Postal row nears end

A pay offer made to postal workers in Ireland has been recommended for acceptance by the Irish Postmasters’ Union.

If accepted by the union`s members, the move will avert action which threatened to disrupt Christmas mail across the Republic.

The announcement came after a compromise deal from postal service An Post was studied by the IPU executive.

Around 1,500 sub-postmasters will be balloted from today on whether to accept the deal.

If the deal is accepted it would draw to a close a three-month-old dispute by sub-postmasters, which centres around demands for increased pay for opening offices before 8am and at weekends, and over the sorting of mail.

John Kane, general secretary of the IPU, said he was reasonably confident members would vote to accept the offer drawn up by mediator Phil Flynn.

Under the new deal there would be an increase in the amount received by postmasters for working mornings and weekends, and they would no longer be required to sort mail.

The postal dispute escalated three weeks ago when 540 rural sub-postmasters began suspending sorting facilities at their sub-post offices on Mondays and Fridays.

After key talks last week failed to resolve the dispute the IPU sent out ballot forms to its members, asking them to endorse the escalation of action from December 2.

The proposed action would involve closing down services at 1,700 of the Republic`s 1,800 sub-post offices, affecting all services except social welfare payments.

Results from the first ballot were due to be returned by Wednesday, while the new ballot on the proposed pay deal should be complete by next Monday.