News

Today, hundreds of postal employees, representatives and other unions gathered outside the Norwegian Parliament in protest against 3^rd EU Postal directive. Representatives from European trade unions were also present and highlighted their support.



“We require that the postal directive must be stopped, so that people and businesses throughout the country can still get good postal services. LO-Congress has given us their support (…)the consequences of a veto must be investigated, "said Postkom President Odd Christian Øverland.



The postal directive will mean that we get worse and more expensive postal services, especially in rural Norway. Uniform cost for the sending of letters will be threatened, and letters from and to the districts could be more expensive. Distribution of post 6 days a week may be reduced to every other day. (..).



In addition to the drastic consequences for people and businesses, we fear that wages and working conditions for postal employees will be put under pressure. This has happened after the liberalization in Germany, where postal employees were paid under the minimum wage”, emphasizes Øverland.



Neil Anderson, Head of UNI Post & Logistics, Jacques Lemercier , General Secretary of FO-Com and Pepe Sayagues of UGT Spain made similar comments.



Odd Christian Øverland also made a presentation of Postkom's demands to the MP's members of the committee in Parliament considering the Directive. Neil Anderson had told them, "be brave, make history and reject the 3rd postal directive as it is the right thing to do for a quality postal service in Norway."