Tag: An Post

There was still no sign of a breakthrough in the postal dispute last night as the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) maintained informal contact with both sides in an effort to broker a resolution.Although behind the scenes efforts to find some middle ground will recommence today, neither An Post’s management nor the Communications Workers Union (CWU) indicated any willingness to compromise yesterday. Separate talks between both sides and the LRC last week broke down with LRC chief executive Kieran Mulvey saying there was not enough middle ground even to get both sides into structured talks. A spokesman for the company last night said that there was no reason to believe anything would change An Post’s position until workers agreed to new work practices.

The An Post dispute could have serious implications for the company’s deteriorating financial position. It expects to report an operating loss of more than E47 million for 2003, with losses in 2004 forecast to come in at almost E40 million. The company is not due to break even until 2005, and even then its problems may not end. Postal delivery is under pressure worldwide, and An Post is no different as e-mail continues its onslaught on what is sometimes called “snail mail”. While the company’s financial problems have been a concern of the Government since last summer, the difficulties date back to before then.
An Post has been making operating losses since 2001. An unfortunate combination of rising costs and falling profits have plunged it into the red. Only a few months ago chief executive Mr Donal Curtin described the company as being on a “knife edge”.