Postal services returning to normal after strike deferral

Postal services are returning to normal today after yesterday's industrial action by staff connected to the Communications Workers Union.

The staff refused to engage in overtime and also downed tools at the GPO in Dublin as part of a campaign to secure outstanding pay increases.

The strike went ahead despite an agreement reached between both sides to conduct an independent examination of the cost of the CWU's claims.

The CWU executive didn't have an opportunity to defer the action until it met yesterday evening.

The union wants the company to pay outstanding wage increases due to the workers under the Sustaining Progress agreement.

An Post, however, has insisted that the increases must be linked to reform of work practices, a stance backed by the Labour Court.