Tag: North America

TNT lodges lawsuit against German state in dispute over minimum wage

Posted by | Jan 23, 2008 | |

TNT NV has lodged a lawsuit with a Berlin commercial court in a bid to have the alternative minimum wage it is paying its German-based workers to be declared valid in a dispute the Dutch postal company is locked in around the liberalisation of the German postal market.

TNT is paying its German workers 7.50 eur per hour and has filed the lawsuit against the German Finance Ministry and the Social Affairs Ministry, TNT spokesman Pieter Schaffels said.

Schaffels added that by implication, the lawsuit will also affect the minimum wage of 8-9.80 eur that Deutsche Post AG has already agreed on with trade union Verdi.

TNT claims legislation by the German Parliament imposing the minimum wage at the level paid by Deutsche Post on the national postal market is hindering liberalisation of the German market, stressing that only Deutsche Post can afford to have the minimum wage set at that level.

The Dutch postal group pointed out that, unlike its rivals, Deutsche Post enjoys a VAT exemption for 40 pct of its operations in Germany.

TNT is currently active in the value-added branch of the German postal market — where it sends letters picked up after 5 pm and delivers them by midday the following day — and has a minimum wage of 7.50 eur.

It had initially planned to compete with Deutsche Post in the universal sector from Jan 1, but has postponed any further investment in the German market.

Read More

Appellate Court declines FedEx Ground request to appeal (U.S.)

Posted by | Jan 22, 2008 | |

In a decision received today, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit declined to hear the request of FedEx Ground, an operating unit of FedEx Corp. for interlocutory review of the class certification decision in the Kansas case pending before the United States District Court in Indiana. The decision had granted class certification on the Kansas state claims and a national ERISA claim.

The court did not rule on the validity of the contractor model and has not decided class certification in any other multi-district litigation case. FedEx Ground will continue to vigorously defend the MDL.

This procedural ruling does not change any aspect of the FedEx Ground operation and we will continue to provide the world-class service our customers have come to expect.

Read More

PostNet becomes Canada Post authorized business centre

Posted by | Jan 21, 2008 | |

Canada Post and PostNet announce their channel partnership to provide better service to the Canadian small business market. Effective January 21, 2008 authorized business centers will be established in PostNet stores offering a complete selection of Canada Post’s shipping services.

“Resources that were previously available only to large corporations are now available to small businesses through their local PostNet,” said Rob Anderson, President of PostNet Canada. “This relationship enables PostNet to offer its complete selection of printing services, complemented by Canada Post’s shipping services.”

In a CAD 5.6 billion (USD 5.5 billion) market for shipping and courier services, increased through the rise of online shopping, PostNet provides a complete printing and shipping service to the small- and medium-sized business owner. PostNet’s end-to-end services include: in-house graphic design, digital printing, copying, packaging, and courier service, and with the addition of the Canada Post relationship now has vast mailing and shipping methods at its disposal. PostNet Canada plans to expand to more than 300 franchises across the country.

“Canada Post’s selection of PostNet to create this relationship signifies the confidence Canada Post has in PostNet’s small business value proposition. It confirms Canada Post’s commitment to work together with PostNet, leveraging our strengths, for the purpose of better serving our mutual and new small business customers,” said Louis O’Brien, Senior Vice-President, Canada Post Parcels. “Canada Post believes the result will be significant new revenue growth for both companies, a stronger presence in the small business market and most importantly, better served Canadian small business customers.”

Read More

DMNews talks with Dan G. Blair, chairman, Postal Regulatory Commission

Posted by | Jan 21, 2008 | |

Q: How would you describe the PRC’s role in relation to the USPS?
A: The role of the PRC is to ensure transparency and accountability of the US Postal Service. As chairman, I exer¬cise day-to-day control over the adminis¬trative process of the commission, which comprises five full-time commissioners who are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
Q: Following the passage of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006, how has the role of the PRC changed?
A: Under the old law we were primar¬ily involved in rate adjustment cases in which there would be 10-month litigation. And the commission had to recuse itself from the outside world and not have contact with mailers or other parties. Now, under the new law, we’re transforming more into the role of a regulator with more oversight authority that gives us the ability to reach out more to the community. We now hear from individual mailers, nonprofit groups, magazine publishers. I want to encourage that, because our role requires that we have an open and continuing dialogue with the public as well as with the postal service.
Q: You just completed your first year as chairman. What were the PRC’s ma¬jor accomplishments in the past year?
A: When I came on in December of 2006, we were at the tail end of a rate case under the old law. We got that out about five days ahead of schedule. We also got the new rate regulations out in October of 2007, eight months early. That was significant because first, it showed we could get up and ready un¬der the new law rather than proceeding under the old law, and second, by get¬ting the new regulations effective sooner rather than later, it allowed the postal service to seek any rate increases under the new law rather than the old law.
I think everyone was well aware of the shortcomings of the old law. The new law gave the postal service a broad mandate and more flexibility to better act like a business, includ¬ing its rate-setting structure. The PRC is going to ensure that new rates that the postal service proposes are in compliance with the law. Con¬gress gave the postal service greater authority, but at the same time, it presented us as a counterbalance to ensure that the law is being obeyed.
Q: What’s next for the PRC in 2008?
A: We’ll issue our comments on the postal service’s annual compliance report at the end of March. I would also anticipate that the postal service will be coming in with a notification for proposed rate changes within the first quarter. But nothing’s formal yet.
One of the things that’s on the front burner is developing addi¬tional rules regarding complaint procedures. We’re working on ad¬ditional rules for data reporting re¬quirements for the postal service.
We still have two outstanding cases under the old law regarding negotiated service agreements that are proposed for two parties. We’re working to complete those.

Read More

DHL starts next day delivery express service to US, Canada and Mexico

Posted by | Jan 18, 2008 | |

DHL Express has started a new service: with DHL US Next Day time-sensitive goods and documents from the most important Swiss economic regions will be delivered to the US, Canada and Mexico on the following day.

DHL Express is offering delivery before 10.30am (DHL Express 10.30), before 12.00pm (DHL Express 12.00) or before the close of business (DHL Express Worldwide). With US Next Day DHL can deliver to almost anywhere in the US as well as commercial centers in Canada and Mexico by the next day.

This new service is made possible by the DHL hub in Wilmington, Ohio, one of the largest private airports in the world, as well as four further international gateways. More than 34,000 staff in the US work around the clock to distribute the items. In recent years DHL has invested 1.2 billion US dollars in the comprehensive network and in expanding the hub in Wilmington.

The commercial centers of Geneva, Lausanne, Bern, Biel/Bienne, Basle, Lucerne, Zürich and Wil (St. Gallen) all benefit from DHL’s US Next Day service. A customer in the Geneva area can have his US Next Day item collected by DHL as late as 12.45pm. Customers in the Basle region have the last collection time at 3.45pm because a dedicated DHL plane is used for this service to fly from Basle via East Midlands to Wilmington. Duty is paid on these items while in the air.

Read More

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

P&P Poll

Loading

What's the future of the postal USO?

Thank you for voting
You have already voted on this poll!
Please select an option!



View ResultsHide Results

Post & Parcel Magazine


Post & Parcel Magazine is our print publication, released 3 times a year. Packed with original content and thought-provoking features, Post & Parcel Magazine is a must-read for those who want the inside track on the industry.

Subscribe to the Magazine

 

Pin It on Pinterest