March 12, 2013
Media Release

Government must protect postal services

New Zealand Post is a vital public service and any moves to address declining mail volumes must consider more than profitability, says the union for postal workers, the EPMU.

In its submission to the Government on NZ Post’s proposal to change the Deed of Understanding, the EPMU says NZ Post is a public service and should not exist solely to return a profit to the Government.

The union says NZ Post’s proposed cuts, which include turning post offices into kiosks and reducing mail delivery from six days a week to as few as three, are not justified by current mail volumes and the public must have a say on any changes to service levels in future.

EPMU postal industry organiser Joe Gallagher says New Zealand’s postal service is more than just a business.

“New Zealand Post is an essential part of this country’s social fabric. It keeps our communities together and provides a lifeline for rural communities, small businesses, the disabled, the elderly and families without internet access.

“It’s clear from the hundreds of public submissions we have received that Kiwis feel strongly about the future of our postal service and want to have a proper say.

“For many elderly or disabled people especially, the daily visit from the postie is the highlight of their day and sometimes the only human contact they receive on a regular basis.

“We recognise NZ Post faces serious commercial pressures, but current mail volumes do not justify the drastic and damaging cuts they are proposing.

“We also cannot accept the gutting of NZ Post’s social obligations on the basis that it may need to cut services at some point in the future. If and when NZ Post feels it needs to make cuts to services then it should do so in an open and transparent manner that allows the public to have a say.

“We are calling on the Government to listen to communities, keep NZ Post’s social obligations in place and commit to wider public consultation on any future changes.”

The EPMU’s submission is available at: http://www.epmu.org.nz/assets/Post/EPMU-Submission-NZ-Post-2013.pdf

A selection of quotes from the more than 250 public submissions received by the EPMU is available at: http://www.epmu.org.nz/assets/Post/Public-submissions.pdf

ENDS

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