More layoffs at the Czech Post. It will get rid of some drivers and replace them with external workers. The state enterprise has already launched a competition for the contract for almost three billion. The post office wants to cut costs.
The post office is likely to lay off again. Trade unionists say the first wave will come at the end of the year. Some drivers who transport parcels in vehicles over 3.5 tonnes can expect to be laid off this time. They mainly transport shipments between sites, including cash and security boxes.
“It took us by surprise because we only had indications from our employer that something was about to happen,” said Petr Pohl, a Brno dispatcher, and union official.
According to the union, the first possible stage of layoffs is scheduled to begin on December 1, and the second in early February next year. In total, the unions say about 1 200 employees may be laid off at the post office.
“The redundancies will, of course, have an impact on thousands of people. There will certainly be a strain on the labor offices,” Pohl described the possible consequences.
The reason is the economy
“The main reason why we have decided to go this way is the economy because this implementation will save about 20 percent of the logistics budget annually. Some employees will be offered other jobs, ” said Matyáš Vitík, spokesman for the Czech Post.
According to Vitík, the post office wants to take the money for the tender from the company’s savings. But some trade unionists are shaking their heads and do not understand the Czech Post’s decision.
“We have serious concerns because we do not understand why it is being taken to cancel our transport, which the Czech Post has successfully operated for many years,” said Filip Janovský, a trade unionist, who thinks that this will worsen the current situation at the post office.
Czech Post last made redundancies at the beginning of March this year, when more than 1,000 employees resigned. Because of the possible layoffs, unionists have announced a strike for the end of September, which is expected to last three days.