€23m laundry bill for La Poste

POSTAL WORKERS have won a court battle with La Poste to get them to pay their dry cleaning bills.

The 12 Tarn posties, backed by the CGT union, acted on a 2005 EU law on paying for and cleaning uniforms. Toulouse Court of Appeal’s verdict means the €5 a week cost would leave La Poste with a €23 million annual bill.

La Poste is taking the case to the cour de cassation (final court of appeal) arguing that postal workers already get an annual €139 clothing allowance as they do not have a uniform, their only obligation is to wear an identifying emblem.

Christian Illy, of the CFDT union, says the claim is fair but added: “We feel imposing this huge sum will mean cuts elsewhere. We prefer negotiation.”

Elsewhere, Air France foots uniform cleaning bills, and SNCF pays for workers’ waterproof anoraks to be dry-cleaned.