French unions aim to block La Poste privatisation
French unions are preparing to launch a campaign of protests to try to block changes in La Poste’s legal status which are widely seen as a first step towards potential privatisation of the postal and logistics group.
La Poste president Jean-Paul Bailly is due to present a plan to the government in September proposing a legal restructuring from an autonomous public sector organisation into a limited company (“société anonyme”). This would then enable the French government to float a minority stake in the company while remaining the major shareholder with ultimate control. French media reported in early July that La Poste is working on plans to float a 20 pct stake to raise EUR 2 – 3 billion to finance its expansion plans. This would give the company a valuation of about EUR 10 billion.
On July 22, La Poste signed a public service contract with the French government covering 2008-2012 confirming the company’s commitment towards four basic service areas and preparing it for total postal liberalisation in 2011. The contract included commitments to mail deliveries six days a week and mail delivery quality targets, the maintenance of 17,000 postal service points across France, and public access to banking services. The contract was seen as an effort to calm postal unions which have always strongly opposed opening up La Poste to private investors.
French unions are preparing to launch a campaign of protests to try to block changes in La Poste’s legal status which are widely seen as a first step towards potential privatisation of the postal and logistics group.
La Poste president Jean-Paul Bailly is due to present a plan to the government in September proposing a legal restructuring from an autonomous public sector organisation into a limited company (“société anonyme”). This would then enable the French government to float a minority stake in the company while remaining the major shareholder with ultimate control. French media reported in early July that La Poste is working on plans to float a 20 pct stake to raise EUR 2 – 3 billion to finance its expansion plans. This would give the company a valuation of about EUR 10 billion.
On July 22, La Poste signed a public service contract with the French government covering 2008-2012 confirming the company’s commitment towards four basic service areas and preparing it for total postal liberalisation in 2011. The contract included commitments to mail deliveries six days a week and mail delivery quality targets, the maintenance of 17,000 postal service points across France, and public access to banking services. The contract was seen as an effort to calm postal unions which have always strongly opposed opening up La Poste to private investors.
But the main postal unions (CGT, PTT Sud, CFDT, FO and CFTC) claim the contract represents a “ financial disengagement” by the state and the legal restructuring is clearly a step towards privatisation. Union officials told French media that they fear major jobs losses at La Poste, which has some 280,000 postal staff, and want guarantees about future staffing levels in particular. Post offices could also be changed into privately-run postal agencies while maintaining the overall number of postal outlets, they said.
The unions will meet on September 2 to plan a “day of national action” against the legal restructuring. The radical FO union has even suggested a national referendum on the issue. The CGT announced earlier this month that 40,000 people had signed its petition against postal privatisation, two-thirds of them La Poste employees.
