Strike threat postponed as postal unions meet Minister

The refusal of An Post management to pay cost-of-living pay increases to its staff will be raised by union leaders today with…

The refusal of An Post management to pay cost-of-living pay increases to its staff will be raised by union leaders today with the Minister for Communications, Mr Dempsey.

Following a meeting yesterday with the board of An Post, Mr Dempsey will meet the Communications Workers' Union, which disrupted mail deliveries with a 24-hour stoppage last week.

His decision to meet the union led to it calling off further industrial action in the run-up to Christmas.

The union also announced this week that members had balloted overwhelmingly to reject a company restructuring plan.

This includes proposals to cut 1,450 collection and delivery jobs and reduce overtime.

Mr Seán McDonagh, the union's national officer for the postal sector, said yesterday it accepted the need for changes. But it would be telling Mr Dempsey that reforms needed to be implemented on a partnership basis.

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Chris Dooley

Chris Dooley

Chris Dooley is Foreign Editor of The Irish Times