Belgian postal operator bpost has reached a collective labor agreement with two-thirds of its trade union representatives following a series of strikes over working conditions.
The measures mainly relate to increasing the attractiveness of jobs in the field by raising purchasing power and developing a concrete approach to tackling employee workloads. Management has also confirmed the preservation of jobs in the company.
Koen Van Gerven, CEO of bpost, said, “These have been intense weeks for bpost but we have presented a positive, concrete plan to re-establish trust, restore peace in the company and work together on a future in which bpost, more than ever, is there for employees, customers and citizens.”
The collective labor agreement contains a series of measures for delivery staff including improved financial conditions, additional days off and clearer prospects for enhancing the salary package.
In addition, the agreement contains a series of concrete measures to tackle the workload in the field. Additional resources will be deployed to deal with the end-of-year peak and resolve the problems in bottleneck areas. The agreement provides for 1,000 additional employees and the setup of specific consulting committees to handle difficult delivery rounds.
“I am convinced that bpost is set to write a compelling story, with products and services that are adapted to changing customer needs,” added Van Gerven. “Our employees make this possible. We have now entered an important period in which we at bpost continue to make a difference for customers and citizens.”
The post estimates that the collective labor agreement for 2019-2020 will impact its cost base by around €20m (US$23m) on a yearly basis.