Sorting offices shut in post pay row

More than 500 Irish sub-post offices are to close their sorting offices today as part of an ongoing dispute over pay.

The action will signal the start of a new phase in the dispute, with the offices set to close for two days a week.

Postal company An Poste plans to allow some postal workers to sort mail in their homes in a bid to prevent disruption.

The Irish Postmasters Union said the 540 rural sub-post offices would suspend their sorting facility every Monday and Friday starting today.

Other post services will continue as normal at the offices.

Postmasters are demanding higher rates of pay for different services carried out by mail offices.

In a statement the union said it was determined that its members’ claims for an improved pay package would be met.

“It would be very interesting to see the huge detrimental impact this dispute will have on the Mails Delivery Service on the run-up to Christmas and the extent to which our politicians will allow the imposition of a second class service on the citizens of rural Ireland,” it said.

Action has been taking place since August 19 this year.