TNT suspends workplace talks with unions
TNT NV has confirmed a statement from trade union Abvakabo FNV that it has suspended talks with Dutch trade unions over a new collective labour agreement (CAO).
TNT spokesman Pieter Schaffels said talks have been suspended for a couple of days and the matter is now being discussed at a board of management level.
Abvakabo spokeswoman Toos Bierhoff said unions are demanding a 3.5 pct wage rise and a new CAO from April 1, while TNT is requesting a wage freeze.
The Dutch postal company has been in talks with the unions for several months to reach an agreement on its cost-cutting programme, which targets 370 mln eur in annual savings by 2015, to be achieved partly via the 6,500-7,000 job cuts.
However, if an agreement cannot be reached with unions over savings on wages, overtime pay, pension costs and other issues, TNT said it may be forced to lay-off up to 11,000 workers to meet its targeted savings.
‘If we can agree on a wage freeze for 2.5 years and can talk about a lowering of labour conditions such as benefits, we can then keep the number of job losses restricted to 6,500-7,000,’ TNT’s Schaffels said.
He said the suspension in talks with unions is therefore ‘disappointing’.
In November, TNT and the unions extended the CAO until April 1 to allow more time to reach an agreement in the proposed savings.
Abvakabo’s Bierhoff declined to speculate about industrial action now that talks with TNT have been suspended.
TNT NV has confirmed a statement from trade union Abvakabo FNV that it has suspended talks with Dutch trade unions over a new collective labour agreement (CAO).
TNT spokesman Pieter Schaffels said talks have been suspended for a couple of days and the matter is now being discussed at a board of management level.
Abvakabo spokeswoman Toos Bierhoff said unions are demanding a 3.5 pct wage rise and a new CAO from April 1, while TNT is requesting a wage freeze.
The Dutch postal company has been in talks with the unions for several months to reach an agreement on its cost-cutting programme, which targets 370 mln eur in annual savings by 2015, to be achieved partly via the 6,500-7,000 job cuts.
However, if an agreement cannot be reached with unions over savings on wages, overtime pay, pension costs and other issues, TNT said it may be forced to lay-off up to 11,000 workers to meet its targeted savings.
‘If we can agree on a wage freeze for 2.5 years and can talk about a lowering of labour conditions such as benefits, we can then keep the number of job losses restricted to 6,500-7,000,’ TNT’s Schaffels said.
He said the suspension in talks with unions is therefore ‘disappointing’.
In November, TNT and the unions extended the CAO until April 1 to allow more time to reach an agreement in the proposed savings.
Abvakabo’s Bierhoff declined to speculate about industrial action now that talks with TNT have been suspended.
