2023-11-26 16:00:03
BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – While the planned reform of the outdated postal law draws criticism from the Verdi trade union, the SPD parliamentary group is supporting the project. It is good that letters continue to be delivered on six working days of the week and that Monday is not canceled, Federal MP Sebastian Roloff told the German Press Agency on Sunday. As rapporteur of the SPD parliamentary group for the Postal Act, he will play a central role in the upcoming parliamentary negotiations. The Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs published its reform proposal on Friday.
The last time the regulatory framework was renewed was at the end of the 1990s. Since then, demand has completely changed: Parcel shipments, which were then secondary, are now an integral part of the daily lives of many citizens around the world. he time when online commerce is booming, while letters have rapidly lost their importance. Back then, letters were a mass means of communication, whereas today people mostly use emails or chats.
The Post Office must have more time for letters
The reform proposal takes this development into account in the sense that the time pressure for the post office must be significantly reduced. So far, at least 80% of letters posted today should be received the next business day. In the future, this obligation will only apply on the third working day after posting, and 95% of letters must then be received by the recipient. This will allow the Bonn group to reduce costs and stop its night flights, in which letters are still transported. Social Democrat Roloff finds that changing delivery times is a good thing. “This helps reduce the logistician’s CO2 emissions, which is in line with climate protection.”
On the other hand, the Verdi union is sounding the alarm – it fears that the Post Office will significantly cut jobs due to the reduced pressure on deadlines. Verdi’s vice-president, Andrea Kocsis, spoke this weekend of a “massive endangerment” of conventional jobs. It strongly opposes the planned change in the validity period. “We urge the federal government and the Bundestag to improve the law.”
On the other hand, Social Democrat Roloff does not expect that the changed duration regulations will lead to job losses. He certainly sees slight weaknesses in the bill, but overall he considers the document from the federal ministry headed by the Green Robert Habeck positive. He cites the example of the obligation to have a network of post offices: the MP considers that the fact that there is always, as a general rule, a post office in municipalities with 2000 inhabitants is in the interest local inhabitants and constitutes an element of strengthening of rural areas.
Stricter guidelines for subcontractors
Roloff sees “lights and shadows” in the proposal to impose stricter constraints on parcel companies regarding subcontracting. The ministry wants groups to be responsible for violations committed by the entire subcontracting chain, for example in the event of non-compliance with the minimum wage. So far, this is not the case when a subcontractor subcontracts the contract. “As far as substructures are concerned, parcel groups are so far out of the question, which in many places leads to abuse to the detriment of working conditions,” criticizes Roloff.
The fact that this must change is certainly to be welcomed. “But it would have been preferable to generally ban the use of subcontractors in the mail and parcel sector.” Seasonal order peaks, such as the end-of-year holidays, can also be covered by fixed-term permanent jobs, which does not require subcontracting./wdw/DP/men
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