Postmasters accept new pay deal in Ireland

A dispute that threatened to disrupt Christmas post across Ireland was today resolved when postmasters voted to accept a new pay deal.

It brings to an end action which has disrupted the sorting of mail in rural communities since the summer.

Today’s announcement came after sub-postmasters were balloted by the Irish Postmasters’ Union on a new deal from postal company An Post.

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

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

After key talks broke down the Postmasters’ Union threatened further action, which would have involved closing down all services except social welfare payments at 1,700 of the Republic’s 1,800 sub-post offices.

However last week’s revised offer from An Post was welcomed by the Irish Postmasters’ Union executive, who recommended the deal to its 1,500 members.

An Post today welcomed the news, saying it hoped for a return to normal postal services over the next few days.

:: Meanwhile in a separate development it was feared some postmen may not be willing to return to work in local sub-post offices at the centre of the dispute.

The postmen who were caught up in the postmasters’ action were demanding permission to sort mail at main offices.