Deutsche Post Backpedals
After threatening to cut 10,000 jobs and close post offices across Germany, Deutsche Post AG seems to have reconsidered its response to the regulator’s demand for a cut in postage prices.
Deutsche Post chief executive Klaus Zumwinkel said that after “careful discussions” with Economics Minister Werner Müller his company would take appropriate account of the different interests of consumers, shareholders and employees.
On Tuesday evening, the RTP telecoms and postal services regulatory body ordered Deutsche Post to cut the postage on standard letters and postcards by 4.7%. The postal giant – still 69%-owned by the government – responded by saying it would have to consider cutting 10,000 jobs and closing 1,000 post offices nationwide in anticipation of the loss of 1.5 billion euros in earnings by 2007.
