Postal workers to ballot on industrial action

Postal workers are to ballot on industrial action in a dispute over An Post's failure to honour national pay agreements.

The Communications Workers' Union (CWU) took the decision at a special delegate conference yesterday. The ballot will open today and conclude on October 21st.

The union will then give seven days' notice to An Post before any action will be taken.

The conference expressed its "outrage" at the company's failure to pay postal workers and pensioners cost of living increases due under the Sustaining Progress national agreement. The union's decision was described by An Post as "irresponsible".

The union has rejected a Labour Court ruling that linked pay increases due under the agreement to cost savings that would affect 4,500 delivery workers among the CWU's 8,000 members at An Post.

Since November 2003, the workers have received only 5 per cent by way of cost of living increases. A further 3.5 per cent has been linked to the cost savings.

A spokesman for the union said postal workers were getting €440 a week in basic pay. Pensioners who completed 40 years service were getting €220 a week.

"Our members and pensioners demand full payment of the terms of Sustaining Progress, due since November 2003, which is the minimum necessary for them and their families to cope with the inflation of Rip-Off Ireland," said Steve Fitzpatrick, the union's general secretary.

He said the union's members at An Post find themselves "without our cost-of-living increases, working for a State-owned company which boasts the worst service in the State's history".

The company said the union's decision showed "disrespect for State institutions involved in dispute resolution, whose officers have worked tirelessly over the past two years to secure agreement on introducing a reasonable and overdue change programme.

"Time and time again, An Post has made clear its intention to pay the full terms of Sustaining Progress to all employees, provided that part of the €60 million annual cost of paying the national wage agreement can be recouped through eliminating outdated practices which have a stranglehold on mail collection and delivery operations."