Year: 2007

La Poste sees continued strike action in Mail Sorting Offices

Posted by | Jan 8, 2007 | |

La Poste has seen the strike action in its mail sorting centres increase since it began, sporadically, in mid-October. There was little let-up in the industrial action during the festive period. Staff employed under private-sector law have been holding strikes for one hour each night, while those with civil servant status are taking strike action on Friday nights. The trade union SUD, which, along with fellow union Force Ouvriere, has been calling the strikes, reports that 46 sorting offices have been affected, while management reports that between 25 and 35 centres have been hit. Employees are protesting against plans to alter the pattern of working hours, which, would increase the number of nights worked, and are calling for an increase in the rate of additional pay for night shifts.

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Kuwaiti government to privatise more services

Posted by | Jan 8, 2007 | |

Undersecretary of the Ministry of Communication, Abdulaziz Al-Osaimi said that the ministry intends to privatise more of its services, highlighting the potential benefits of privatisation for the postal sector, which is experiencing many problems, reported Al-Rai. Al-Osaimi said that the ministry has submitted a number of reports to the Cabinet regarding this matter, outlining a number of measures intended to improve these services. He added that ministry specialists are currently working on a comprehensive study analysing how best to administer the postal sector and evaluating the various private companies expected to submit tenders for contracts to provide these services, further stating that freeing the postal sector from government bureaucracy and intervention could only be of benefit in the long term. Regarding the 101 exchange service, Al-Osaimi said it would never be successful unless privatised, hinting that the government is seeking more private sector involvement in the provision of various services in order to increase efficiency.

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Carbon-free parcel first for Parcelforce Worldwide

Posted by | Jan 8, 2007 | |

Parcelforce Worldwide is offering its customers a first in the UK express parcels market – the option to deliver their parcel carbon-free.

Customers booking online can now choose to donate 5p per parcel for UK and 10p per parcel for international deliveries when ordering via www.parcelforce.com.

Having calculated the average amount of carbon emitted for each parcel, Parcelforce Worldwide will match all donations and, through their association with The Woodland Trust, invest it in an approved programme to offset greenhouse gases generated during the journey of that parcel.

Managing Director Vanessa Leeson explained that giving customers the option to send their parcel carbon free was part of a wider approach to carbon management.

She said: “Our business uses renewable energy in our buildings, bio-diesel in our vehicle fleet and pro-actively seeks to increase energy efficiency where practical. While we’d never force carbon offset onto our customers, many of them are telling us that they will choose the commitment.”

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ASEAN nations should grow high-value exports and reassess strategies to further strengthen their economies: EIU report

Posted by | Jan 8, 2007 | |

DHL today revealed the findings of a study commissioned to Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) at the 4th ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2006 (ASEAN-BIS). The study, entitled “ASEAN Exports: Today, Tomorrow and the High-value Challenge”, aimed to analyze where ASEAN countries stand today in relation to China and India, and how they measure up as a trade bloc, in terms of high value exports, against the European Union (EU) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

DHL, the world’s leading express and logistics company, today revealed the findings of a study commissioned to Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) at the 4th ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2006 (ASEAN-BIS). The study, entitled “ASEAN Exports: Today, Tomorrow and the High-value Challenge”, aimed to analyze where ASEAN countries stand today in relation to China and India, and how they measure up as a trade bloc, in terms of high value exports, against the European Union (EU) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

One of the key findings states that China had not only outpaced ASEAN in high-value exports as early as 2003, but it has also overtaken ASEAN as the biggest exporter in Asia since 2004. Against this backdrop, ASEAN governments would have to review their trade policies in comparison with China and in meeting the challenges ahead

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Business Post's UK Mail wins contract with UK govt worth 12 mln stg revenue

Posted by | Jan 8, 2007 | |

Business Post Group PLC said its mail company UK Mail, the leading competitor to Royal Mail in downstream access postal services, has been awarded a major new contract by HM Government’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) worth 12 mln stg of revenue per annum.

DWP mails 82 million items a year from two distribution centres in the North East and North West of England. With the Royal Bank of Scotland and DWP, Business Post said UK Mail now has two of the three largest mailers in the UK as customers. DWP will become UK Mail’s largest customer by revenue.

The new contract is due to start on Feb 5.

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TNT Airways selects KLM Engineering

Posted by | Jan 8, 2007 | |

TNT Airways has selected KLM Engineering & Maintenance (KLM E&M) for the maintenance of its two Boeings 747-400 Extended Range Freighters. KLM E&M already maintains TNT’s growing Boeing 737F/QC fleet, under a full support contract. In addition, KLM E&M executes C-checks** on TNT’s BAE146 aircraft at its subsidiary KLM uk Engineering in Norwich; this contract has recently been extended by five years.

KLM Engineering & Maintenance and Air France Industries, which joined forces following the Air France KLM merger, are world-leading multi-product MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) providers with a joint workforce of 15,000, offering comprehensive repair capability, integration expertise, component pool operational support and a powerful logistics network. Together they support the aircraft of Air France and KLM as well as more than 150 major customers worldwide.

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An Post banking venture faces tough market

Posted by | Jan 7, 2007 | |

An Post’s banking joint venture with Belgian giant Fortis faces a difficult start in the coming months after new figures showed the Post Office Savings Bank failed to retain most of the euro140 million paid out to its Special Savings Incentive Account (SSIA) holders last year.

Figures for the year ended December 2006, show An Post savers switched their money to other institutions when their SSIAs matured, as its savings bank struggled to match eye-catching deals from rivals such as AIB, Bank of Ireland and Anglo Irish Bank.

The bank’s total deposit base grew by just 3 per cent to just over euro1.5 billion last year.

Balances in non-SSIA savings accounts grew by 8 per cent, or euro99 million, just euro8 million more than the increase recorded in 2005, despite last year’s release of euro140 million held in SSIA accounts that had reached the end of their five-year term.

The growth rate of 8 per cent significantly lagged the increases in deposits recorded by other banks, which were about 15 to 20 per cent last year.

The savings bank is also expected to face an uphill battle to retain SSIA funds worth a further euro300 million, which are held in accounts that mature between now and April.

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How changes in U.S. Postal Service will affect you

Posted by | Jan 7, 2007 | |

The first comprehensive reforms of the U.S. Postal Service in 35 years was signed into law by President Bush Dec. 20. The principal sponsor of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act in the House was Rep. John McHugh, R-Pierrepont Manor, who fought for the measure for 12 years.

Here’s what the bill means to you:
1. The cost of mailing a letter
The bill prohibits the Postal Service from raising its rates above inflation for the next 10 years. Only an independent regulator can allow higher increases.
2. The cost of Express Mail, Priority Mail and parcels.
– The Postal Service will be given pricing freedom for these products, which compete against shippers such as UPS and FedEx.
– The legislation prohibits the Postal Service from regulating areas in which it competes.
3. Universal service
The Postal Service will be required to give everyone in the nation access to affordable postal service and delivery. The Postal Service must assess scope and standards for universal service, which could ensure continuance of rural post offices.
4. Saturday delivery
Likely to continue.
5. Incentives for better service
– The Postal Service would no longer operate under a break-even mandate.
– Any earnings could be distributed as incentives to management and employees.
6. Oversight
For the first time, regulators can hold the Postal Service accountable for delivering mail on time.

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