In
spite of the market in crisis, a revolution is taking place worldwide in the
express deliveries sector:
UPS
buys TNT Express
It
has just been announced that UPS has bought up TNT (5.16 bn
euro in cash). TNT is the fourth company in the world for express deliveries.
While the bosses play at Monopoly, we, the driving force of these
multinationals, know perfectly well that these takeovers operations will not
leave us unconcerned. The workers are unlikely to remember it as a “great
day”, in spite of the claims by the heads of the two companies at the joint
UPS-TNT press conference on March 19..
The “market” of the
Oligopolies
Ø What has happened is that
the larger of the businesses (UPS), with greater potential and more money in it
coffers, has bought up the smaller one, which was in trouble (TNT):
► On the one hand, UPS rakes in massive profits for
the fourth quarter (2011): “record results, in terms of volumes, earnings and
profitability”, a 21% increase over the previous year. “The total earnings have
grown by 6% to reach 14.2 billion dollars and the working profit has increased
by 17% to over 2 billion dollars”.
► On the other hand TNT, in spite of the growth of
2.2% growth on the market last year, has for years declared difficulties and
losses, the latest being
Effects on the sector
Ø The transport and express
delivery sector will be dominated by 3 multinationals (Ups-DHL-FedEx)
Ø Following the exposure of
the “secret” cartel which agreed prices to the detriment of customers, leading
to an enormous fine (169 billion euro) imposed by the EU on 14 companies in the
sector, in the coming period we’ll see increasing competition in the growth
economic areas (Bric countries - Asia – Oceania),
while in Europe we’ll probably see a violent clash because UPS, by acquiring
TNT, has reached a market share of 17.3%, similar to DHL’s 17.6%. The problem
is that Europe, a strategic area for profits, is also an economic area in a
serious crisis, so that the major companies will not be able to sort out the
competition just through confidential meetings at
UPS
declares that the turnover that will be produced is estimated at $60 billion,
making it a powerful company!
But what interests the
workers is WHO will pay for this war for a monopoly position.
The
multinational’s aims are quite clear:
Ø UPS believes it can finance
this investment by capitalizing the enormous savings gained on our backs in
terms of wages, lowering of pension and health contribution, continuous
delocalization etc., in general by exploiting direct and indirect labour.
·
UPS-USA is saving billions by lower payments to
the pension fund, causing a reduction of 30-40% in the pensions of the American
“browns” http://www.tdu.org/node/5445
·
“Cost
savings will be primarily found in intra-national delivery services,
combining the two air networks, and in administration and procurement.” Kurt Kuehn,
UPS C.F.O.:
·
They will try to carry out the classic policy of
eliminating overlaps (i.e. redundancies)
The cuts will begin from
the European headquarters and will go on from there to hit all the national HQs,
first
of all the Hubs.
·
There is greater clarity in the foreign press as
to the countries involved: “The
companies face the biggest overlaps in the U.K. and to a lesser extent in
the Benelux and Italy ... But in the end it will all depend on how regulators
define the market."
http://www.thedeal.com/content/consumer-retail/ups-to-buy-tnt-for-68b.php
The
strategy for selection of staff is also clear: …” the selection and
appointment of staff for any function within the newly combined entity, will be
... based on the “best
person for the job” principle. In case of potential consequences for
employees of the combination, the principle of fairness will be applied as to
the impact of redundancies on TNT Express and
UPS staff”
http://www.investors.ups.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62900&p=irol-newsArticle_pf&ID=1673750&highlight
=
Workers, their interests
are different from ours!
They
want a war between workers, they want us to live in fear about an uncertain
future. They are already beginning to circulate news of thousands
of redundancies (20,000)
Only
unity between UPS and TNT workers, direct and indirect, can help us to best
defend our common interests, the right to work and a fair wage.
As
the UPS trade union representation body we believe the role of national and
international unions to be decisive. For over a decade we have been demanding
the right to have union representation, chosen by the workers, in international
bodies. Now is the time to build it, as we believe that global representation,
acting in the name and on behalf of the workers, is our only strength and the
only guarantee for defending our interests.
We invite workers and
delegates, the union organizations, to build joint UPS-TNT committees locally,
regionally and nationally.
There’s
no shortage of experience. In August 1997 the UPS workers blocked the
UNITED
WE WIN!
RSU (union representation
body) UPS MILAN and VIMODRONE (Italy)
The
complete document (in Italian):
http://www.trasportiinlotta.it/UPS2012/upsacquistatnt/documentoUPS-TNT.pdf
For
more information: (in Italian):
http://www.trasportiinlotta.it/UPS2012/upsacquistatnt/legendaacquistoTNT.htm
