China’s State Postal Bureau (China Post) announced it will cut domestic express mail charges by 10% in a move to boost its presence in the lucrative yet highly competitive sector.
“We hope the price cut could enhance our market competitiveness and promote growth (of the express mail delivery business),” Hui Hongwei, a spokesman for China Post, said at a news briefing.
Read MoreThe French union organisation FO has confirmed that TAT Express, an airmail subsidiary of French national postal services group La Poste, will present plans to cut 500 jobs on September 1 during an extraordinary meeting of the works council. These jobs represent one third of the total workforce. The union says several hundred straight redundancies could take place, and has expressed concern that the plan will jeopardise the company’s survival.
Read MoreSummary of European postal liberalisation progress
Read MoreBusiness leaders today voiced concern about the prospects of a postal strike as 160,000 workers started voting on whether to take industrial action in a row over pay.
Talks aimed at resolving the dispute broke down last night, with the Royal Mail accusing the Communication Workers Union of “going backwards” and asking for more money.
The union said the Royal Mail had treated workers with “total contempt” as the attempted peace talks at the conciliation service Acas ended with the two sides further apart then ever.
The British Chambers of Commerce said today it was “very concerned” at the threat of a national strike.
Policy adviser Matthew Knowles said: “A cheque arriving in the mail on time can mean the difference between life and death for a company, especially a small firm.”
Read MoreUnion leaders have pressed ahead with a strike ballot of 160,000 Royal Mail workers, despite management warning that a stoppage would be “commercial suicide”. Allan Leighton said the group had lost £611m and needed to put an extra £100m a year into its pension fund. He said: “In this context, the 14.5% on the table is an incredibly good offer, the best for 10 years. “It’s important that every-one understands that a vote to strike will result in a strike and that the company will not, at any stage, be able to improve its offer.”
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