Post in bankruptcy:
The reform of the Israel Post - in the framework of which significant cuts are being made in the company's costs, aimed at optimizing its services - harms the service to residents.
In a consistent and ongoing process, the government is reducing postal activity - and the residents of the periphery bear the burden.
"Israel Hayom" has learned that the operation of the post offices is gradually being carried out at the expense of the residents.
This means beyond the provision of postal services to citizens - at their expense, and only in strong authorities.
The weak settlements, of course, are affected.
In the last year, 70 post offices were closed throughout the country, and the hand is still bent.
Today, Israel Post operates 450 branches, and according to the efficiency plan, about 100 more branches are expected to close.
A solution has been found for the distribution of packages: many containers and businesses allow you to receive the mail at their place.
But the post office is supposed to offer a variety of services besides picking up packages, and the citizens encounter problems in sending letters, by registered mail, and more.
So they are forced to set foot in nearby cities, or travel a long distance within the city, to perform simple operations.
"Thousands of shekels a year"
These days Israel Post is in negotiations for the reactivation of branches in several authorities.
In some localities the concessionaires left due to lack of economic viability.
The post office estimated that the volume of letter sending activity decreased by about 60%.
They also offer an in-app delivery service.
Tens of thousands of Post Bank users are offered a direct card, which allows them to perform operations without going to the Post Bank.
The post office accumulates, Shafaram, photo: Zaid Hanifs - Almasder website
"If you are not a rich council - your residents pay dearly," says Avi Samovich, deputy head of the Jezreel Valley Council.
"It is absurd that we finance a service for residents in another city that the resident does not pay for. It is thousands of shekels per year for each locality."
Many workers are leaving
The post office will soon open in Moshav Nahalel, two years after it was closed.
The Jezreel Valley Regional Council and the Moshav will participate in the operating costs, amounting to NIS 72,000 per year.
In Metula, the post office that was closed six months ago will be reopened, and the cost to the local council will be NIS 30,000 per year.
These are authorities that from the outset belong to the social and geographic periphery, and the reform seriously harms them.
In all the moshavs and kibbutzim, the hours of operation have been drastically cut, and the settlement is subsidizing their expansion at a cost of 6,000-12,000 shekels per year.
The closed branch will be opened.
praised,
"It is about millions of shekels throughout the country. The settlement employs an employee who is responsible for the distribution and provision of services. They carry the burden to provide the residents with mail."
In an inspection conducted by the regional government center, it was found that the localities subsidize the cost of the employee's salary by 20-50%, as well as the post office building and its maintenance.
But in the settlements the number of residents increased, and the volume of work remained the same or increased, and on the other hand - the working hours of the post office are decreasing by 15%-25%.
Arrival days were reduced from five times a week to twice, and many of the workers are leaving due to lack of viability.
"The state doesn't care"
In Metula, as mentioned, the post office was closed about six months ago.
Residents of the northern settlement are forced to travel to Kiryat Shmona to receive postal services.
The distribution of mail into cells continued, and a solution was also found for the distribution of packages.
The residents' protest led to the local council reaching an agreement with Israel Post.
What about the mail?
Communications Minister Shlomo Karai, photo: Gideon Markovich
The post office building was rented to the council at a cost of one shekel per year, so that it could bear the expenses of the place.
Council residents bear the costs of the property tax, electricity, water and maintenance of the place.
"The State of Israel probably doesn't really care about what happens in settlements like Metula," says the head of the council, David Azoulai.
"It's either there is no branch, or we go under the stretcher."
The mail (not) came today
"The secretary of the settlement was trained to operate the service," says Roi Aloni, chairman of the committee in the Kfar Yehezkel settlement. "The post office reduced her working hours, and the settlement finances the difference.
This happens in all the localities in the region.
We do part of the service in front of the 'auto mail' that comes to the settlement.
We have an elderly population, and the problem is that the car does not always come, or it is in a hurry and then does not provide the service."
The Israel Post responded: "In cases where a locality wishes to receive services beyond what is possible - the company allows collaborations, within the framework of which the locality participates in the costs. Delivery of packages, distribution and other services are provided regardless of the presence of a branch near the house."
In response, the Ministry of Communications stated: "As part of the recovery agreement, a new deployment is being carried out. The way the deployment is currently adjusted to the size of the settlement so that in a settlement with more than 10,000 residents there will be a post office every 1.5 km, and in a settlement with 1,000 to 10,000 residents - a post office every 4 km. Regardless of geographic location. In the event that a local authority requests an additional branch above the obligation, the authority is given the option to open one, while participating in the expenses."
were we wrong
We will fix it!
If you found an error in the article, we would appreciate it if you shared it with us
