Deutsche Post World Net owns DHL

Chairman: Dr Klaus Zumwinkel
Company address: Charles-de-Gaulle Str. 20, 53113 Bonn, Germany

“Deutsche Post is a global provider of logistics solutions, with operations in around 220 countries. The company offers international mail, express, freight, financial services, contract logistics solutions and value added services. The company operates through three brands Deutsche Post, DHL and Deutsche Postbank. The company primarily operates in Europe, Asia Pacific and the US. The company is headquartered in Bonn, Germany and employes about 500,000 people. The company recorded revenues of 60,545 million euros during the fiscal year ended December 2006, an increase of 35.8% over 2005. The operating profit of the company was 3,872 million euros during the fiscal year 2006, an increase of 2.9% over 2005. The net profit was 1,916 million euros in the fiscal year 2006, a decrease of 14.3% over 2005.”

Source: Deutsche Post AG Datamonitor Report, June 2007

Case study
Workers at DHL’s Bergamo hub in Italy went on strike in October 2007 prompted by managers’ refusals to discuss safety concerns following an accident that seriously injured a worker; he was crushed by a 2000 kilogramme pallet that fell from a fork lift truck.

The Italian union Federazione Italiana Lavoratori Trasporti (FILT-CGIL) believed the accident was caused because safety measures were not being properly implemented. The union called for a meeting with managers over the issue but they refused to attend. This management approach, claimed the union, was just part of a series of moves set out to weaken unions within the company.

Marco Sala of FILT-CGIL commented: “The management has been trying to destroy the strength of the unions in DHL in Bergamo, which has been built up over the years. Their policy has been to stop union meetings from taking place and to undermine trade unionism. DHL has also been cutting corners on safety. That’s why we decided to go on strike. The strike was a big success and DHL will now meet us to talk about safety and other issues that we are concerned about.”

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