An Post puts emergency plans in place in advance of service disruption

3 November 2005

• CWU refuses Company demand for Casual Staff and Strike Information

• An Post puts emergency plans in place in advance of service disruption

• An Post deplores CWU refusal to accept change and their determination to disrupt the postal service


Thursday, November 3, 2005: An Post’s demand that the Communications Workers Union lift their ban on the hiring of casual staff in Dublin has been refused by the Union leadership who has also refused to give any details of the type, location or duration of the industrial action being planned for the coming days.

The CWU refusal to provide any information on the nature and timing of the action makes it extremely difficult for An Post to advise customers or to put in place arrangements to minimise the impact of that action.

There is a strong possibility that all mail – including Swift Post and EMS services - may be subject to delay from Friday onwards, when the period of strike notice concludes.

The hiring of casual staff in Dublin would greatly alleviate the service difficulties arising from sick absence levels now reaching 10 per cent on certain days in the Dublin area. Instead, An Post is forced to depend on existing staff taking on overtime which the company must pay for in blocks of hours, regardless of the amount of time actually worked.

A number of Irish charities have expressed their serious concerns at the impact of industrial action by the CWU on their fundraising efforts at what is a critical period for them and those who depend on them.

It is completely unacceptable that the CWU should attempt to hold the company and State to ransom by refusing to engage meaningfully and honestly on the subject of change, choosing instead this destructive, outdated and utterly inappropriate route of industrial action and service disruption.

An Post is putting in place all possible contingencies available to the company in an effort to minimise the level of disruption to customers; ensure, in so far as possible, the payment of pensions and other social welfare benefits at post offices and the security of mails and An Post premises. The company continues to work closely with the Department of Social and Family Affairs on alternative arrangements for the distribution of social welfare payments normally delivered through the mail.

An Post will keep business and private customers fully advised of all developments over the coming days.