Norway’s LO-congress says no to EU Post Directive
Norway’s LO-congress says no to EU Post Directive
The LO Congress in Norway decided unanimously to pass an industry policy statement against the implementation of the 3rd Postal Directive in Norway.
The announcement means that the LO-congress requires the postponement of the directive so that all the consequences can be studied. It is important that the negative aspects of the directive can be studied further and a postponement is therefore essential.
Such a study is the way to stop the directive. But it is not in the LO Congress that this case is decided but it is up to the government and Parliament to stop it. PostKom Federation President Christian Øverland says we will continue the dialogue with the real decision-makers
“I am very glad that the LO-congress now has given us full support in the fight against the directive and the negative consequences for people and businesses in Norway”
The LO statement says;
Liberalization of the postal sector in Europe creates major challenges for a country with settlements so scattered as in Norway. Competition in the profitable market in the cities will create a need for public financing of postal services in the districts, while big international companies only want to extract profit. Competition in the mail distribution will also have negative consequences on the environment as a result of the use of cars, boats, trains and planes, by many different companies where at present the Norwegian Post Office is carrying out this task alone today. LO will work against such a tax-financed liberalization, which makes it difficult and expensive for businesses in the districts. International experience shows that competition challenges employees' wages, labor and pension conditions.
LO believes it may be appropriate to use the legal right to stop the directive. LO requires that the government is delays the introduction and to study all the consequences. In addition, the government must study the impact the directive will have on the Norwegian regional policy, social dumping and the cost to the taxpayer.
In the meantime it was announced that the Norwegian Government would approve 518 million to purchase unprofitable postal and banking services
The revised national budget has allocated 518 million to purchase of unprofitable postal and banking services. –UNI Post & Logistics Norwegian affiliate, Postkom, have for several years pressed for a solution for this. Federation President Christian Øverland said, “I am very happy that the government now takes up the bill. This is a payment for delivery that is not commercially profitable. It will safeguard jobs as without this money there would be further pressure against jobs.”