Union delegation demands TNT pay decent wages and cooperates only with proper unions

A Union Delegation, headed by Neil Anderson, Head of Department UNI Post and Logistics, and Rolf Büttner, UNI President Post and Logistics, along with UNI’s Dutch affiliates FNV Bondgenoten and ABVAKABO, German affiliate ver.di and an ITF delegation lead by its General Secretary David Cockcroft, met together in Amsterdam to discuss their concerns about the global activities of the TNT Group.

Given the numerous problems that have arisen in the TNT Group, the trade union representatives agreed that a regular social dialogue between UNI, the ITF and their affiliated organisations was essential. To achieve this, some sort of global network and global union structure is needed. The aim is to ensure that at the end of the dialogue process an global framework agreement can be signed that will ensure respect for internationally recognised labour and social standards.

The situation in Germany and the events at TNT Post were also discussed. TNT refuses to recognise the minimum legal wage that has been adopted in Germany. TNT announced that it intended to challenge the legality of the minimum wage for the postal sector in the German courts, even if this were to take several years. Until such time, it would refuse to pay the minimum wage. Until there was a final ruling, it intended to apply the agreement signed by the employer-financed pseudo union GNBZ. The wages paid under this agreement are way below the minimum wages negotiated by UNI’s German affiliate ver.di and the largest employers’ federation of German postal service providers, and which were made legally binding by a statutory order issued by the Federal government. A Union Delegation, headed by Neil Anderson, Head of Department UNI Post and Logistics, and Rolf Büttner, UNI President Post and Logistics, along with UNI’s Dutch affiliates FNV Bondgenoten and ABVAKABO, German affiliate ver.di and an ITF delegation lead by its General Secretary David Cockcroft, met together in Amsterdam to discuss their concerns about the global activities of the TNT Group.

Given the numerous problems that have arisen in the TNT Group, the trade union representatives agreed that a regular social dialogue between UNI, the ITF and their affiliated organisations was essential. To achieve this, some sort of global network and global union structure is needed. The aim is to ensure that at the end of the dialogue process an global framework agreement can be signed that will ensure respect for internationally recognised labour and social standards.

The union delegation then met with representatives of the TNT Group who's delegation was lead by Mrs Herna Verhagen, a member of the TNT Board. TNT declared that it was not currently prepared to meet regularly on a global basis or to sign a global agreement. Any outstanding problems would have to be addressed at the national level.

The situation in Germany and the events at TNT Post were also discussed. TNT refuses to recognise the minimum legal wage that has been adopted in Germany. TNT announced that it intended to challenge the legality of the minimum wage for the postal sector in the German courts, even if this were to take several years. Until such time, it would refuse to pay the minimum wage. Until there was a final ruling, it intended to apply the agreement signed by the employer-financed pseudo union GNBZ. The wages paid under this agreement are way below the minimum wages negotiated by UNI’s German affiliate ver.di and the largest employers’ federation of German postal service providers, and which were made legally binding by a statutory order issued by the Federal government.

The UNI representatives reiterated the position set out in the letter sent by UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings to TNT boss Bakker in which he said that TNT was obliged to pay the statutory minimum wage immediately as the German government decree had force of law. The UNI representatives also pointed out that the agreement signed with the pseudo union GNBZ was not a recognised collective agreement. TNT was asked to end its support for this union and to reveal all payments and contributions it had made to this sham organisation.

During the course of the discussions, TNT declared that it would continue to support GNBZ. The UNI representatives said that they regretted this position as it meant that TNT would be drawn into the bribery scandal.

The trade union side also produced calculations on the current employment contracts applied by TNT Post Germany. The contacts have been designed in such a way that some employees are only being paid an hourly wage of 6.50 euros. There have even been cases where the wages paid fall below 500 euros per month to which all postal workers are entitled.

In spite of repeated requests by the trade unions, TNT still refuses to recognise the statutory minimum wage in Germany. It is paying some of its employees a very low amount that is often no more than 900 euros a month gross. People in this industry need to be able to count on a minimum wage. At the end of the meeting, TNT said it would assess the arguments that had been presented by the trade union side. The trade union delegation, for its part, said that it intended to continue the conflict, if need be over a long time period, and that it would take appropriate action in order to draw public attention to the problem.

The Dutch UNI affiliates, FNV and ABVAKADO, agreed to set up a joint working group with ver.di. The purpose of this group would be to provide mutual support, and to discuss and coordinate common actions. Ver.di promised to support its Dutch counterparts in their negotiations on the labour contracts for the TNT and Deutsch Post World Net subsidiaries in the Netherlands.