, which will operate out of the firm’s Knowlhill depot, will navigate the city’s traffic-free Redway network to access the residential neighbourhoods of Shenley Church End and Shenley Lodge.
Powered by AI
technology, the robots are currently ‘learning’ the routes and will then be
able to find their way to delivery
addresses, fully autonomously. Cartken’s
level 4 autonomy and leading
navigation tech is regarded as one of the safest last mile delivery solutions
on the market and is currently being
used by automotive tech giant Mitsubishi in Japan, and leading food delivery
company GrubHub in the United States.
DPD parcel recipients will be notified of a robot delivery in advance, and once they confirm that they are at home to accept the parcel, the robot will be dispatched.
Customers will be able to track the robot’s progress on a map and
will be notified when it reaches their property. They will then use a code to open the secure compartment and access their parcel. Once the compartment is closed, the robot will return to the depot for its next delivery.
If the trial is successful, DPD UK intends to extend the sustainable, autonomous final mile solution across the city, which could enable it to start removing traditional delivery vans from the road network.
Elaine Kerr, DPD UK CEO, comments: “This is a really important trial for us. We want to understand the role that delivery robots could play in certain locations in the UK. They are a sustainable solution, and we genuinely want to find out if they could help us take vans off the road in future. The technology is proven and with the DPD branding, they look fantastic. The public’s response to our EV fleet has been amazing, so I am confident these smart robots will be embraced by customers as part of the way forward.
“Realistically, we aren’t going to be completely replacing our delivery drivers anytime soon. And we wouldn’t want to. The service they provide is fantastic. But at DPD we’ve always led the way on innovation and investment in our network and this is the next logical step in terms of evolving delivery solutions and working towards our aim of being the UK’s most sustainable delivery company.”
Cartken Co-Founder and COO, Anjali Jindal Naik, said of the project, “We are excited to collaborate with DPD for parcel delivery in the UK market. Our robots are designed to provide sustainable solutions that integrate into existing city infrastructure. We are thrilled to be a part of DPD's sustainability plan as they adopt more environmentally conscious solutions through the use of our delivery robots.”
The trial is part of series of innovative green initiatives from DPD UK. The firm has already announced plans to have over 3,000 electric vehicles on the road in the UK this year and 5,000 by 2023, when it will be delivering to 30 towns and cities on all-electric vehicles.
Source : https://www.dpd.com/group/en/news/dpd-uk-autonomous-delivery-robots/
4. Philippine Post Office seals agreement for online payment
July 05, 2022
The Philippine Postal Corporation (Post Office) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) inked a landmark Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to provide the customers a more efficient, secure, hassle free and reliable online payment system of Philippine customs duties and taxes through the Post Office website.
The online payment system for customs duties and taxes aims to eliminate fraud in compliance with Republic Act No. 11032 also known as the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.
The said agreement will make the
process of clearing and delivery
of parcels and other mail matters faster and simpler, benefitting thousands of consumers
and Philippine residents who
rely on the postal service to send and receive
packages from abroad but also boosting
the e-commerce industry for the growth of our economy.
Postmaster General Norman Fulgencio and Bureau of Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero signed the agreement coinciding with the 125th Founding Anniversary of the Department of Finance.
“For the first time, in the 75 years of being a Republic, the Post Office Digital Innovation will enhance the competitiveness of the Post Office in the local and International market”, Postmaster General Norman Fulgencio said.
He added, “It is important for the public to understand that all mail and parcels may be subject to customs examination, duties, taxes and other fees”.
The Post Office has introduced the payment of customs duties and taxes through its Post Office website and mobile application launched last May 19, 2022 with no less than former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in attendance.
“This Duterte Legacy signifies the commitment and support of the Post Office especially under the new administration of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. in serving the public who deserve no less than the best postal service by global standards”, Postmaster General Fulgencio said.
Under the agreement the Post Office and Bureau of Customs shall both have access to the systems only in relation to the corresponding input of charges of duties and taxes by the BOC personnel and for the verification of payment. A separate Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) shall be made in relation to collection of duties, taxes and other charges which shall form part of the agreement
Source : https://postandparcel.info/148969/news/parcel/philippine-post-office-seals- agreement-for-online-payment-with-dof-customs/
5. Working in the Heat July 05, 2022
Summer is late this year. With a few exceptions across the country, where they have experienced brief periods of heat, the hot weather is overdue. However, we must not regard this situation as the norm and disregard the eventual heat waves that will inevitably occur in the weeks to come. In order to be well prepared, be aware of the dangers that a heat wave can impose.
Other situations to watch out for are forest fires and air quality, which are likely to be of concern again this year. Also, although COVID seems to be less prevalent in our workplaces, the virus is still very much present. Please be vigilant and take the necessary precautions. Please encourage your co-workers to do the same.
Take precautions
Slow down. Your body will not perform at its best in high temperatures.
Take all the breaks provided for in the collective agreement, if possible away from the heat. Pushing straight through is not the answer.
Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. Stay away from coffee and energy drinks, as they have a tendency to dehydrate the body.
Use sunscreen. Carry it with you and re-apply every 20-30 minutes. Sunburn restricts the body’s cooling system.
Wear a hat, and loose, lightweight clothing.
If desired, or when required, make sure you have your PPE with you to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 (mask, hand sanitizer, gloves if needed, etc.)
Wash or disinfect your hands frequently.
Maintain salt levels in your body. If you are on a salt-free diet, check with your doctor. Avoid high-protein foods, such as meat and legumes, as they can increase your body’s water loss and heat production.
Prolonged exposure to heat may cause the following symptoms: Heat cramps
Usual symptoms: muscle spasms, heavy sweating, extreme thirst, nausea, cold and clammy skin.
· Treatment: Move victim to cool, shaded area to rest, and apply firm pressure to cramping muscles. If cramps persist, give victim two glasses of salty water every 10 to 15 minutes. (Mix 5 mg of salt to 1 litre of water).
Heat exhaustion
Usual symptoms: sweating, weakness, cold and clammy skin, low blood pressure, disorientation, vomiting.
· Treatment: Move victim to cool area to rest; give salty water and cover person if shivering. Seek medical help immediately.
Heat stroke
Usual symptoms: weakness, headache, hot and dry skin, dilated pupils, offensive body odour, sharply rising body temperature, pulse pounding and full, elevated blood pressure, delirium or coma.
· Treatment: Have victim taken to hospital immediately. While waiting for medical assistance, move victim to cool, shaded area and sponge body with cool water, letting water evaporate to reduce body temperature.
Take care and report incidents
There are no federal regulations on exposure to heat. If you attempt your work and find it to be unsafe, you can exercise your right to refuse unsafe work. How? Inform your supervisor and your shop steward that you wish to exercise your right of refusal, pursuant to clause 33.13 of the collective agreement for members of the urban unit. RSMCs and members of private sector units can exercise their right of refusal according to the appropriate measures included in Part II of the Canada Labour Code.
Report every incident or discomfort due to exposure to heat. An investigation must be conducted by the supervisor in the presence of a union representative.
Source: https://www.cupw.ca/en/working-heat-3
POSTAL NEWS No 53- 2022
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
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1. DPDHL: Decarbonisation of heavy transport is an important challenge
July 08, 2022
DHL Global Forwarding, the air and sea freight specialist of Deutsche Post DHL Group, has signed an agreement with Hapag-Lloyd on the use of advanced biofuels.
As a first step,
Hapag-Lloyd will use biofuels for 18,000 TEU of the sea freight volume shipped for DHL, thereby saving 14,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions
(well-to-wake)[1] . The two companies share the vision of
decarbonizing container shipping and logistics. With their cooperation, they demonstrate the scalability of sustainable transport
solutions and the relevance of modern biofuels
in today’s market environment. As pioneers, both DHL and Hapag-Lloyd are committed to uniform
industry standards based on the carbon insetting approach.
“The decarbonisation of heavy transport is an important challenge that requires a rethink on the part of the entire industry. That is why we are very proud to have found a partner in Hapag-Lloyd who, like us, pursues the goal of a climate-neutral world
anchored in the Paris Climate Agreement. Together, we want to pave the way for book & claim and insetting mechanisms to make it easier for shipping companies to use sustainable fuels,” said Dominique von Orelli, Global Head of Ocean Freight at DHL Global Forwarding.
Biofuels are based on biological residues such as used cooking oil and other waste products. From these raw materials, a fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) is produced, which is then mixed with different proportions of low-sulfur heating oil. Compared to conventional fuels, this pure biofuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80 percent.
“We are very pleased to have entered into this agreement with DHL for the use of a significant amount of biofuel. We share the same values and the same goal: to protect our environment and contribute to a greener future. Biofuels will play an important role in our path to climate neutrality by 2045 in the coming years. We want to offer our customers a sustainable commercial transport product based on biofuel and thus help them to improve their CO2 balance. This cooperation will bring us one step closer to this goal,” says Danny Smolders, Managing Director Global Sales at Hapag-Lloyd.
Source : https://postandparcel.info/149038/news/sustainability/dpdhl-the-decarbonisation-of- heavy-transport-is-an-important-challenge/
2. Dutch PostNL introduces LEFVs in The Hague
July 07, 2022
PostNL opened a downtown hub in The Hague for
sustainable and neighborhood-friendly
delivery of parcels in The Hague’s Inner
City. PostNL will now deliver parcels in the inner city of The Hague using small, emission-free LEVVs (light electric
vehicles). This will benefit the liveability of the inner city: the vehicles
are quiet, clean,
narrow, maneuverable, and low noise.
From the PostNL parcel sorting center in Den Hoorn, the parcels will be transported to the small LEV city hub in the Uitenhagestraat on the edge of The Hague city center. From there, parcels are delivered to consumers and businesses in The Hague’s city center. Three roll cages with three compartments fit in the LEVs. These reduce the “search time” on the street. The app tells the delivery driver in which container and which bin the parcel is.
Liesbeth van Tongeren, alderman for Sustainability, the Environment and Energy Transition of The Hague: “As a municipality of The Hague, we are doing a lot to ensure that parcels are delivered more cleanly. For example, there is an environmental zone where the most polluting trucks are not allowed. With the national Green Deal, we stimulate suppliers to only bring in their cleanest trucks or vans. As a result, I see more wonderful sustainable initiatives in the city. It’s good to see that we are creating a clean and liveable city together.”
Barry Nieuwland, a driver for PostNL: “I’m happy that in my The Hague city center we now deliver packages with LEVVs. These narrow vans allow cyclists to pass more easily, and we can deliver to any alley. I love driving them because they’re easy to maneuver, and I get a lot of positive feedback. And because they are electric, they are cleaner and quieter. That’s great for the environment and the climate, making this form of delivery especially suitable for the inner city of The Hague.”
The LEVVs are part of PostNL’s more than 2,100 electric vehicles. In addition, 50% of its own fleet is more sustainable through biogas, BIO-LNG, sustainable fuel, and electric vans.
Thanks to the sustainable sorting centers, mail and parcels are sorted in a 100% CO₂ neutral way. As a result, PostNL delivers mail and letterbox parcels to 96% of the Dutch home addresses free of emissions. Furthermore, in the city centers, deliveries are increasingly made using small, sustainable vehicles such as cargo bikes and LEVVs.
After Arnhem and Groningen, The Hague is the third city in the Netherlands where PostNL uses LEVVs to deliver parcels. The LEVVSs are produced in the Netherlands and specially developed for PostNL parcel deliveries.
Source : http://www.citylogistics.info/business/dutch-postnl-introduces-lefvs-in-the-hague/
3. Swiss Post boosts
its cybersecurity expertise July 06, 2022 Swiss Post acquired a majority shareholding in Western Swiss company Hacknowledge SA on 5 July 2022. The purchase
will strengthen Swiss Post’s expertise
and capabilities in cybersecurity both for itself and its customers. Hacknowledge SA, based in Morges in the canton
of Vaud, is a cybersecurity
specialist and has 46 employees, who will continue
to be employed by the company. This joint move will allow Swiss Post and Hacknowledge to work together
to ensure the secure exchange
of confidential information and customer data online. The parties have agreed not to disclose
the purchase price or details of the acquisition.
Our daily lives are becoming ever more digital, and the data we share online is increasingly sensitive, making it more attractive for criminals too. “Swiss Post wants to bring into the digital world the trust that people and companies in Switzerland place in us the analogue world, and strengthen it. Put simply,
we want to transfer mail secrecy to the digital world,” explains Nicole Burth, Head of Communication Services at Swiss Post. Swiss Post is expanding its IT competencies and making substantial investments in the security and confidentiality of information and data.
As part of this initiative, Swiss Post has acquired the majority of shares in Hacknowledge SA, based in Morges in Western Switzerland. The purchase will help Swiss Post secure the expertise it needs to continue to minimize any security risks that arise in its own digital services and at partners and customers. Hacknowledge provides support in identifying and responding to targeted cyberthreats aimed at public authorities, SMEs, partner companies and Swiss Post.
Hacknowledge will continue to operate independently
Hacknowledge, based in Western Switzerland, was founded in 2016 and has 46 employees. It enables companies to benefit from a professional security center, without incurring the significant expense involved in infrastructure or related costs. This enhances their ability to identify cyberattacks and quickly react to them.
Hacknowledge will continue to operate as an independent company after the takeover. Hacknowledge staff will remain employed by the company and have been informed about the new ownership structure. Both parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price paid by Swiss Post for the majority shareholding.
Information security at Swiss Post
At least 70 Swiss Post employees in the Information Security unit work around the clock seven days a week to ensure that sensitive customer data in Swiss Post systems is exchanged safely and reliably with business and private customers. And for good reason: they have their hands full with hackers and criminal organizations online. Swiss Post houses critical national infrastructure in partnership with the Swiss economy and its SMEs, and is constantly under attack from criminals online.
The cybersecurity specialists at Swiss Post identify threats, including persistent ones, and defend both the system and physical and digital services against them. Swiss Post’s team successfully repels over 100 targeted hacker attacks every month, over 280 waves of phishing against customers and around 10 million spam and phishing e-mails each month.
Source : https://www.post.ch/en/about-us/media/press-releases/2022/swiss-post-boosts-its- cybersecurity-expertise
4. Posten Norge invests in second-hand marketplace Tise
July 05, 2022
Norwegian postal operator Posten Norge is taking an interest in the burgeoning second- hand market. Via its Bring Ventures arm, which specialises in investing in innovative startups, it's investing in the Norwegian second-hand platform Tise. eBay Ventures and Nysnø Klimainvesteringer are also taking a stake in Tise.
Posten Norge sees this as a step towards the circular economy, while also making shopping for second-hand items online more accessible.
"We are convinced that the road to a more
sustainable society requires that it be easier to buy and sell used throughout the Nordic region." - Tone Wille, CEO
Posten Norge.
Tise is a Nordic marketplace for buying and selling used clothes. Transactions on the marketplace are usually C2C, but companies can also sell their used goods via Tise. The Tise app was launched in 2016 and today has 2.5 million registered users, with more than 150,000 people on the platform daily.
Posten and Tise have previously collaborated on shipping solutions.
Source : http://www.thepostalhub.com/blog/posten-norge-bring-ventures-tise-second-hand- marketplace
5. Royal Mail’s property and facilities workers get set for strike ballot
July 04, 2022
‘They’re paying us last year’s pay rates, but we’re paying out this year’s prices!’ says workplace rep at national briefing on the RMP&FS pay dispute.
With this short sentence, Chris English CWU Central Area rep for P&FS engineers, explained perfectly the sheer unfairness of the current situation facing not only his members, but also the vast majority of our union’s membership and workers across the UK at this time.
Latest figures show inflation running at 11.7 per cent (RPI), driven by sharp hikes in fuel and food prices. Although there are no restrictions on companies raising their customer prices, workers’ claims for pay rises in line with inflation are being refused, sparking a wave of disputes, ballots and strikes involving CWU members as well as RMT rail workers, British Airways airport staff and various other key sectors of the economy.
Our own members working for the Post Office have already been on strike over pay, with further walkouts planned for next week while BT and Openreach members voted last week for action and ballots are in progress in Royal Mail and Parcelforce.
The Royal Mail ballot does not include approximately 1,400 engineers, admin workers and cleaners who clean, repair, maintain and keep operational the company’s many buildings around the country, because pay, terms and conditions for the workers in this division of the company – Royal Mail Property & Facilities Solutions (RMP&FS) – are negotiated separately.
As previously reported on CWU News P&FS management made a similar 2 per cent pay offer to engineers – which was rejected by the union – and offered no pay rise to the vast majority of the company’s approximately 1,000 cleaners. Having formally registered the union’s opposition to the company’s position and receiving the Postal Executive’s in-principle authorisation for a strike ballot, CWU national officers Mark Baulch and Carl Maden called a national briefing at the end of last week to update branches and representatives, answer their questions and hear views and feedback from around the country.
As Outdoor Secretary, Mark represents P&FS cleaners and, in his presentation, he expressed his and the union’s anger at the treatment of these workers who had, he pointed out: “Kept Royal Mail buildings open during the pandemic while the company made record profits.”
After going through the details of the union’s claim and the plans to move towards an industrial action ballot, Mark urged everyone to prepare for the upcoming campaign, saying: “The company owes our members a decent pay rise, both to recognise the fantastic role they played during the pandemic and also to keep up with the cost of living – let’s get a massive YES vote and get our members the pay rise and key improvements to their pensions that they fully deserve.”
Carl Maden, whose national officer responsibilities include P&FS engineers and admin, gave more details of the ballot plans, explained that the specific timetable is currently being discussed with the senior deputy general secretary Tony Kearns and told the meeting that this would be announced as soon as possible.
Carl focused
on the issues around engineers’ and admin pay and
also outlined various aspects of the
CWU claim in other areas, such as members’ pensions and the ongoing push to bring more work in-house. Referring to
the rising wave industrial unrest, Carl said: “We can’t all be wrong – look at all the trade unions either taking action or balloting at this time!”
In the discussion from the floor, branch and area representatives from other parts of Royal Mail Group pledged their solidarity and support for P&FS members and many of them echoed Mark’s point about the crucial role played by cleaners in particular in keeping company premises clean, hygienic and fit for use during the Covid crisis, as well as the key contribution made by P&FS engineers as well.
CWU national cleaners’ rep Eleanor Hipson said afterwards: “It’s been great to hear the support from the rest of the union here today, because the way our members are being treated is just not fair. The P&FS managers got a bonus and a pay rise, but the cleaners got offered nothing in these negotiations.”
Nikki Booth, Northern Area rep for cleaners, described the company’s refusal to offer a pay rise to cleaners as “a smack in the face” and added that it “shows what the company thinks after we got them through the pandemic,” while Western Area rep Cathy Chilcott said that the company was “going back on promises” and London and South East rep Chris Imms reported that members were “angry and also confused” at the current situation.
For the P&FS engineers, Chris English, as well as his memorable quote, also spoke of the need for a fair pay rise and a better deal, while National P&FS engineering rep Ged Garside and John Humphries, from London Postal Engineering Branch, also talked about the situation
facing their members and of the need to ensure that the union’s message gets out to all of them.
Speaking to CWU News this morning, Mark Baulch said: “It was a very positive meeting and our P&FS reps were all really pleased at the support from branches and others. We’re more determined than ever to get a fair deal for cleaners,” while Carl Maden added: “Our engineers and admin members need and deserve a pay rise to keep up with inflation and we also want a pathway to harmonisation on pensions with the rest of Royal Mail Group.”
Source : https://www.cwu.org/news/royal-mails-property-and-facilities-workers-get-set-for- strike-ballot/