Deutsche Post is preparing to implement a massive savings programme from late summer, including the sale of a number of post offices, consolidation of package and letter delivery services – and downgrading jobs to reduce wages.
Business magazine Wirtschaftswoche reported on Sunday that around 50 top Post managers had been shown the concept which should save around a billion euros within a year – five times what had until now been considered.
Post chairman Jürgen Gerdes is hoping to raise significant sums through the sale of the 350 or so post offices still owned by the company. Postbank, the former subsidiary of Deutsche Post, has registered interest in 277 of these, and could pay more than €100 million for them as well as taking on the operating staff, the magazine reported.
The greatest savings potential is seen as being within personnel costs. The letter delivery sector currently employs 143,000 people, half of whom are involved in active delivery.
