News

DHL cuts jobs in an "efficiency drive" at Dutch Sorting Centre

DHL Express has announced its intention to half the number of contractual hours for hundreds of  workers in a Dutch Sorting Centre.   

 

Dutch Union FNV  negotiatior Egon  Groen expressed his fears that the  halving of the hours and therefore the halving the salaries of  workers will  effectively mean that many will have to resign, as they  can no  longer afford to work for  DHL. Employees employed in areas such  as  packing and as forklift drivers will be the most badly affected. Unsurprisingly, some of the personnel at the Sorting Centre have gone out on  strike. DHL  is not reported to have conducted a thorough investigation on  the workload on their employees at this centre, nor has DHL discussed  their decision with Dutch unions.

 

DHL claims that a  reduction in the sorting process of parcels is necessary to ensure their  competitiveness. This comes at a time when DHL announced at its investor  conference, held in Frankfurt on 23  November, that it intends  to "pay out 40 to 60 percent of its net profit  adjusted for positive as well as negative non-recurring effects" and  that "against the backdrop of a largely stable world economy, the company projects revenue growth in its EXPRESS division to total an average of about 7 percent in future years."  



According to FNV, DHL personnel in Arnhem, Zwolle and Rotterdam spontaneously organised ‘sit-ins’ during the night from Monday on Tuesday as the unions explained their position. The deadline for DHL's response to the demands below is 18th December: -   



-                       independent second opinion (honoured by DHL)



-                       Bonn/NL should make 100% clear their plans with DD  



-                       no forced dismissals



-                       adequate social plan