Author: Archive

UPS names Romaine Seguin as new VP of Operations

Posted by | Dec 18, 2007 | |

Romaine Seguin, a 24-year veteran of and a native of Missouri, has been named the Vice President of Operations for the company’s South Europe District. In her new role, Seguin will be responsible for small package shipments throughout Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, the Balkans, the Middle East and the entire African continent.

Seguin started her UPS career in the Missouri District in 1983 as a part-time Hub Supervisor. She held a variety of staff and operational assignments in Missouri and was later promoted to Manager.

In 1989, Seguin accepted a five-year assignment to Europe as part of an integration team as UPS expanded its operations there, residing in the UK and France. Since then, she has held a variety of management positions throughout the UPS organization, including promotion to Gulf South District Manager in 2001 and Minnesota District Manager in 2004.

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DHL ready to deliver for national children's charity drive (U.S.)

Posted by | Dec 18, 2007 | |

This month, DHL is kicking off its support for Variety, a multi-million dollar philanthropic organization that assists children with disabilities through the efforts of volunteers, corporate contributors and local business men and women. DHL will be delivering heart-shaped pins to thousands of movie theaters around the country for the Gold Heart Pin Campaign, Variety’s signature fundraising endeavor, with in-theater sales of the pins benefiting children with special needs.

Running through March 2008, the Gold Heart Pin Campaign is a unique partnership between Variety, DHL, and the motion picture industry that raises approximately $2 million annually for children across the U.S.

This year, Variety celebrates 80 years of helping children in communities around the country who need it most by providing funding and allowing millions of children with disabilities greater freedom and opportunities. Variety raises money through local chapters that focus on support for children in their communities, as well as “Variety Kids on the Go!”, a durable medical equipment grant program.

DHL has also provided shipping support for Variety’s Lifeline division, which offers urgent medical care to children in developing countries around the world.

DHL supports a variety of corporate citizenship initiatives – from disaster relief efforts, to children’s health needs and special programs. DHL employee groups and DHL airline partners around the country are participating in local toy drives and food drives this holiday season. In cities across the U.S., DHL employees are also working with America’s Second Harvest to collect and deliver donations that benefit the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States.

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BCC: Postal competition necessary for businesses (UK)

Posted by | Dec 18, 2007 | |

Businesses deserve an ‘efficient and cost effective’ postal service and any review of the market must take this into account, it has been claimed.

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) made the comments in response to business secretary John Hutton’s announcement of a ‘comprehensive review’ of developments in the postal services market since its liberalisation two years ago.

The review will look at trends in future market developments and the likely impact on Royal Mail, other carriers and consumers.

Hutton said: “We believe that opening the market has brought considerable benefits for users of postal services but there can be no doubt that the market has evolved, with new technologies such as email and text messaging having a huge effect on the way we communicate.”

Responding to news of the review, Natalie Evans, head of policy at the BCC said:

“The business community deserves and depends upon an efficient and cost effective postal service.

“Frustratingly, the recent strike action at Royal Mail had a significant impact on businesses across the country, costing small and medium sized businesses an estimated GBP 2.5m in delayed post every day there was disruption.

Evans said competition in the industry was necessary to ensure business mail got delivered.

She added: “If Royal Mail cannot ensure final mile delivery, then choice must be allowed to flourish within the industry.”

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City postal workers begin strike (UK)

Posted by | Dec 18, 2007 | |

Postal workers in Staffordshire have gone on strike over the suspension of nine colleagues.

The industrial action at the Burslem depot in Stoke-on-Trent affects 32,000 homes and businesses in the ST6 post code and is due to finish on 2 January.

Royal Mail bosses and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) met on Monday in a last-ditch bid to avoid the walk out.

Royal Mail said 200 managers had been drafted in and it was “determined” to deliver the post in time for Christmas.

The dispute dates back to September when 12 members of staff were suspended over allegations of bullying and harassment. Three were later reinstated.

The union said calls for an independent review of the disciplinary action were not met by Royal Mail.

Managers said they were disappointed that strike action had gone ahead.

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CEO of Springer's troubled postal arm to quit (Germany)

Posted by | Dec 18, 2007 | |

The head of Axel Springer’s troubled postal business PIN Group is quitting and withdrawing an offer to buy the unit, according to a magazine report on Tuesday, casting uncertainty over PIN’s future.

Last week, German publisher Springer pulled the financial plug on its loss-making mail service company and said it was looking to sell its majority stake.

Springer has been considering options for its stake in PIN ever since the German government last month agreed to impose a minimum wage in the sector higher than that paid by PIN.

The publisher said it was now no longer willing to provide more financial support to PIN group, which PIN Chief Executive Guenter Thiel has said lost 50 million euros this year.

On Tuesday, German magazine Focus said that Thiel has told PIN Chairman Bodo Hombach he will withdraw his offer to buy the company and will resign from his post. PIN was not immediately available for comment.

Springer, publisher of Europe’s best selling tabloid Bild, acquired a majority stake in PIN for 510 million euros (USD 741 million) earlier this year in anticipation of the liberalisation of the postal market in Germany. Deutsche Post loses its domestic mail monopoly next year.

The publisher hoped to challenge Deutsche Post by merging the PIN business with Dutch TNT’s German mail division, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. But those plans were thwarted by the agreement on minimum pay.

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Postal Service Hi-Tech Human Resources Transformation a Success

Posted by | Dec 18, 2007 | |

Postal Service employees everywhere now have access to a new cutting-edge human resources (HR) system to meet the demands of the information age. Rollout of the technology phase of the PostalPEOPLE initiative, the largest implementation of its kind in the federal government or private sector, was completed in October.

Using SAP software, the new platform replaces a system that once consisted of more than 3,800 Postal Service HR professionals relying on more than 200 processes and some 70 systems to support nearly 700,000 employees. Now, those HR professionals, free from repetitive, manual processes, can focus on the Postal Service’s strategic focus to better align the workforce and meet present and future challenges, head-on.

Completion of the nationwide rollout enables the Postal Service to introduce two significant new services to employees. First is a new self-service tool for managers, which provides managers, postmasters and supervisors with information and resources online to help manage the workforce, perform administrative tasks, and assist their employees with skill development.

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Western Union and Scotiabank Agreement Brings the World Closer to Customers

Posted by | Dec 18, 2007 | |

Scotiabank, one of North America’s premier financial institutions and Canada’s most international bank, and The Western Union Company, a global leader in money-transfer services, today announced a pilot agreement to offer the Western Union(R) money-transfer service to Scotiabank customers in Canada.

Western Union and Scotiabank have begun a pilot to offer customers across 42 Scotiabank branch locations in British Columbia, the Prairies and Ontario the ability to send outbound money transfers to more than 200 countries and territories through Western Union.

Based upon a successful pilot offer of Western Union’s money-transfer service, Scotiabank will rollout the service across its national branch network and Scotia Online in late January, 2008.

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No cause for gloom and doom in the postal market

Posted by | Dec 18, 2007 | |

Kurth: “Sober assessment reveals opportunities for competition”

The Federal Network Agency has today publicly presented its Activity Report 2006/2007 for the telecommunications and postal markets. Looking at the development of the German postal market the president diagnosed a cautiously positive trend for the last two years. “In light of the heated debates of the past weeks I would initially recommend a level-headed analysis and assessment. When the gun smoke has settled a little, people will once again be able to recognise the opportunities for competition, which market liberalisation presents. In my opinion there is no cause for painting a gloomy picture without alternatives. Using flexible solutions and creative business models, competition can be built up and developed successfully”, Kurth said.

The annual turnover in the postal market has reached almost 24 billion Euros, 18 billion of which were achieved on a competitive market.

At present around 750 licensees are active on the letter market. With a turnover of over one billion Euros they have now reached a market share of more than ten percent. These companies have formed networks that are targeted at covering the largest possible area. That way they can expand the offering for their own customers.

“In the last five years the prices for single letters in Germany have decreased by more than five percent, contrary to the trend in other European countries. This benefits the consumers in general, and not just the business customers”, Kurth continued to elaborate.

According to the words of the president the basic postal services within the scope of the universal service will still be provided to their full extent, even after liberalisation. However, should problems with their provision occur the Federal Network Agency could remedy the situation using the instruments laid down in the Postal Act. The provision of basic postal services would therefore still be ensured, Kurth declared at the end.

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