How it works in Holland.

[NEWS]

Some Dutch website

Socialist and Labour party (PvdA) MPs have introduced an amendment to the
post office bill being discussed by parliament on Wednesday which says all delivery workers should be paid by the hour.

The measure is aimed at forcing Sandd and Selektmail, the two main competitors to TNT Post, to pay their staff a proper wage. Sandd and Selektmail delivery staff are currently paid a few cents for each item they deliver and do not get holiday or sick pay.

Last week, TNT Post said it would reduce its workforce by up to 11,000 because of increasing competition. The entire postal market is due to be opened up to competition next year.

Sandd and Selektmail have written to the cabinet warning that they will not be able to compete if they are forced to change the way they pay postal delivery workers.


A post from some Dutch Message Board.

Surely the point being of all this is that TNT is competing against companies who pay their delivery people sweet FA. I have a mate that worked for Sandd. he had to sort the mail in his bedroom, then deliver it. He got paid per item, four cents or something, and sometimes he got paid per address. so 100 items for one company and he still got a couple of cents. In the summer there was hardly any post, he had to do all over Amsterdam and was earning four of five euros an hour.

He was not covered for sick pay or health insurance or pensions because Sandd treats its delivery people as freelancers. Though how it gets away with that from the tax office I don't know.

At least TNT pays its posties (most of them) a proper wage - Sandd can only compete by treating its workers like s**t.

TNT have replied

Same Message board

The last step in the liberalization of the postal market is about to take place.

CEO Peter Bakker said that TNT is not against competition but the other 2 players, Selekt Mail and Sandd, have spoilt the market. “Postal service is labor intensive. They (the competition) are turning the high value job at TNT into low value job.â€

[L Tommo]

How would of TNT felt if RM went in and cherry picked any work in Holland when they came over here??? Open market... free enterprise.... Well if we RM was worried about the Regulator and POSTCOM then we RM should of played the same game as them TNT.. Fight dirty..... Or would this only fuel the flames for cheap labour??? Coz we all know RM would f**k it up some how.. Left to Whizz kids n doughnut management.... Any ways to late now missed the boat as its over in 2008 for the dutch TNT monopoly.... Bring out the brasses next from the red light districts to deliver the goods hahahahaha Housewifes of a kind AINT THEY???

OUT..

DONT LET THE CHEESE HEADS GRIND US DOWN, OR POSTCOM OR THE REGULATOR OR MR BLAIR OR....... etc......

[F0zziebear]

Tommo,

Glad you've been having a look at what happens elsewhere in Europe. As you can see competitors are coming along with alternative approaches to delivering mail. In HOlland this is causing problems, and don't be surprised if something like this may possibly happen in the UK. I think it is less likely as we have stronger employment laws, and a minimum wage.

I urge you all to look at a new phrase going about 'lifestyle couriers' not sure if I've mentioned this before. I now some of the express parcel companies are employing these types of people as a way of getting round some of the legislation and being able to flex their cost base more in line with revenue.

Much of RM's problems stem from a high cost fixed network (approx. £3.5bn) per annum on wages alone. And this is on revneues of about £6.5bn (figures are a bit rusty so don't shoot me if I'm a bit out on this)

As I said previously one of ur best bests is to get together with your incumbent european employees as they are going through the same problems (even though they may work for TNT or Deutschepost). If you succeed in coming together and presurisiing the European Union you may halt/slow down the liberlaisation of the postal markets across Europe. If TNT and DEuschepost are not so threatened in their own country they may only focus on non-European markets, thus lessening the impact on the UK market and your own jobs. This is the only way I see in you not having many more jobs taken out by default.

F0zzie on a roll