An Post to ballot on strike action
The Communications Workers Union (CWU) is to ballot An Post employees for industrial action as the row over pay and conditions continues.
A double ballot will take place over the next two weeks, in a move which could lead to disruption of the postal service in the run-up to Christmas.
An Post reacted angrily to the move last night, claiming it was disappointed and the ballots would only cause further delays. A spokesman also took serious issue with the "implied threat" to Christmas services.
The CWU decided on the ballot following a meeting of its executive yesterday.
One ballot is to ask members to consider a pay offer of 5.35 per cent over four years, which An Post made to collection and delivery staff in talks with the Labour Relations Commission last week.
The second ballot is to seek a renewed mandate for industrial action, if it is deemed necessary to protect existing agreements.
CWU general secretary Mr Steve Fitzpatrick said last night there were some very wide-ranging proposals and the executive wanted members to understand just what An Post was seeking.
"There is no argument that changes are needed, but the extent of the changes being sought are unacceptable, and that is the issue," he said.
Mr Fitzpatrick said there were up to 30 issues which may not be agreed on or accepted by members and these may end up being referred to the Labour Court.
An Post is seeking a range of changes including 1,455 job losses, franchising out post delivery services and overtime curbs.
The An Post spokesman said the ballots represented a further delay to a company which has already missed three deadlines.
"Any delay is serious for a company that lost €43 million last year. The implied threat to Christmas services is also unacceptable and damaging to the company," he said.
He also expressed surprise at moves towards a ballot while the matter was before the Labour Relations Commission (LRC).
Mr Fitzpatrick if there was a decision to reject the current proposals then the CWU would take the process from the LRC to the Labour Court.
The An Post spokesman said: "We welcome what appears to be an assurance that the CWU intends to pursue this through the process."
Both sides will be back in the Labour Relations Commission today, where there will be an update on whatever progress has been made to date.
Bitter divisions at An Post 'may result in chaos over Christmas'
European Intelligence WireIrish IndependentIrish Independent 11-13-2004
THE bitter dispute between unions and management at An Post could result in serious disruption to the country's postal service during the busy Chrismtas season.
Communications Minister Noel Dempsey made an urgent plea last night for both sides to sort out their problems as a matter of urgency as both union and management blamed each other for the impasse.
An Post management said the Communications Workers Union (CWU) has not agreed to proposals put forward in relation to dealing with the Christmas post, which is three times the normal volume. It said that proposals about Dublin were put to the union two weeks ago, and over a week ago in relation to the rest of the country.
However, the union says the new revised proposals were only faxed to them yesterday afternoon after a four-and-a-half-hour meeting on Thursday on the initial proposals.
The current disagreement comes on top of a long-running dispute over cost-savings and job cuts and the union is currently balloting staff for industrial action in that row.
The changes are part of a four-year attempt to implement changes at the company, which were intended to produce operating savings of 23m by 2004. Instead, the company lost 43m last year.
Larry Donald, An Post's chief operating officer said last night that the ball was now in the union's court. "The company has put the proposals on the table, we've had no response from them," he said.
"Over the last number of days, we had threats from the CWU of disruption to the Christmas mail. That is not acceptable in a service which the public depends on, and the public should not be subject to this kind of threat," he added.
CWU national officer Sean McDonagh said the Christmas postal service was under threat because of the "intransigence and incompetence" of senior management at An Post.
He said the union would be prepared to meet the management on the revised Christmas proposals on Monday. "After just a quick look, we would not be happy with them. They are accusing us of delaying the process when they only came up with proposals on Christmas two weeks ago. These should all be agreed on in January. It's not like Christmas sneaked up on them – it's on December 25 every year," he said, Minister Dempsey said last night that there needed to be certainty "in the very near future" in relation to the Christmas service.
"I would call on all sides to co-operate and come to a conclusion as a matter of urgency," he said.
Businesses also expressed "grave concerns" that postal disruption will have serious ramifications for small business cash flow at the busiest time of the year.
Mark Fielding, chief executive of small businesses representative group ISME called for "common sense to prevail".
