Deutsche Post jobs at risk, says Union

Deutsche Post’s planned move to start using new machines that sort mail automatically could cost up to 6,000 part-time jobs in Germany, trade union Verdi told Euro am Sonntag newspaper.

Deutsche Post’s planned move to start using new machines that sort mail automatically could cost up to 6,000 part-time jobs in Germany, trade union Verdi told Euro am Sonntag newspaper.

And working hours for those working 15 to 20 hours a week now could be reduced by two to three hours, the newspaper cited Verdi official Anton Hirtreiter as saying.

In March, Deutsche Post said it had ordered 385 mail sorting machines from Siemens for €420m ($563m), to be able to sort and deliver letters more quickly.

Euro am Sonntag cited an internal document by Deutsche Post it obtained that estimates the new machines could cut staffing requirements by the equivalent of 1,400 full-time workers. A spokesman for the company said no jobs would be cut as a result of the new machines. And as the machines would be delivered gradually rather than all at one time, headcount could be adjusted by attrition, he said.