Swiss Post has said that it intends to run only one operating unit to process letters in Berne in future.
In a statement issued today (10 August), Swiss Post said that this step was taken in “response to falling letter volumes and increasing cost pressure”.
Swiss Post added: “Subject to the results of the consultation process, around 15 full-time equivalent positions may be lost. The company does not intend to make any staff redundant.”
At present, Swiss Post is running three operating units for processing letters in the Berne area. These are a logistics centre for letter processing (LCLP) in Ostermundigen that has 96 staff (equivalent to 69 full time staff), as well as a delivery office in Ostermundigen that has 102 staff (87 full time equivalents) and finally a delivery office in the city of Berne that has 175 staff (154 full time equivalents).
Swiss Post outlined how it plans to consolidate the locations: “Firstly, work at the Ostermundigen LCLP is expected to be integrated into Härkingen letter centre and Berne delivery office by mid-2018. Secondly, there are plans to reallocate the jobs in the Ostermundigen delivery office to existing operating units in the Berne area. This is expected to be complete by the end of November 2019.”
Currently, Swiss Post has started the consultation process for the affected organizational units in Ostermundigen. The process is expected to be completed at the beginning of September and will then be analysed.
“Only after this stage will Swiss Post make a final decision on whether the locations will be consolidated,” said Swiss Post. “If they are streamlined, around 15 full-time equivalent positions may be lost. Swiss Post will do everything it can to avoid compulsory redundancies. Jobs would be shed through natural staff turnover. Swiss Post would also offer any affected staff members continued employment within the company.”
Swiss Post said that the impact of the plans on its customers “would be only slight” and it emphasised that “the range and quality of the services offered would not change”.
