An Post staff set to return to work

Postal staff are expected to return to work tonight after both sides involved in a two-week dispute agreed to enter into talks.

An Post has suspended over 550 staff at the Dublin Mail Centre for failing to carry out certain duties.

The row over cost-cutting measures has hit services throughout the state.

Company chiefs and the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) both agreed today to enter negotiations under terms drawn up by the Labour Relations Commission.

The document recommends a six-week timeframe for talks and that workers are reinstated before meetings begin.

A spokesman for An Post said he was hopeful the dispute would now be resolved and that mail services should be resumed imminently.

“We have indicated that we are available to begin talks from Monday and we welcome the union’s agreement to do the same,” he said.

“I expect all staff rostered on the 10pm shift tonight will be working and a full service should be operating in Dublin by midday on Monday.”

In a statement the company said it had an operating loss in excess of €40m in 2003.

It said An Post was particularly pleased that the LRC had recognised the serious situation facing the company, and had recommended such a tight deadline for the negotiations.

CWU national officer Sean McDonagh said the union had unanimously agreed to enter into talks under the LRC’s proposals.

He added: “Today is not the day for post-match analysis of the rights and wrongs of the last 13 days.

“It is important that all parties accept that we are now where we are and there is now a need to move to full consultation and negotiation as rapidly as possible.”

Mr McDonagh said the priority must be to reinstate all staff onto the payroll.

Separate talks aimed at resolving the crisis collapsed in the early hours of yesterday morning with no agreement reached. Both sides had been warned they would have to shift their positions if any progress was to be made.

The dispute centres on a new sorting system which union members claim was imposed without their agreement.

But company chiefs say they have no choice but to implement deals which have already been bought and paid for and which form part of an agreement on cost-cutting and pay reform.

An Post began suspending staff at the centre 13 days ago and the country’s postal service has been dramatically affected.

All post boxes in Co Dublin have been sealed while customers in parts of counties Wicklow, Monaghan, Louth and Galway have also been asked not to send any mail.

Some 60% of the state’s post goes through the Dublin centre and businesses in the capital have complained of dramatic losses.

It is believed An Post is currently losing €600,000a week.