CTK
Updated 11 minutes ago
Česká pošta wants to extend the delivery time for economic parcels to three days from submission from the current two due to cost-saving measures. Part of the delivery companies want to save money. Unions do not like the measure because it will reduce the quality and availability of postal services. Union representatives stated this at a meeting with post office management on Wednesday.
“We do not agree with job cuts, it is another cost-saving measure of the Czech Post. The cancellation of 300 postal branches and the introduction of the D+3 delivery system means a deterioration in the availability and quality of postal services. Massive job cuts will lead to an increase in the stress and burden of employees who are already extreme. Without changing the financing system of public postal services, they will not have a longer-term effect,” said Jindřiška Budweiserová, the president of the largest trade union at the post office.
The post office introduced two-speed delivery in 2020. In addition to priority, where according to the conditions of the postal license it must deliver 92 percent of parcels by the next day, it is a cheaper economic one. While sending a priority shipment of up to 50 grams will now cost 30 crowns, it is 23 CZK for an economy shipment. According to data from the Czech Telecommunications Office (ČTÚ), people send letters more often economically than as a matter of priority.
The Post Office wants to reduce the number of branches by 300 to approximately 2,900 from the middle of the year. In connection with this, it intends to reduce the number of jobs by 950 and lay off another approximately 500 people in logistics. Currently, around 23,000 people work at the post office. The government is supposed to deal with reducing the minimum number of branches by 300 today.
