The
UNI Post and Logistics world meeting is underway in Switzerland facing up to
the challenges of the brave new world of post. Innovation and inequality are
high on the agenda and the meeting will not shirk the big issues.
President
Billy Hayes opened proceedings by evoking the spirit of British comedian Billy
Bennett. “It’s the same the world over,” Hayes said, “It’s the rich who get the
pleasure and the poor who get the blame. That’s what we’re here to address.”
UNI
Global Union General Secretary Philip Jennings issued a rallying cry for the
sector to fight “wave after wave of changes” hitting postal workers.
“Deregulation, privitisation and bilateral trade agreements are all resulting
in a demolition of postal services,” Jennings warned.
The
UNI Chief said that the unstoppable rise in e-commerce and home delivery
represented a huge opportunity for the postal sector and urged unions to stay
on the front foot.
“You
are the distribution network. You know how to do it. We must look at how we
innovate. There will be growth and new opportunities, and postal workers will
need to build on the trust they have in communities.”
“We
need to keep the local networks alive by adapting our post boxes, post vans and
investing in innovation.”
The
2015 ILO Conference will focus on the global supply chain and developing a new
labour standard from the factory to the consumer. Postal and logistic workers
are at the heart of this supply chain, Jennings said, and UNI Post and
Logistics must help to drive the new agenda.
The UNI Post & Logistics World
Meeting, taking place over two days at UNI Global Union headquarters in Nyon,
Switzerland, will hold sessions on organising new workers and campaigns,
defending universal postal services, innovation & E-Commerce as well
examining ongoing threats to the sector.
