Agreement in principle on new collective labour agreement for mail deliverers
Pay up by over 8% in 2022 and 2023
The Hague, The Netherlands, 10 May 2022 – PostNL and trade unions Bond van Post Personeel and CNV have signed an agreement in principle on a new collective labour agreement (CLA) governing nearly 16,500 mail deliverers. Trade union FNV and PostNL have achieved a negotiated agreement. Postal wages are to go up in two increments of 4% over the course of the two-year CLA, to a total of over 8%. The trade unions will now put the agreement to their members for approval.
Rising pay and employee benefits
The agreement in principle includes a structural pay rise of 4% effective 1 January 2022 as well as 4% on 1 January 2023, taking compensation for beginning postal workers above the legal minimum wage.
Bob van Ierland, Director of Mail in the Netherlands, said: “Wages for our mail deliverers are set to go up sharply in the period ahead. Rising prices are hitting our people where it hurts and we feel that raising their pay is an appropriate response under current conditions. Besides, this should also ensure that – in view of current labour shortages – it remains attractive for people to choose a job as a postie.”
The raise will be paid retrospectively for the first few months of 2022 as soon as the agreement is final. Employee benefits such as bicycle, travel and electric vehicle charging allowances have also been agreed, with the latter revisited – and adjusted, when appropriate – twice a year against the backdrop of rising energy prices.
Postal market developments
During the pandemic, PostNL delivered a lot of mail, including vaccination invites, extra company mailings and personal mail such as cards. A lot of this extra mail was related to Covid-19 and one-time only, and mail items are expected to decline by 8–10% compared with last year. Beyond 2022, the fundamental decline in the number of mail items looks set to continue. To keep the postal service reliable and affordable across the Netherlands in the face of this contraction, PostNL is constantly working to remain a future-proof organisation able to adapt sustainably and in good time.
Consulting membership
The outcomes of union member consultation are expected to be announced on 25 May 2022. The collective labour agreement for mail deliverers will run from 1 October 2021 through to 31 December 2023 and will apply to nearly 16,500 people.
We are PostNL, the mail and logistics solutions provider for all. With our mail and parcel deliverers who get everywhere, our over 4,800 PostNL locations and 11,000 postboxes, we are always nearby. We aim to be our customers’ favourite deliverer by making it as easy as possible for them to send and receive parcels and letters. Our over 37,000 people are right at the heart of society. On weekdays, we deliver an average 1.2 million parcels and 8 million letters across the Benelux region. Our focus is on quality for our customers, creating opportunities for our people and adding value for our stakeholders through growth, digitalisation and sustainability initiatives. We optimise and support our physical networks by using smart digital solutions and launching new propositions that create value for our customers. We build long-lasting working relationships by acting as a good employer and client for everyone who works for and with us. To make our deliveries as sustainable as possible, we cover a lot of kilometres on foot or by bicycle or e-bike, provide innovative city logistics, use cleaner fuels, and use electric vans and light electric trucks. PostNL NV is a listed company with revenues of €3.5 billion in 2021, 61% of this derived from e-commerce. We provide deliveries of mail and parcels, logistics solutions for e-commerce, and cross-border solutions.