Author: Archive

Belgian De Post/La Poste to introduce experimental project in Maaseik

Posted by | Oct 24, 2005 | |

Belgian postal services company De Post/La Poste will introduce an experimental project in Maaseik, in eastern Belgium, under which postmen will make home deliveries of books and CD’s from the local library on October 25, 2005.

The project is a service for disabled people, elderly people, or long-time sick people.

Disabled people, elderly, or long-time sick people are able to order books and CD’s through the library’s online catalogue. People who are not familiar with the use of the Internet will use a form with their favourite genres and the preferred format.

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Shoppers forecast to spend GBP5bn online this christmas

Posted by | Oct 23, 2005 | |

Shoppers snapping up gifts over the internet will help drive online sales to GBP5 billion this Christmas, research predicted.

Despite the wider retail sector remaining stuck in the doldrums, the amount spent online in November and December will far outstrip last year’s GBP3.5 billion.

The research for Royal Mail, carried out by the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG), showed consumers were becoming more confident in using the internet for their shopping.

Around half of the UK population shopped online last Christmas, the study showed.

IMRG chief executive James Roper said: “Online shopping has continued to grow at a phenomenal rate and we believe it will account for 9percent of all retail sales in the UK through November and December 2005.”

The research was released as Royal Mail published a guide to help retailers cash in on online spending.

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UK Government plans pounds 2bn Royal Mail bail-out

Posted by | Oct 23, 2005 | |

The Government is considering a cash injection of more than pounds 2bn into Royal Mail to shore up its ailing pension fund, which has a pounds 4bn deficit.

In a possible double victory for Allan Leighton, the chairman of Royal Mail, ministers are also siding with him in a vitally important dispute between the postal service and its regulator, Postcomm, over the future price of stamps.

“I know it sounds extraordinary given how tight public money is, but we may inject hard cash into the pension fund,” said an official. Ministers have been told by their own advisers that Royal Mail will only have a sound commercial future if the pension deficit is cut to between pounds 1bn and pounds 1.5bn.

Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Treasury are becoming increasingly concerned at Postcomm’s proposal that tariff increases should be kept to the bare minimum.

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Embattled An Post faces losses of 12m without hike in stamp price

Posted by | Oct 23, 2005 | |

Poised this weekend on the brink of a major industrial dispute, An Post is understood to have budgeted for operating losses for the next two years. Internal accounts have predicted that the present resistance by the Communications Regulator (ComReg) to an increase in the price of a stamp will doom the company to losses of 12.5m in 2006 and that could rise to 20m in the following year.

Furthermore, the company management, under CEO Donal Curtin, is believed to have told ComReg it will be acting contrary to its statutory obligations if it forces An Post to incur these losses.

An Post sought to increase the price of a stamp from the present 48 to 60 earlier this year, arguing that its prices had been increased only once in the past 12 years.

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UK pension pressure on Royal Mail to cut costs

Posted by | Oct 23, 2005 | |

Royal Mail is under pressure to embark on a fresh round of cost-cutting to shore up its finances, amid signs that senior ministers are reluctant to use taxpayers’ money to plug a massive pensions deficit of more than GBP4bn.

The issue of the state-owned postal operator’s pension liabilities, the full scale of which have been exposed by accounting changes, has complicated an independent review of its future ahead of full market liberalisation in January. It means a decision on a controversial share ownership plan for employees, which has been fiercely opposed by union leaders and many Labour MPs, could be delayed.

Sir George Bain, whose review was commissioned by Alan Johnson, trade and industry secretary, is understood to want clarity on the strategy for tackling the pensions deficit and on future stamp prices before he submits his final conclusions. His report is expected to comment on a proposal by Allan Leighton, Royal Mail chairman, to offer staff shares.

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Strike threatens An Post monopoly

Posted by | Oct 22, 2005 | |

Strike action by An Post workers could allow a new company to enter the market, the Government warned last night.

After the Communications Workers Union (CWU) voted overwhelmingly for stoppages, Communications Minister Noel Dempsey warned the dispute could end up with the monopoly in the postal market being shattered.

“If customers, if businesses and individual customers in this country can’t get a postal service from An Post because of the actions of the CWU then the Government will have to put in place a system that will allow other people to come in to the letter post business and provide a proper service,” the minister said.

The country’s 8,500 postal workers are to strike in a fortnight’s time after 90pc of members voted for industrial action.

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An Post condemns strike action decision

Posted by | Oct 21, 2005 | |

A decision by An Post staff to strike over a pay disagreement is grossly irresponsible and unnecessary, the postal company said.

The Communications Workers Union (CWU) voted almost unanimously to take industrial action, with 90% of those who took part in a national ballot supporting the move.

The union is demanding full payment of the terms of its Sustaining Progress agreement, claiming workers and pensioners have been left without the minimum in cost of living increases.

An Post has not honoured the terms of the deal, pleading inability to pay because of financial difficulties.

In a statement An Post said: “Disruption of the national postal service by members of the Communications’ Workers Union is grossly irresponsible and unnecessary.

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Definition of and US Policy Towards Extraterritorial Offices of Exchange (ETOEs)

Posted by | Oct 21, 2005 | |

Definition of and U.S. Policy Towards Extraterritorial Offices of Exchange (ETOEs)

An Extra-territorial Office of Exchange (ETOEs) is defined as an office or facility operated by or in connection with a postal operator outside its national territory on the territory of another country. These offices are established by postal operators for commercial purposes to draw business in markets outside their own national territory. As of 2005, there were more than twenty ETOEs operating within the United States.

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