Lottery staff seek ‘right of return’ to An Post

National Lottery staff are seeking the right to return to An Post as part of the transfer arrangements for the new lottery licence.

Most of 103 staff at the operation’s Dublin headquarters are employees of An Post on permanent secondment to the lottery and are still contractually bound to the company.

Under proposed arrangements, they will transfer to the next operator, Premier Lotteries Ireland, comprising British operator Camelot and An Post, when the consortium takes over the franchise in 2014. However, staff are said to be fearful that terms and conditions, particularly their pension entitlements, will not be guaranteed under the new entity.

The Labour Relations Commission (LRC) has prepared proposals concerning National Lottery workers’ future, which advocate that all lottery staff will transfer to the next operator under the transfer of undertakings legislation.

Continuing talks
As the legislation does not cover pension entitlements, the

commission proposes that lottery employees who are members of the An Post pension schemes be offered arrangements “no less favourable” than their current pensions.

The commission proposals are part of ongoing discussions between An Post and lottery staff who are represented by three unions: the Civil Public and Services Union (CPSU), the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants and the Public Service Executive Union.

CPSU assistant general secretary Paul MacSweeney said that, despite assurances, staff believe their terms and conditions are better protected under the continuing secondment arrangements. He said workers are seeking a “suite of options” as part of the transfer to Premier Lotteries, which would include a “right of return” choice to An Post.

Staff numbers
This may prove something of a headache for the semi-State firm which is engaged in a

substantial cost-control process triggered by declining traditional mail volumes. The company has already cut its workforce by 1,284 since 2009 and is due to further reduce staff numbers by 2,600 by the end of 2016.

“The An Post National Lottery company staff-impact issues, which arise from the Government’s decision to put out to tender the licence to operate the National Lottery, have been the subject of intensive discussions between the company, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the group of unions at the LRC,” said An Post.

“The LRC has issued proposals to address the staffimpact issues raised during the conciliation process and, in the event that these are not acceptable to all the parties, these issues would be next referred to the Labour Court, in accordance with normal procedures.”

The Government is due to sign a 20-year contract to operate the lottery with Premier Lotteries Ireland next month.