Swedish postal operators are hopeful that last-minute talks can prevent a nationwide postalstrike in Sweden starting tomorrow that would bring a halt to domestic and international post and
parcel operations.Scandinavian postal group PostNord told CEP-Research today that “intensive” negotiations weretaking place between Sweden’s service and communications union Seko and employer representativeorganisation Almega, and that attempts by Sweden’s Mediation Institute to bridge the differencesbetween the two sides had reached an important final stage.
Seko announced last week that industrial action expected to bring Sweden’s postal operations toa halt would begin from midday tomorrow unless an agreement was reached on a new collectiveagreement for workers across Sweden’s postal sector.
Its strike notice calls for a total stoppage by the union’s 2,200 members at PostNord’s SwedishPost businesses – Posten AB, Posten Meddelande AB and PostNord Logistics AB – and also at PostNorge’s Swedish postal operation Bring Citymail.
A PostNord spokesman confirmed to CEP-Research that domestic and international mail, package andparcel operations would all be affected. Although PostNord has around 25,000 employees in Sweden,the 2,200 workers in question worked on key parts of the operation, he explained, including all ofthe company’s workers at its international terminals in Malmo and Stockholm.
“But hopefully we will reach agreement today or tonight and there will be no strike,” he said.However, it was difficult to comment on the progress of the on-going discussions, he said, but allof the company’s business units were keeping their customers and partners informed as and when newinformation became available – including international partners and organisations such as theUPU.
PostNord confirmed that the “conflict measures” planned by Seko “would very quickly lead tomajor disruptions in the distribution of letters and parcels throughout Sweden”.
Anders Holm, head of PostNord Logistics in Sweden, commented: “Our ambition and highest priorityis, of course, that the industrial action should not be executed so that we can guarantee deliveryfor our customers. Until 18 September at 12.00, business will go on as usual. If the conflict,after all, comes into force, the activities of the work covered by the layoff stoppage willessentially cease at 12.00 on 18 September. Subsequently, disruption of production will graduallyincrease and at the end of the week, production will basically shut down for the whole of Sweden.”& amp; amp; amp; amp; lt; /p>
Andreas Falkenmark, president of PostNord’s Postal Communications business (Posten MeddelandeAB), commented: “A conflict would be very unfortunate. Our hope is that the mediators find amutually acceptable compromise, as soon as possible.”
