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Action urged on post delivery pay (Netherlands)

Posted by | Jul 3, 2008 | |

Trade union federation FNV has urged new postal delivery companies such as Sandd and Selektmail to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to work on a new pay deal for delivery workers.
On Tuesday, junior economic affairs minister Frans Heemskerk said if a deal is not worked out by the end of the year, the cabinet will intervene.
According to research by the labour inspectorate, many delivery workers – who are paid for every item delivered – earn less than the legal minimum wage.

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US Postal Service plans to overhaul delivery network

Posted by | Jul 3, 2008 | |

The U.S. Postal Service plans to close dozens of facilities across the country as part of a major reorganisation, a move that could save millions of dollars and create a more flexible postal network. But the plan is certain to spark a fresh round of bickering with the agency’s strong labor unions.
Last month, the agency released a plan for overhauling its delivery network. The so-called network report calls for closing airport mail facilities, consolidating bulk mail centers and streamlining the computer software that maps postal routes. The closures could lead to the elimination of hundreds of jobs and more outsourcing.
Postal officials say the changes will help revitalize a decades-old network.
The first facilities to close under the network plan are the airport mail centers (AMCs), which transfer mail between distribution centers and commercial airlines working under contract with the Postal Service.
Up until a few years ago, the Postal Service had mail contracts with more than a half-dozen carriers at many airports, and the centers were hubs of activity. But the agency has consolidated its contracts: At many airports, only one or two carriers handle mail. That means less work for the AMCs.
The Postal Service is also trying to ship less volume through the airlines because of rising fuel costs and increasing delays at many airports.
The Postal Service has closed 54 AMCs under a consolidation plan dating back to 2006. Williamson expects “a few” AMCs to keep running, but he couldn’t say how many or which ones. The agency expects to save USD 117 million between now and 2009 through reduced work hours and lease expenses.
And now the agency is starting another round of consolidations at its 400-plus mail processing facilities. The Postal Service will spend two years soliciting expert study and public opinion to decide which facilities to close.

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ABX Air aims for smaller but more profitable post-DHL future

Posted by | Jul 3, 2008 | |

ABX Air is planning for a post-DHL future based on a smaller but more profitable business with other customers.
Joe Hete, President of the airline’s parent company Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), told analysts and investors in a conference call that the company still believed it could offer DHL a competitive model compared to the planned DHL-UPS cooperation, and warned that the connection of the two global air express networks could prove “expensive and challenging”.
Admitting that the transition from DHL operations would not be easy, Hete commented: “We expect ABX to grow and prosper without DHL.” DHL currently accounts for about 74 pct of ABX Air revenues.
ABX Air had already been diversifying its customer base for several years and was well-positioned to place the B767 fleet with other customers on a wet-lease or dry-lease basis, Hete said. About half of the DHL-dedicated B767s could be placed with other customers, he added. Key customers include USPS, the US military and freight forwarder Schenker BAX.
CFO Quint Turner noted that ABX’s activities for DHL had been “low-margin business” and stressed that the company believed it could generate a higher return on capital from other customers. Although ABX has a ‘put’ option to return aircraft to DHL, the planes have a low book value, and higher prices might be achievable if the planes were sold on the open market, executives noted.
ATSG is also talking with DHL about severance packages for ABX pilots and aircraft mechanics.

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Two newly renovated and reequipped Haypost ict-based post offices to be opened in Gyumri town of Armenia

Posted by | Jul 3, 2008 | |

On July 4, 2008 “Haypost” CJSC opened two newly renovated post offices in Gyumri town of Armenia: P/O 03 on 8 Isahakyan Str. and P/O 15 on Charles Aznavour Square.

The Government of Armenia has selected Gyumri as a prospective ICT development center of Armenia, therefore Haypost puts emphasis on the potential ICT role of its post offices in Shirak region and particularly in Gyumri, starting with the establishment of publicly accessible Web access points in the newly renovated P/Os number 3 and 15, with the future projection of expanding towards the provision of various types of e-services (such as e-commerce, e-banking etc.) to the population. The reopened P/Os will be equipped with the most up-to-date technological tools and software and will provide high-quality services.

The re-opening of the newly renovated P/Os will mark the beginning of Haypost’s regional development policy and proactive reformation of its regional branches. HayPost Director General Mr. Hans Boon and Mayor of Gyumri Mr. Vardan Ghukasyan will lead the opening ceremony.

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TNT Express names new Head of Communications

Posted by | Jul 3, 2008 | |

TNT Express GmbH, based in Troisdorf (DE), have appointed Markus Gehmeyrist as Head of Company Communication on 1 July. In this position he is responsible for the merger sectors external and internal communications, as well as the events/sponsoring segment and company spokesman. Gehmeyrist reports directly to Thomas Kraus, Chairman of TNT Express GmbH. Markus Wohler, who led the press and public relations department for over 19 years, is leaving TNT by mutual consent.

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State aid: Commission endorses EUR 1.6 million training aid for DHL in Leipzig-Halle and rejects EUR 6.1 million operating aid

Posted by | Jul 3, 2008 | |

The European Commission has endorsed EUR 1.6 million of training aid at DHL’s new site in Leipzig-Halle, Germany but rejected a further EUR 6.1 of aid which would have acted as an illegal operating aid. The Commission’s decision follows an in-depth investigation under EC Treaty state aid rules launched in June 2007. The Commission concluded that the EUR 1.6 million would genuinely lead to additional training which goes beyond legal requirements and operational needs, and therefore complied with the EU state aid rules on training aid.

However, the Commission rejected as incompatible a further EUR 6.1 million of funding that would have served to finance training activities that DHL would have carried out anyway, even without aid, and concluded that the aid would be used finance ordinary operating costs of DHL. Such operating aid would have given DHL an unfair advantage over its competitors, who don’t receive such aid, and so seriously distorted competition.

Germany notified its intention to grant subsidies of EUR 7.7 million to DHL for a training project concerning certain jobs such as ground handling of airfreight, security agents, pre-flight and ramp mechanics. Following its relocation to Leipzig-Halle, DHL, with the support of regional aid approved by the Commission in April 2004,, built a new delivery and airfreight centre, where it employs around 1500 new staff, of which 480 are concerned by the training project.

The Commission is in favour of supporting training activities, because they benefit the European economy by broadening the pool of skilled workers. However, it is necessary to ensure that such aid actually motivates companies to carry out additional training activities and is not simply used to subsidise the cost of training that the company would in any case have to undertake. This is particularly necessary in a globalised economy, where companies decide to relocate to new sites and where unjustified aid can give rise to considerable distortions of competition.

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DHL expands French express network with new centres and flights

Posted by | Jul 3, 2008 | |

DHL Express has extended its network in France with investment of EUR 15 million this year in new sorting centres in Paris and two branches in northern and eastern France. It has also launched flights between Paris and the new European air hub in Leipzig.
More than EUR 5 million was invested into the new sorting centre at Villeneuve-la-Garenne on the northern outskirts of Paris. DHL also inaugurated a new sorting centre at Vitry, south of Paris, new branches in Lille and Metz, northern France, and two new air routes linking Roissy and Vatry with Leipzig.
The 5900 sqm facility at Villeneuve, completed in March this year, consists of a 5000 sqm warehouse divided into two parts and 900 sqm of office space. Two thirds of the warehouse area is destined for sorting activity and the other third is used for distribution. The sorting system has capacity for up to 5,000 parcels an hour. Some 165 employees work at the site.
In total, there are about 4,200 inbound and 4,200 outbound shipments handled daily at Villeneuve, amounting to 85 daily truck journeys and 30 air containers. The centre, open 24/7, handles a daily average of 40 tonnes of imports and 55 tonnes of exports.
Security is ensured by X-ray tunnels which scan all departing shipments in line with the air cargo security regulations of the French civil aviation authority DGAC. To improve handling, the conveyor belts are equipped with high-tech scanning technology which enables regular transfer every 10 minutes of shipment information for tracking, delivery and pick-up purposes. Solar panels generate warm water and other environmental measures such as selective sorting and training for eco-driving will be implemented by the end of this year.

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FedEx ranked highest in Customer Service

Posted by | Jul 3, 2008 | |

FedEx Corp. is ranked No 1 in the category of customer service in the esteemed Harris Interactive Reputation QuotientTM (RQ) survey.

The Harris Interactive study confirms that if you work to make every customer experience outstanding, at every point of interaction with your company, your customers will reward you with their trust,” said T. Michael Glenn, FedEx Executive Vice President, Market Development and Corporate Communications. “Reputation is the most precious asset a company has and the 290,000 FedEx team members worldwide strive to build on our strong reputation through each and every customer interaction.

Overall, FedEx ranked No 12 with an RQ score of 78.04. A score of 75 – 79.9 symbolizes a “good-excellent” reputation. This is the ninth consecutive year that FedEx has achieved this rating.

Out of the 60 companies ranked in the survey, FedEx also placed #4 in the category of “practices highest ethical standards.” In the “highest trust” category, or of those saying they would definitely trust the company in the event of a problem, FedEx ranked seventh. FedEx ranked #12 as both a good company to work for and company with good employees.

Not surprisingly, the RQ found that a strong statistical correlation exists between a company’s overall reputation and the likelihood that consumers will purchase, recommend or invest in a company or its products and services.

The RQ surveys more than 20,000 American consumers in a two-step process, through online and telephone interviews, to first identify the 60 most visible companies and then to rank these companies based on their reputation in six different categories: Emotional Appeal, Products & Services, Social Responsibility, Vision & Leadership, Workplace Environment and Financial Performance.

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