Axing of SDS to cost 270 jobs

Almost 300 jobs are to be axed with the closure of An Post’s parcel delivery service, management confirmed today.

The board said 270 workers would be laid off when the company’s SDS operation shuts next February.

The Communications Workers Union had called on management to reverse its decision but postal chiefs said losses were running at too high a rate to save the service.

An Post said SDS had lost €28m over the last five years and had no prospect of a turnaround in fortunes.

Management is standing by its closure deadline of February 1, 2005, and has given staff until tomorrow to sign up for redundancy, retirement or redeployment.

Margaret McGinley, An Post chairwoman, said after detailed discussion on issues raised by the union the board concluded the basis for its decision was sound.

She said they had rejected allegations that the decision to shut SDS was based on flawed financial information and projections.

Earlier, around 100 SDS staff protested outside the General Post Office in Dublin city centre as the board held its meeting.