A row between An Post and its senior managers over a planned shake-up of management structures has intensified, and is to be referred to the Labour Court.
The company and the union concerned, the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants, failed to resolve the dispute in talks at the Labour Relations Commission this week.
An Post says it is not prepared to negotiate on company structures, claiming these are a matter for the board and executive. It is seeking to cut management numbers by about a third as part of a strategic plan to get it back into profitability by 2006.
As well as reducing management posts, it wants to streamline existing structures by creating two new high-level grades, "level two" and "level three", to replace existing positions.
The company's decision to advertise level-three posts without agreement with the AHCPS has angered the union, which has instructed members not to apply for the posts.
The union is concerned that members are, in effect, being asked to apply for their own jobs without any agreement on terms and conditions. Those who are unsuccessful are to be placed in a "surplus employee pool".
Employees affected by the changes include principal officers, area managers, inspectors of services and senior investigation officers.
In a memo circulated to members, the union says it will be seeking an "urgent determination" from the Labour Court concerning the company's refusal to negotiate.
A spokeswoman for An Post said it was prepared to negotiate changes to work practices, but management structures were a matter for the company, and it intended to proceed with filling the new posts by mid-July.