Government money grab from changes at New Zealand Post

Government money grab from changes at New Zealand Post

"It's a money grab by the Government as the shareholder of New Zealand Post" says Postal Workers Union advocate Graeme Clarke about the changes announced by NZ Post today.

"While the union realises changes are being forced by declining mail volumes, New Zealand Post is restructuring its operations to maximise profit at the expense of service to householders and businesses,

"The union is also concerned that the Government is encouraging the privatisation of mail delivery by reducing the postal services it provides.

"First NZ Post abandoned its traditional 'across town next day' delivery service in October 2013, and now from July 1 NZ Post will only be delivering standard mail every second day. Priority mail at twice the cost, and some parcels, will continue to be delivered 6 days a week in urban areas. Rural areas will have a 5 day delivery service,

The electric vehicles which will be introduced in New Plymouth for the 'Integrated Delivery Agent' will allow a reduction in the duplication of NZ Posts delivery networks — currently a postie network and a separate courier network.

"The Postal Workers Union put up a proposal for posties out on delivery to clear the road side post boxes to maintain some across town delivery without the need for all mail to travel to distant Sorting centres to be delivered after two or three days.

"The union also put up a proposal which provided more days each week for the delivery of standard mail.

"However NZ Post went for its own option — one that that gives the Government the biggest money grab.”

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