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Dutch ministers set to appeal ruling on DHL contract workers
29 January 2010
Government ministers in the Netherlands are to challenge a decision taken in the Dutch courts allowing two postal firms to pay workers a “piece work” rate.
Social affairs minister Piet Hein Donner and junior economic affairs minister Frank Heemskerk are to appeal a decision by judges in December, allowing Sandd and Selekt Mail (DHL) to continue to pay postal workers for every item of post they deliver. The judges ruled that the postal companies could not be forced to employ delivery workers instead.
It has been reported that Donner and Heemskerk will force the issue through by way of a royal decree if they lose their appeal.
Under one of the government’s main conditions for liberalisation, Sandd and Selekt must employ at least 10 per cent of their delivery workers by April 2010 and 80 per cent by 2012. This would ensure that they do not undercut key competitors such as TNT.
Neil Anderson, head of UNI post and logistics said: "The ministers are correct, the courts cannot be allowed to stop the desire of the workers, their unions and the government to ensure there are proper collective contracts for postal workers."
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