Swiss Post restructures courier and express services
Swiss Post will restructure its courier and express services after admitting volume has dropped significantly in recent years. The poor economic climate has simply accelerated this trend. Swiss Post says it must respond to this development and intends to put synergies between distribution bases and courier centres to even better use in future.
From 1 November, courier centres in the larger conurbations are to be integrated into existing distribution bases. This consolidation process has already taken place in the other regions of Switzerland.
Swiss Post will define the actual operational structure at each location by February 2010, and job cuts are likely. Swiss Post therefore intends to negotiate a redundancy plan with the trade unions without delay. This restructuring will not affect services.
Swiss Post’s courier and express services have been suffering both economically and structurally. Volumes have been declining significantly for years. In addition, increasing competition in this market segment is causing margins to fall further, resulting in the need for permanent monitoring of organisational structures.
Back in 2007, Swiss Post integrated a number of its courier centres and branches into the distribution bases, taking advantage of synergies in the field of service provision. As of 1 November, the courier centres in Geneva, Lausanne, Berne, Basel and Zurich, as well as the courier branches in Winterthur, Aarau and Olten, will be integrated into the distribution bases of the respective locations and will no longer be managed as independent organizational units. This new organisational structure will not have any repercussions for customers, who will continue to receive all products and services to the usual high standard.
Over 300 employees currently work at the courier centres and branches, mostly on a part-time basis. These employees will be transferred to the Distribution department of PostLogistics. From the time of organisational integration on 1 November until February 2010, Swiss Post will be working on a detailed organisational and operational concept for each of the affected locations, taking experience of current operations into account. This sensible timeframe means that services can be optimally integrated and the required number of employees determined for the future.
Swiss Post plans to negotiate a redundancy plan with the trade unions to cover any job losses. The objective is to save as many jobs as possible. In the event of redundancies, however, Swiss Post will act responsibly and support the affected employees with professional reorientation.
