Postal and telecommunications services sector
Postal services worldwide, traditionally public entities, have seen increased privatization and easing of restrictions on private operators over the last two decades. They handle the receipt, transport, and delivery of mail and packages, operating postal facilities, and selling related supplies. The postal service registered a significant drop in revenue generated from letter-post services – from over 50% in 2005 to 34% in 2021 – while recorded an increased income from parcels and logistics, surging from 11% in 2005 to over 32% in 2021. In 2021, there were 4.9 million people employed in the sector, as reported by UPU Postal Statistics in 2021. Between 2003 and 2022, post and courier service employment grew in more than 70 per cent of lower-middle- and upper-middle-income countries for which data are available, mainly in parcel and logistics jobs.
Telecommunication services play a crucial role in the world economy. The global telecommunications services market size was valued at USD 1,805.61 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 6.2% from 2023 to 2030. In 2022, 16 million persons were directly employed only in the mobile telecommunications industry and 12 million were employed in indirectly generated jobs. Women make up on average 50 per cent of the workforce, but unevenly distributed around the world. Union organizing has intensified in recent years, particularly in semiconductor manufacturing.
From tradition to transformation: Employment trends in postal and courier services
Resources
A Compendium of the ILO’s work in the Postal and telecommunications services sector
Guidelines on HIV and AIDS for the postal sector