Strike threatens An Post monopoly
Strike action by An Post workers could allow a new company to enter the market, the Government warned last night.
After the Communications Workers Union (CWU) voted overwhelmingly for stoppages, Communications Minister Noel Dempsey warned the dispute could end up with the monopoly in the postal market being shattered.
“If customers, if businesses and individual customers in this country can’t get a postal service from An Post because of the actions of the CWU then the Government will have to put in place a system that will allow other people to come in to the letter post business and provide a proper service,” the minister said.
The country’s 8,500 postal workers are to strike in a fortnight’s time after 90pc of members voted for industrial action.
It is feared the dispute could leave Christmas deliveries in chaos and, with the postal market due to be opened in four years time, the minister warned that a strike could destroy the company.
The vote decision has been roundly condemned by An Post and the country’s business organisations who say that the “call a strike policy” had been threatening and undermining the postal service for years.
As a bitter war of words was unleashed between the company and the union yesterday, An Post accused the CWU of lies, service sabotage and obstruction.
However an unrepentant Steve Fitzpatrick, general secretary of the CWU said that the overwhelming response from CWU members for strike action showed just how frustrated the workers were with trying to deal with a company which had refused to pay them their cost of living increases under the national pay agreement Sustaining Progress.
Mr Fitzpatrick said that the members of the union did not take the decision to strike lightly.
“These are all mature workers, they know what they are on about. There was a 90pc ballot, and 90pc of the votes were in favour of action,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.
The CWU has now served 14 days notice to An Post, and says that industrial action is the only way to highlight the plight of its members.
“We are trying to bring this to a head, we have been dealing with An Post for a long time now, our members accept that things have to change, but we cannot get these changes implemented without getting the members their cost of living increase,” Mr Fitzpatrick said. Asked if the workers would go on an all-out strike when the 14 days notice expired, Mr Fitzpatrick said, “when people declare war they don’t write to you about their intentions”.
