Irish An Post moves to end hours row
AN Post has put forward further proposals in an effort to resolve the dispute with the Irish Postmasters Union (IPU) over the opening of post offices on the Saturdays of bank holiday weekends, the High Court heard yesterday.
On May 17 An Post got a High Court order which restrained 43 postmasters/postmistresses from closing their post offices on the Saturday of the June bank holiday weekend. The 43 – out of a total of 1,400 – closed their offices on the Saturday of the Easter bank holiday weekend.
Yesterday, Mr Justice Kelly said that when the matter was last before him two weeks ago An Post made certain proposals. These were to be considered by the IPU executive and there was the possibility of a meeting of the entire union.
Anthony Kerr BL, for the IPU, said he did not think the meeting of the entire union was going to take place but last Friday further proposals from An Post needed to be considered by the union executive at its next meeting on July 12.
Seeking an adjournment, he said that the union’s solicitors had also been seeking to ascertain the views of the 43 postmasters who had closed their post offices on the Saturday of the Easter weekend.As things stood most of the individual defendants had indicated they were happy with whatever course the union took.
The hearing was adjourned until July 19.
