Private mail firms in Germany are not paying the “dumping wages” alleged by Deutsche Post, postalunions and some Social Democrat politicians, according to a study commissioned by the German postal
regulator, the Bundesnetzagentur.The study by the research organisation WIK found that private operators are paying theirstaff an average of EUR 8.44 per hour, with an average of EUR 7.94 for delivery workers.
This is virtually the same level as Deutsche Post sub-contractors carrying out outsourcingtasks such as mail collection and transportation, and higher than the EUR 7.50 minimum wagedemanded by the Verdi union, the Bundesnetzagentur said.
The study noted that Deutsche Post pays “unusually high” wages that are nationally-based incontrast to the regionally- or locally-based wages of competitors and subcontractors.
Other key conclusions were that the weekly working hours were similar to those in otherindustries, and that holiday entitlement at competitors was above the legal minimum but below theentitlement at Deutsche Post.
In response, Verdi called on the German government to take action against the regulator whichappeared to be criticising high wages at Deutsche Post rather than low wages at privatecompetitors.
But MFIP, the lobby group representing private mail firms, welcomed the study’s results asproving that private competitors did not pay “dumping wages” to their staff. Spokesman Bernd Jägercalled on Verdi and the Social Democrats to drop their opposition to postal liberalisation, and toplay a constructive role in the transition to a competitive market.
