‘Does An Post think it’s the Dark Ages?’
“Does An Post think it’s the Dark Ages?” asks Tom, who has run his post office in Newcastlewest, Co Limerick for the past nine years.
Expecting a postmaster or postmistress to work for such a ‘princely’ sum was not practical, he said.
Eight post men and women arrive from 6am onwards at his premises to receive and sort out the local mail after it has been delivered from a central office.
“If I’m not available, I have to make arrangements to provide a replacement,” said Mr Kelleher. “I couldn’t ask anyone to work for two euro per hour.”
The An Post argument, however, is that contractors such as Mr Kelleher received pay increases of 37% in 1997, 6% in September 2000 and 12% in January 2001.
In addition, they are scheduled to receive a 15% increase in October, backdated to September 2000, along with any benefits accruing from the current Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF).
Mr Kelleher acknowledges the increases but contends, “Even if it was a 100% increase in the last five years, it wouldn’t mean a lot to sub-post office contractors if you were to know the very low base on which the increases were determined.”
He said the industrial action did not cause friction at ground level between contractors and An Post personnel involved in mail delivery. Due to the dispute, sub-post offices will not sort out the evening mail in advance of its dispatch to a branch office.
Pat Battersberry, whose family has been involved with the post office in Castletownroche, Co Cork, for more than 50 years, said: “Sub-post office operators are furious. We provide a good service to the public but don’t get properly paid for it.
“In the last half century, I don’t remember any dispute between the contractors and the postal service. We’re normally a conservative lot but this action is a warning shot across the bows of An Post. We don’t want to cause any disruption to the public but this action was inevitable.”
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