An Post considering issuing protective notice to staff

An Post is understood to be considering issuing protective notice to some of its staff if a strike involving a contractor continues.

The dispute has halted postal services across the country since last Friday.

Informed sources said that with no revenue coming into An Post, the issue of serving protective notice to some of the company’s 9,500 employees was a “real possibility which was drawing closer”.

It is expected that An Post will later today advise customers not to post mail as a result ofthe strike at its contractor, IO Systems.

The dispute centres on a row over new rostering arrangements for the staff and subsequent loss of earnings.

Staff at IO Systems maintain automated sorting equipment used by An Post at its centres in Dublin, Cork, Portlaoise and Athlone.

The Communications Workers Union (CWU), which represents staff at IO Systems involved inthe dispute, on Saturday s accused An Post of sabotaging the postal service . The union said it was concerned that nearly 10,000 An Post employees would not be paid next week because of the suspension of delivery services.

CWU General Secretary Steve Fitzpatrick said on Saturday that the company has made clear to him that if there was no mail to deliver on Monday, workers will be sent home and that he expects they would not be paid.

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".

“All parties should be extremely mindful of the impact that this dispute could have on the financial position and reputation of An Post at a time when significant and challenging changes are underway in the postal and communications sector.”

While mail services around the country are suspended, other Post Office services are unaffected.