After five long and exhausting rounds of negotiations, ver.di finally reached a new agreement with Deutsche Post DHL that eliminates a two-tiered workforce. This means that more than 14,000 outsourced drivers employed by the DHL Delivery Gesellschaft, who received lower compensation, will be reintegrated in Deutsche Post DHL.
Four years ago, Deutsche Post DHL outsourced its parcel delivery to the newly founded DHL Delivery Gesellschaft, in spite of ver.di’s protests. These outsourced drivers were employed under logistics agreements which have lower standards the postal agreement, creating a two-tiered workforce.
In the latest round of bargaining, ver.di successfully enforced the principle: one company, one workforce, one agreement. “The time of two-tiered wages and standards is finished. We have again one company, one agreement”, says ver.di Vice President Andrea Kocsis, responsible for post and logistics within Verdi.
The insourcing of parcel delivery will begin on 1 July 2019. It means that the 14,000 current DHL Delivery Gesellschaft workers will get higher monthly salaries, a 13th salary, company pension scheme, redundancy protection, and better career perspectives. Additionally, ver.di reached with management to protect against redundancy for business-related redundancies until the end of 2022 and against outsourcing in letter delivery until 2020.
Deutsche Post expects savings in administration costs by insourcing subcontractors. The agreement also makes changes to pay increases based on seniority. It is also sending a clear signal against social dumping to the competitors in the sector.
The company plans to hire 5,000 new drivers this year and expects an easier time recruiting new employees by raising standards in the sector.
