News

The UNI Post and Logistics world meeting is underway in Switzerland facing up to the challenges of the brave new world of post. Innovation and inequality are high on the agenda and the meeting will not shirk the big issues.

President Billy Hayes opened proceedings by evoking the spirit of British comedian Billy Bennett. “It’s the same the world over,” Hayes said, “It’s the rich who get the pleasure and the poor who get the blame. That’s what we’re here to address.”

UNI Global Union General Secretary Philip Jennings issued a rallying cry for the sector to fight “wave after wave of changes” hitting postal workers. “Deregulation, privitisation and bilateral trade agreements are all resulting in a demolition of postal services,” Jennings warned.

The UNI Chief said that the unstoppable rise in e-commerce and home delivery represented a huge opportunity for the postal sector and urged unions to stay on the front foot.

“You are the distribution network. You know how to do it. We must look at how we innovate. There will be growth and new opportunities, and postal workers will need to build on the trust they have in communities.”

“We need to keep the local networks alive by adapting our post boxes, post vans and investing in innovation.”

The 2015 ILO Conference will focus on the global supply chain and developing a new labour standard from the factory to the consumer. Postal and logistic workers are at the heart of this supply chain, Jennings said, and UNI Post and Logistics must help to drive the new agenda.

The UNI Post & Logistics World Meeting, taking place over two days at UNI Global Union headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, will hold sessions on organising new workers and campaigns, defending universal postal services, innovation & E-Commerce as well examining ongoing threats to the sector.