Reitti (29.01.2010 - Juhani Artto) In the Hague judges have decided that the government has to relax its position in the dispute with two private postal delivery companies, Selekt Mail and Sandd. Originally, in the deal between the parties, the companies had committed themselves to offering at least 10 per cent of workers a fixed contract by April 2010 and 80 per cent of workers by 2012.

However, according to the companies the present price war makes it financially impossible to implement the deal. If forced to comply, bankruptcy may follow, the two companies warned in December. "I am not responsible for the fact they are involved in price dumping", was the curt comment by junior economic affairs minister Frank Heemskerk, in mid December.

Recently, the two companies have won several contracts from the former state monopoly TNT, which shoulders higher labour costs than its private competitors. This is due to several differences between the rivals. Instead of having permanent employees (as TNT has) Selekt Mail and Sandd pay employees a few cents for every item of post they deliver. In addition, by using this form of remuneration, the private companies avoid paying pension and health care contributions as well as holiday pay, TNT's defenders stress.