11-10-2024

The Swiss Post Group unit Mobility Services has developed its strategy. Swiss Post plans to adapt its range of services to meet changing and increasing requirements with services for its own logistics and for business customers. It also wants to make PostBus more efficient to achieve the cost savings required by the orderers, relieving the financial burden on the public sector. As a result, there will be job cuts in the management and administration areas of Mobility Services, which will be implemented in as socially responsible a manner as possible. A corresponding redundancy plan is already in place. The measures will have no impact on drivers or passengers, and customers will continue to benefit from public transport with the customary value for money.

As Switzerland’s leading bus company, PostBus aims to continue providing attractively priced, reliable and high-quality services for the public sector and passengers alike. For this reason, Swiss Post plans to become more efficient in the mobility sector and to reduce costs. In concrete terms, this means making savings in management and administration. By doing so, Swiss Post will contribute to the efforts currently being made by the Confederation, cantons and municipalities to reduce their costs. They are involved in ordering and financing regional passenger transport and local transport.

Expansion of sustainable services

Yet, mobility in Switzerland is also a growth market. Swiss Post sees opportunities to be successful by offering business customers attractive services such as in fleet management or with on-demand services for commuter mobility – and, in turn, make a monetary contribution to the financial independence of Swiss Post. As the country’s largest electric vehicle fleet operator, Swiss Post is facing up to its responsibility in terms of sustainability. In future, the expertise that Swiss Post is acquiring in electric charging solutions as part of the transformation to e-mobility will also be available on the market. The company plans to found a joint venture with the Fenaco agricultural cooperative, with the aim of giving the Swiss public access to a nationwide network of fast charging stations under the brand PowerUp.

Christian Plüss, Head of the Mobility Services Group unit and CEO of PostBus, will oversee the reorganization until the end of January 2025 before handing over the reins as planned. “I’m confident that, with this reorganization, we’re setting a strategic course that will enable Swiss Post to be successful in public transport and in providing sustainable services to business and private customers. This includes reducing costs wherever possible to remain competitive, given the current financial situation of the public sector. Unfortunately, this will also have an impact on the number of jobs. Swiss Post will meet its obligations as a socially responsible employer at all times.”

Savings will be made in as socially responsible a manner as possible

 In previous years, savings have been made by reducing non-personnel costs, exploiting synergies and increasing efficiency. Now, however, there is no avoiding job cuts in the Mobility Services unit, which currently has around 3,750 employees. There could be up to a maximum of 70 redundancies, primarily in PostBus administration. It may also be necessary to make changes to the employment contracts of up to 200 employees, for example due to changes in work content, salary or level of employment. PostBus drivers and ticket inspectors will not be affected by the job cuts. Swiss Post will implement the planned job cuts in as socially responsible a manner as possible and take measures to mitigate the negative impact. Natural fluctuation is to be utilized, for example.

Employees can submit their comments during a consultation process

 Swiss Post informed all employees in the Mobility Services unit of the planned measures in a letter on 10 October 2024. They now have the opportunity in a consultation process to suggest proposals for avoiding or reducing the number of terminations and for mitigating the consequences of the changes. Swiss Post is in regular contact with its social partners, the  trade union syndicom and the staff association transfair. The efficiency measures are to be implemented in 2025 and completed by 1 August 2025 at the latest.

Source: Swiss Post

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