Post shutdown threat as union votes to take action

THE country is facing complete shutdown of post offices and postal delivery services from the beginning of next month after Communications Workers’ Union members voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action.

Of the 7,479 members who voted, almost 90pc supported the proposal for industrial action against An Post. The union has served An Post with two weeks’ notice.

The CWU said in a statement last night it regretted such action was necessary to prompt inclusive and substantive dialogue with company management.

A spokesman for An Post said: “We think the ballot and strike action are premature and unnecessary. We made an offer at the Labour Relations Commission which we believe offers the basis of a resolution.”

The current dispute centres on post office clerical workers who do not work much overtime and so have less room to negotiate a consolidated package. They want wage rises of 15pc to 20pc in return for increased flexibility and more efficient working practices.

The company has offered a set of stand-alone allowances which could be worth up to 9.5pc but are not tied to basic pay scales or reck onable for pension entitlements. It has accused the CWU of dragging out negotiations on changes.

Tensions have been mounting over the past six months between the union and An Post senior management as attempts to negotiate a partnership restructuring failed to make progress.

Post office management has held firm, demanding 1,400 job cuts and closure of rural post offices so as to stem forecast losses of €37m this year.

The company has also reached consolidated new pay deals and flexible working at its SDS parcels and postal sorting centres worth around 15pc on pay rates.

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Postal workers have voted by a large majority to take strike action over a pay claim relating to ongoing work changes.

The result of the ballot of 8,000 members of the Communications Workers Union was 89.7% in favour of industrial action.

The union will serve a two week strike notice to An Post and says that unless further talks during that period lead to a resolution of the dispute, its members will go on all-out strike, which would seriously disrupt post offices and postal delivery services.