MANAGEMENT and unions will meet this morning to avert an escalating dispute among clerical staff in An Post. Ten members of the Civil and Public Service Union were suspended yesterday, bringing to 180 the total number of postal workers laid off.
The CPSU workers at the GPO and the financial services centre of An Post have been on a work to rule since last week in a dispute over a decision by the company to recruit new secretarial staff externally for senior management. Traditionally CPSU members were internally promoted to such positions, but the company said it could not find suitable applicants. The union says that when appointing externally, the company offered different terms, upgraded the jobs and paid higher rates.
A union spokesman said last night it had submitted proposals to An Post last week to resolve the dispute. The proposals will be discussed further today and the union said it would make a full report to its executive on Thursday. If the dispute is not resolved with these discussions, the union executive will make a request for an all out picket by its members.
A spokesman for An Post said last night the company's priority was its service to its customers and that there had been no real effect on services. The only delays, he said, had been "slight". The union said the work to rule was affecting bill processing, such as gas and telephone bills.