ANP extension
ANNOUNCEMENTS••Edited
However, the strike that the FNV union wants to call this week for PostNL’s mail and parcel couriers could continue. This was established by the court in The Hague after summary proceedings that the postal company had initiated, according to it, to ensure that medical mail, mourning mail and mail in Braille continue to be delivered. The court ruled in favor of the company.
The strike comes to annoy PostNL at a busy time, namely the week of Black Friday. There are then many offers and more (online) sales.
The FNV union wants to go on strike to draw attention to the working conditions of PostNL employees whose collective labor agreement expired in March. It affects 19,000 employees: couriers and (postal) sorters. PostNL also employs 16,000 postal carriers, but they are covered by a different collective bargaining agreement.
Very sad
The union’s wish is a collective bargaining agreement with a minimum wage of 14 euros an hour, wages that rise in line with prices in shops, permanent rather than temporary jobs and a good provision for those who do jobs heavy to stop before work.
According to Mariska Exalto, director of FNV Post en Pakketten, PostNL is adding “extra oil to the fire” by going to court: “Of course, this does not dispel the willingness to strike. The employees are paid too little, there is too much work pressure and now they are also trying to take away a fundamental right from us, namely the right to strike. Very sad”.
Always a nuisance
PostNL says it recognizes the right to strike, “but acting at one of the busiest times of the year involves disproportionate harm and risk,” according to a spokesman. “By announcing actions now, FNV is knowingly opting for a frontal attack on the interests of consumers, customers and employees of PostNL, which FNV claims to represent.”
The Postal Service wants to ensure that medical mail and funeral mail arrive on time. PostNL is also accounting for holiday crowds. On the contrary, the FNV states that “a strike is always a nuisance for a company, otherwise it would be meaningless to strike”.
In December 2018, the postal company also initiated summary proceedings against FNV to prevent strike action. The judge then prohibited the union from organizing actions of more than 15 minutes a day during the holidays. The talks that PostNL is having this week with the trade unions BVPP and CNV will continue.
