News

Dublin is the venue for the UNI Post and logistics world conference this week. Over 250 post and logistics world leaders are engaged in a passionate debate about the future of postal services in a digital world.

Conference congratulated Dave Ward, general secretary of the UK's CWU who was elected World President of the UNI Post and Logistics sector.

Steve Fitzpatrick, General Secretary of CWU Ireland commented, “The venue of Dublin has a political significance to postal workers as 2016 marks the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising which put Ireland on the path to independence. The bloody events were centred around the Dublin post office, where the Proclamation of the Republic was read from the post office steps.”

The unions gathered represent 5 million post workers world wide who are responsible for delivery of over 650 billion letters and almost 7 billion parcels from 663,000 post offices around the world. 

Ingeborg Saetre, President of UNI Post and Logistics said, “It’s true that mail volumes have declined, but e-commerce has brought a boom in parcels delivery. It feels like a new spring in post and logistics and this global gathering will ensure that we innovate to grow services and jobs in a transformed postal world.”

“We are breaking through for our members,” said Stephen DeMatteo, Head of UNI Post and Logistics. “We are more prepared than ever to deliver the future for postal workers.”

“We will deliver on quality jobs. We will defend the principles of universal services and public ownership, tackle bogus self-employment and protect against liberalisation and privatisation.”

In a rousing address, Philip Jennings, General Secretary of UNI Global Union, spoke about the divides in the global economy, from income and wealth distribution to a busted economic model that has brought volatility, unemployment and repeated financial crashes. 

“We fight for our voice to be heard in a world where there is a major offensive against the human and trade union rights of workers,” said Philip Jennings. “The economic violence against working people has injured millions, and it is vital we put forward the case for the economic alternative.”

The conference decided to go on the offensive for an innovative post and logistics sector with quality jobs and services.

In a session on DHL led by UNI Deputy General Secretary Christy Hoffman and ITF’s Liz Blackshaw, conference welcomed the new global understanding with the company and agreed that the “breaking through” strategy to grow unions and global agreements was bringing good results.

“There is tremendous potential for union growth and we are making a difference,” said Hoffman.

Patricia King, General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) spoke of the rough economic and social times that Ireland has suffered since the financial crisis. 

“We are a rich country, but an unequal country,” said King. “Let’s be frank - some of the “new job practices” we see today, we saw yesterday in our history. The 1913 lockout here in Dublin was about the fight for workers against casualisation, precarious practices and insecurity.” 

She also registered her delight that so many union leaders were in Ireland for the conference, commenting, “here we are today, a union movement with 800,000 members standing firm for working people.”

Postal services are one of the most trusted institutions and its services are appreciated by citizens worldwide. They provide the human face of services. This trust should be built upon by expanding services - from extending the scope of delivery to financial and banking services.

As Ingeborg Saetre said, “we work with the people to promote protect and develop postal services in a fast changing world.”

The conference continues today where the agenda will cover the future world of work, quality jobs, impact of trade agreements and the adoption of future priorities.