Tag: Government

Potential job losses in mail, union warns

Posted by | May 6, 2008 | |

Canada Post’s new union president is warning Canadians that their mail delivery could be in jeopardy and hundreds of jobs could be lost.
In an interview with Sun Media, new Canada Post national union president Denis Lemelin accused the Conservatives and Canada Post CEO Moya Greene of attempting to deregulate postal services in Canada.
Lemelin pointed to the Harper government’s recently announced “strategic review” of Canada Post, set to examine which services should remain under the monopoly of Canada Post and which should become fair game in a competitive market.
A final report is expected in December.

Canada Post currently has a monopoly over the delivery of letters up to 500 grams to 15 million doors across the country.
Lemelin fears that deregulation could mean that Canadians in metropolitan areas might have their daily mail handled by UPS, Federal Express or Purolator.
“These private companies could decide to implement distribution centres in the greater areas and handle mail delivery for Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto,” he said.
He also warned that deregulation would result in hundreds of layoffs across Canada and an increase in stamp prices.
“The private sector would invest in the greater metropolitan areas — where it’s profitable,” he said.
“The public postal service would end up with less profitable sectors, such as rural areas.

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EU approves 1.1 bln euro compensation for Poste Italiane

Posted by | Apr 30, 2008 | |

The European Commission said it has approved the 1.1 billion euros compensation Italy granted Poste Italiane SpA between 2006 and 2008 to meet the costs of fulfilling its universal postal service obligations.

Universal service ensures citizens and businesses located in rural areas get a comparable service to their urban counterparts.

The state support is in line with EU rules on public service compensation because it does not over-compensate Poste Italiane for providing these services, and therefore does not allow for cross-subsidies for other activities, the Commission said.

Poste Italiane is the universal postal service provider in Italy.

Over the period 2006-2008 Poste Italiane received 1.1 billion euros compensation for providing this public service.

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Kuwait: Privatisation best way to update postal system

Posted by | Apr 30, 2008 | |

Assistant Undersecretary of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Communication for Postal Sector Saud Abdulaziz Al-As’ousi said here Wednesday his country was working hard to update its postal system and introduce the latest technologies. “Kuwait has developed a vision for privatizing the postal system under the supervision of the Ministry of Communication,” he revealed in statements to KUNA on the sidelines of the 16th meeting of the Arab Standing Committee on Postal Services. “Privatization is the best solution for the problems of the post sector,” he pointed out. “Kuwait has developed a plan to modernize its 63 post offices thoroughly in order to better serve the citizens,” said Al-As’ousi who leads Kuwait delegation to the meeting.

“The three-day meeting mulled ways to reorganize the postal services in the Arab countries and separate between the posts of legislation, organization, and reform and development. “It probed the plan to initiate a pan-Arab database including all postal reforms, legislations and controls,” he disclosed. “The meeting also explored ways to promote postal exchanges among the Arab countries, and reviewed the measures aimed to combat money laundering and narcotics through postal systems. “The conferees set up a panel to organize the celebrations marking the development of the Arab postal systems.

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Strategic Review of Canada Post Announced

Posted by | Apr 22, 2008 | |

Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and Minister responsible for Canada Post, today announced that the Government of Canada will conduct a strategic review of the Canada Post Corporation that will be guided by established terms of reference. “We are conducting a strategic review of Canada Post to make sure this public institution has the right tools and means to fulfil its mandate in the future,” said Minister Cannon. “This review is being conducted with the full understanding that Canada Post will remain a Crown corporation. In the changing business context and with new challenges ahead, we want to act now to make sure it continues to fulfil its mandate: delivering essential, universal services every day to Canadians, while remaining financially self-sustaining.” The review will focus on four major areas: market and competition; public policy objectives and responsibilities; commercial activities; and financial and performance targets. A review of Canada Post has not been conducted since 1995. The review will be led by an external, independent advisory panel composed of three members. “I am very pleased that Dr. Robert Campbell has agreed to chair the panel and that Mrs. Nicole Beaudoin and Mr. Daniel H. Bader will support him as panel members on this important review,” said Minister Cannon. “I look forward to their report and recommendations, which are due to me in December 2008.”

The panel will be guided by the following four principles:
– Canada Post will not be privatized and will remain a Crown corporation;
– Canada Post must maintain a universal, effective and economically viable postal service;
– Canada Post will continue to act as an instrument of public policy through the provision of postal services to Canadians; and
– Canada Post will continue to operate in a commercial environment and is expected to attain a realistic rate of return on equity.

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Magyar Post commits to the GHG reduction Programme

Posted by | Apr 3, 2008 | |

Magyar Posta joins the Green House Gas Reduction Programme. They are the 15th member to agree to an ambitious average 10 pct reduction of greenhouse gas emissions over the next five years.

The postal sector in Europe, through the very nature of its activities, has an impact on the environment, mostly in the form of greenhouse gas emissions. Most of these CO2 emissions result from the use of road transport, aviation and building energy usage also contributing significantly.

There is however considerable scope for improvement and as a vital sector of the European economy, the postal sector is committed to providing an example, by working closely with customers, suppliers and other stakeholders in order to reduce the whole sector’s impact in Europe and worldwide.

Elaborated by PostEurop’s Environment Working Group under the authority of the Social Responsibility Committee, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programme is fully in line with the Kyoto Protocol and the European Climate Change Programme targets. Its aim is to measure and assess the reduction efforts of participating postal operators and to create synergies by exchanging best practices in that field.

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