In the face of a rapidly declining postal market, Post NL and the trades unions have agreed to a ‘social plan’ to aid employees to redeploy within the business or get jobs during rationalisation of the postal service.

The Dutch postal service is in the midst of a massive reorganisation in the face of a decline of mail volumes, and is investing in other areas of its business such as parcel delivery. It also has to use its postal infrastructure to aid private companies in the same industry.

Post NL and the unions VHP2, FNV Public Interests, Union of Postal Employees, CNV Public services have agreed terms that will ensure that those redeployed within the company are done so with full agreement, and those who chose to take redundancy quickly when offered will receive much better redundancy packages than if they take a longer time.

The agreement must now go to union members to vote on the social plan before it comes to force across the company.