Postworkers union calls on An Post not to suspend postal services

The Republic of Ireland’s postal service An Post has said people in Northern Ireland should not mail any items to the country due to industrial action by a few of its staff.

“IO Systems have undertaken this action in complete disregard for the long-term consequences and impacts this will have on mail delivery services nationwide”, Mr Fitzpatrick said. Posting mail from overseas is also ill advised.

“‘Contingency planning’ at the Company seems only extend to an attempt to gain advantage in an industrial dispute that doesn’t involve them instead of maintaining services and protecting An Post’s €850 million turnover business”.

On Friday the Minister for Communications Alex White urged the parties “to focus on finding a resolution that quickly ends the disruption to postal services, using the State’s industrial resolution mechanisms as appropriate”.

An emergency meeting of the CWU National Executive this morning unanimously backed and endorsed the strike action to defend the rights of IO Systems workers and the total solidarity and support from postal workers at An Post.

The row came at “a time when significant and challenging changes are underway in the postal and communications sector”, he said.

However, it is inevitable that services will be affected the longer the dispute continues. It also maintained that the company had sought to introduce rosters “which will force workers onto non-rotating night work for the rest of their working lives”.

Members of the CWU responsible for equipment in mail centres are on strike over pay cuts.

The CWU had already balloted members on the issue – and had approval for strike action, which it initiated in response to the company action.

The company said that the IO Systems workers, instructed by the CWU, were now in default of their conditions of employment to their newly assigned shift requirements as determined by the Labour Court.

“An Post greatly regrets to advise customers NOT to post any mail items with immediate effect, today”.