Postworkers union calls on An Post not to suspend postal services

The union representing workers striking at postal sorting centres has called An Post's executive leadership to reverse a decision to suspend services due to an industrial dispute.

An Post's mail services have been suspended since Friday due to the dispute, with An Post advising customers not to post any letters or parcels.

The Communication Workers Union said the decision to suspend services would cause longterm damage to businesses and the postal service itself.

Thirty-six workers at IO Systems, who are responsible for automated mail-sorting equipment in An Post's mail centres, have been on strike since Friday. The industrial dispute is over cuts to their pay.

The CWU says the sum involved is €100,000 in wages to fewer than 30 workers at IO Systems.

In a statement today, the union said it had written to An Post setting out in detail how mail and parcel services could be maintained using current systems with extended manual sorting.

An Post said a withdrawal of labour by staff of IO Systems meant the company was unable to process mail for delivery to customers.

It added it "greatly regrets this inconvenience to our customers and urges the parties involved to resolve their differences through the normal industrial relations procedures".