| Postal Workers Threaten Strike Action
Workers in Ireland’s postal service have been warned to accept changes to
working practices, or risk losing their jobs.
Irish Communications Minister Noel Dempsey has told An Post’s workforce
the company will fold unless they agree to new conditions of service.
His warning came after members of the Communications Workers’ Union (CWU),
who make up approximately 8,500 of the 10,500-strong workforce, voted overwhelmingly
for industrial action.
The ballot gave An Post two weeks’ notice — although it did not specify
what type of industrial action might take place.
It is the latest step in a long-running feud between the two sides. The
CWU wants An Post to pay immediately the full increases due under a national
pay agreement — which are being withheld until the CWU agrees to new working
practices.
But Mr. Dempsey warned that the dispute was threatening the future of
the company.
He said: “The Government is committed to a strong, vibrant postal service,
but the only way that that can be achieved is if changes are made within
An Post.”
The postal service is to be opened up to competition in 2009 — meaning
An Post will lose its long-standing monopoly.
And Mr. Dempsey insisted that the deal on offer to An Post workers, which
would see a series of basic pay increases in return for changes to overtime
arrangements, would leave them in an improved position.
He said: “It’d leave them better off, because they'd be sure of their
basic pay rather than depending on overtime.
“They’d be much better off because they’d be surer of their jobs. If
this continues, the jobs are not going to be there.”
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