German Deutsche Post may reduce number of closures
German post operator Deutsche Post plans to halve to 500 the number of small branches it previously marked for closure, company’s spokesman Juergen Blohm said on April 23, 2005.
Previously, Deutsche Post intended to reduce the number of its branches, operated either by the company or through agencies, to 12,000 from currently 13,000. After protests from the affected parties, however, the company reconsidered and halved the number of the planned closures.
The Association of Post Agencies, Pagd, accused Deutsche Post of working with the 7,500 post agencies in an authoritarian manner, saying that it has reduced the wages of part-time employees in the post agencies to 300 euro (USD390), below the negotiated monthly sum, despite the registered 10 pct turnover growth.
Furthermore, Pagd’s chairman Torsten Modery said Deutsche Post has provided misleading information regarding the number of its customers to the agencies operating post offices, and thus compromised their economic efficiency evaluations.
