Blow of anger for the postal workers. While they have been benefiting from benefits in kind for many years, La Banque Postale now wishes to eliminate these benefits, which will strain relations in the long term. These advantages, perceived since the time of the PTT, before the creation of France Telecom, which became Orange, La Poste and the Banque Postale, are thus essential as untouchable benefits for a large number of retired postal workers. We take stock for you.
For many years, retired postal workers have enjoyed benefits acquired during their career and retained upon retirement. Thus, they have a free telephone subscription, or an equivalent bonus, and, at the Postal Bank, a free credit card. Among the list of these benefits, one can also find lighter overdraft fees, but also the remuneration of the sums deposited in the current account at the rate of the Livret A, within the limit of 10,000 euros.
In the case of working people, these benefits in kind, which give rise to contributions to Urssaf, are salary elements that cannot be modified without terminating the employment contract. However, for retirees of the Post, things are different since the latter plans to reverse these achievements and remove them. Indeed, today, 152,000 former postal workers holding an account at the Postal Bank on which they receive their pension, have started to receive letters informing them of this situation.
In the first of the two letters, the Banque Postale indicates that these advantages will disappear from December 31, while the second explains, as reported by our colleagues from Ouest-France, “the effects of the economic crisis” on the Banque Postale but also “the loss of turnover linked to the constant decline in mail”.
Clarification is therefore provided on an increase from “18 billion envelopes in 2008 to 6 billion in 2023”. Consequently, the Post expresses its impossibility of assuming, at present, “the financial burden which has become too heavy”. It was enough to inflame the postal workers who castigated this decision.
On the side of the postal workers, the time is therefore up for anger with a misunderstanding of the abolition of this “modest financial advantage”, which represents a sum of “150 euros per year”, in addition to a pension “of 1200 euros ”. The postal workers denounced “a shameful gesture” and “a snub” towards “those who served the Post Office from Monday to Saturday in all weathers”.
In this context, it should be remembered that the Livret A rate is currently soaring around 3% with a probable increase soon, which explains, more clearly, the decision taken by the Post Office. However, the group is posting significant results with an increase in its profits in 2022, up 10%.
