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Research by the VNB Foundation, which is in charge of collective bargaining compliance in the Transport and Logistics sector, shows that PostNL uses hundreds of different subcontractors, most of whom do not comply with the collective bargaining agreement. 'The conclusion of our investigations is that a lot goes wrong in complying with the CBA,' says Richard Vervoorn of the VNB Foundation. 'Ranging from a little error to gross collective bargaining violations, undeclared work and Filipino drivers working through a Polish PO box firm.'

In recent years, VNB inspected dozens of PostNL subcontractors. Both parcel delivery and trucking between the various PostNL depots were investigated. Much was found to be wrong: too little pay in relation to experience, errors in timekeeping that left hours unpaid, no reimbursement for accommodation expenses and too little vacation allowance. The audits resulted in hundreds of thousands of euros in back payments to workers.

Thousands of employees work for PostNL through subcontractors in parcel delivery and depot transport. The employees employed by PostNL are covered by one of the PostNL collective bargaining agreements. The employees working through a subcontractor fall under the collective bargaining agreement for professional freight transport and often do not receive what they are entitled to.

In talks with PostNL, abuses were labeled as incidents, while problems with subcontractors are the rule rather than the exception.

PostNL should prioritize the pay of employees working through subcontractors, according to union FNV. It should also be agreed that subcontractors should not be allowed to "re-contract" the work, so that PostNL itself can check whether everyone in its chain is being paid decently.

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