The Post subsidiary Swiss Post Solutions (SPS) had employees in Vietnam camp in empty offices so that they could continue to offer their services despite Corona. As employees report, the hygienic conditions were “dreadful”. The employees could not see their families for months.
The SPS CEO Jörg Vollmer (54), on the other hand, claims: “The management of SPS is not aware of any complaints from employees.” On the contrary: the employees showed themselves proud to be able to do this voluntary service.
Party department of the Post
In this country, SPS is mainly known for its lavish management parties instead of the actual work, the scanning and electronic sending of letters and documents. As Blick had made public, SPS organized a luxury trip for over 100 members of the management to the South Vietnamese metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City in 2019. At first, SPS Blick stated that the Vietnam trip was no more expensive than comparable meetings in Europe. «The event took place on the premises of SPS. There was no lavish supporting program, but a common meal, ”it said in the first statement.
Only: That was simply not true. The cadres had celebrated a lavish party – on the roof terrace of the classy Sohy club. Based on the Blick research, the yellow state enterprise then had to admit that the daughter had burned 200,000 francs in Vietnam for the excursion and the opulent party.
Two years earlier, the SPS management crew in the Grisons town of Flims had a good time in the four-star Hotel Adula. However, it was not the spring water from the region that was tasted, with which the house advertises not far from Lake Cauma, but French wines of the cru class. And just a month after the CHF 200,000 trip, almost 100 members of the cadre met again in a German knight’s castle. This time the cost: a modest 40,000 francs.
IPO canceled
The Post subsidiary has certainly been in a celebratory mood again in the past few weeks. The yellow giant wanted to put SPS on the stock exchange. Only: Nothing will come of it. As the Post confirms to Blick, it has “rejected” an “IPO of SPS”.
According to Blick-Informations, the Post now wants to sell SPS – if possible, the entire company and not just parts of it. Group manager Roberto Cirillo (50) recently indicated the reason for this in front of media representatives: At SPS, high investments would be needed to make the company internationally competitive. And these investments do not have to be made in Switzerland, but in the USA and Asia in particular. However, Swiss Post would rather use its capital elsewhere.
For example for ostentatious company cars, one could scoff at. As the Post Blick information confirms, SPS boss Vollmer drives a Porsche Cayenne as a company car. However, an e-hybrid, as one emphasizes. List price for the luxury SUV: From 116,200 francs. The car fits the SPS driver: Despite the hybrid engine, it is not exactly a miracle of savings.
Cayenne Postbus
As the Post states, the Porsche fulfills all group requirements. “This vehicle is quite comparable to other vehicles that other members of the Executive Committee drive,” states the press department. According to Blick information, the other bosses drive less ostentatious cars.
According to Swiss Post regulations, members of the Executive Committee can choose a vehicle that does not exceed the total monthly cost of CHF 2,500. This amount includes all depreciation and maintenance costs such as gasoline, insurance, service and tires. Swiss Post emphasizes that the limit was deliberately set a little higher, so that the bosses could also “choose adequate electric vehicles”, which are usually more expensive.
The fact that his son works for Drake Business Services Asia also leads to criticism of SPS boss Vollmer. Drake is to run a joint venture with SPS. The accusation is in the room that father Jörg got his son this post. But does this joint venture really exist? Because it was mentioned on the Drake website, but only until Blick addressed the post with his request. The relevant information has since disappeared.
Jörg Vollmer says: “SPS has no stake in Drake Business Services Asia and does not have a joint venture with this company.” They have no knowledge of why the link to the relevant information suddenly no longer works.
Vietnamese corona rule
As with the 200,000-franc luxury trip, the information provided by SPS leaves you feeling uncomfortable again – especially when it comes to activities in Vietnam.
The Post confirms the existence of the tent city for SPS employees in two Vietnamese office buildings, but has the following explanation: In the summer, the Vietnamese government imposed a tough lockdown due to the rising corona numbers. Many companies would have had to cease their business activities completely. However, individual companies would have been allowed to continue production if the employees could work, eat and sleep on site.
SPS Vietnam has therefore offered employees not only to work “voluntarily” in the office building, but also to eat and sleep. They were even rewarded for this with additional compensation amounting to almost half a month’s wages. However, the employees were free to work from home at their usual wages. The only question that remains is whether all employees at home had the necessary prerequisites to go about their work or whether they were actually forced to make use of the SPS offer in order to support their families. For reasons of IT security alone, a large part of the workforce would not have been able to work from home, say those familiar with the SPS business.
Everything is glossed over
SPS had 40 employees in tents at its headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon, and around 25 people in Can Tho. The Vietnamese government put the rule into effect on July 15th. The program ends at the end of the week. At SPS, the tent cities were canceled about a week ago.
According to Vietnamese regulations, employees were not allowed to leave the office building during the entire period, i.e. for several months. That was also the case with SPS. The employees had two rest days a week, but they had to spend these in the office as well as when they finished work.
On request, the Post said that at the headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City the 40 employees had two floors with a total of 12 showers and 25 toilets. Every employee had a single tent. A program with virtual meetings has also been organized for the workforce. The premises were air-conditioned and cleaned daily. Washing machines, refrigerators, microwaves and kettles were also available. Food and drinks were delivered.
For free time during the dreary months in the office, two large flat screen televisions and a projector, free WiFi, tables for games and a relaxation area with books and balconies were available. There have been online karaoke, a writing competition and English courses.
Cirillo didn’t know anything
This alleged all-round feel-good program does not coincide with the information that was provided to Blick from the environment of the yellow giant. For example, it is simply not true that there are so many showers at the headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City.
As the Post told Blick, neither the CEO Roberto Cirillo nor the board of directors were informed about the tent cities.