Posties reject NZ Post delivery cuts

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Posties have rejected a NZ Post proposal to cut the residential mail delivery service to three days, saying it's unjustified and irresponsible.

The postal service announced in January plans to renegotiate its mail service agreement with the Government down from six days a week as it faces declining mail volumes.

It is not yet known how many of the service's 7000 employees would lose their jobs if the delivery days are halved.

The EPMU, which represents most postal workers, says the proposed cuts, which also include turning post offices into kiosks, are not justified by current mail volumes.

The union's postal industry organiser, Joe Gallagher, said NZ Post provided a public service, so any changes must consider more than profitability.
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"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," Mr Gallagher said.

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

The union had received more than 250 public submissions on the proposal, which are to be lodged on Tuesday.

The Postal Workers Union of Aotearoa, which represents 1200 postal workers, also issued a statement voicing its opposition.

Union organiser Wayne Newsome said while changes needed to be made to the current agreement, the four alternative solutions given by NZ Post "do not constitute a fair selection of all the viable alternatives".

It called for the new agreement to "not remove itself from the priority mail market" and asked that the current arrangements guarantee private postal operators access to NZ Post's network.