No peace talks planned in postmasters’ dispute

The industrial dispute that is delaying rural postal deliveries by between one and two hours each day has entered its second …

The industrial dispute that is delaying rural postal deliveries by between one and two hours each day has entered its second week with no talks on the horizon.

A spokesman for An Post told ireland.comthe dispute was delaying mail but not causing a backlog. This was helped by seasonally low mail volumes which meant disruption for An Post and its customers was relatively light.

He added that the company was not planning any sanction or action against its contract workers and was anxious not exacerbate the dispute. Today is the seventh day of the action.

However, the secretary-general of the Irish Postmasters Union, Mr John Kane, said that the industrial action was "having the desired effect". A meeting of the union’s committee handling the dispute strategy decided this morning its action would be continued indefinitely in its present form.

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He said when mail volumes increased in September this would place huge pressure on An Post.

Businesses and customers had responded with "some annoyance" to the dispute, according to Mr Kane.

David Labanyi

David Labanyi

David Labanyi is the Head of Audience with The Irish Times