TNT Post prepared to reduce number of involuntary redundancies by 1400
20 October 2010 at 15:45 CET - Amsterdam – TNT Post has written to the unions saying that it is prepared to reduce the number of involuntary redundancies (4500) by 1400. It will also be possible to offer 200 people work temporarily, until the end of 2012.
TNT Post believes that the most important preconditions for this reduction will be maximum effort, use of the mobility programme, and conclusion before the end of the year of the procedure for securing the formal opinion of the Works Council.
Awaiting the unions’ response, TNT Post considers that this move represents a substantial step, in combination with the social plan already agreed on with the unions. The social plan comprises a range of ways of helping surplus employees find work outside TNT Post. It also provides for targeted training programmes and makes it possible for employees born before 1952 to keep their job.
The plans have been discussed with the Works Council and a subdivision has been made according to the various different company entities. One important part of the solution is the creation of jobs within the new Auto Unit and restrictions on the amount of work contracted out by this unit over the next few years.
The unions and the Works Council have already indicated that they realise that TNT Post will be forced to make major cost savings within the short term.
Reducing the number of involuntary redundancies does not make the main thrust of the impending reorganisation any less necessary, however. The declining postal market and increasing price pressure due to competition make it unavoidable for TNT Post to speed up the changes.
The company finds itself faced by competitors that are able to strengthen their market position on the basis of piecework and the absence of a collective labour agreement. When the decision was taken to liberalise the postal market in 2009, the Dutch authorities set the precondition that there should be proper terms and conditions of employment. So far, however, the authorities have been unable to compel the new postal companies to provide such terms and conditions.
The Master Plan savings already announced for the period 2010-2017 remain unchanged.
In case of any discrepancy between this press release and the original Dutch version, the Dutch version will prevail.
About TNT
TNT provides businesses and consumers worldwide with an extensive range of services for their mail and express delivery needs. Headquartered in the Netherlands, TNT offers efficient network infrastructures in Europe and Asia and keeps optimising its global network performance. TNT serves more than 200 countries and employs about 160,000 people. Over 2009, TNT reported €10.4 billion in revenues and an operating income of €648 million. TNT is officially quoted on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange. TNT recognises its social responsibility and has formed partnerships with the United Nations World Food Programme and the United Nations Environment Programme to fight hunger and pollution in the world. Our efforts are being recognised: In 2010, TNT was again awarded “Supersector leader” for ‘Industrial Goods and Services’ (including ‘Industrial transportation’) of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI). More information about TNT can be found on its website http://group.tnt.com.