An Post warns of ‘overtime monster’ as postman nets €86,000

ONE postman will earn €86,500 this year, when his overtime pay is included. The top ten earning post workers will earn nearly €800,000 among them by the year’s end, according to figures obtained by The Irish Examiner.

The figures highlight what management has called the “overtime monster” in An Post, which today faces its first nationwide strike in years.

Talks mediated by the National Implementation Body will resume today, but progress was last night described as “slow.” Contingency plans have been drawn up on both sides.

An Post has ordered public notices and seals for pillar boxes and has also collected spare office keys, which could result in a nationwide lock out at centres. Management also has close to 150 temporary workers on standby for Dublin centres.

Communications Workers Union (CWU) chiefs stayed tightlipped about action, which could include stoppages, overtime bans and work to rule. No action was expected before Monday, said CWU national officer Joe Guinan.

The biggest wage packet with overtime and extras for a postman was €69,852 up until October 21, but this will rise to around €86,500 by the end of the year at current levels. This projection does not include the expected extra hours worked during the Christmas period.

An Post last year paid all staff €462m out of its €750m in costs.

Staff payments for 2005 are expected to rise to €488m.

The new figures show the top ten postal workers pocketed over €629,000 up until the end of October.

These workers will get €777,000 by the end of the year, at current predictions. An Post blames the huge pay cheques on the inflexibility of staff as well as the refusal of some centres to take on temporary workers.

Junior Communications Minister Pat the Cope Gallagher has warned a full-blown strike could be the death knell for An Post.

“Large international companies such as Royal Mail and the German post office are already operating in the Irish market.

“If An Post cannot meet consumer needs and deliver a high quality of service, these companies will be more than happy to ramp up their operations here to fill the gap,” the Dáil heard on Wednesday night.

Despite claims by union chiefs that average weekly earnings for workers are €440, the company says that with overtime and extras, pay packets are significantly higher.

It said that earnings can average €864 a week in Dublin, and €661 outside the capital. One union source last night admitted there were postmen on “big money out there.”