Union accepts LRC proposals for An Post

The Communications Workers’ Union (CWU) has this afternoon unanimously agreed to recommend acceptance of the Labour Relations…

The Communications Workers’ Union (CWU) has this afternoon unanimously agreed to recommend acceptance of the Labour Relations Commission proposals in relation to a dispute with at An Post to its members.

The An Post Executive Committee of the union met earlier to consider LRC proposals aimed at resolving the dispute, which was over clerical pay.

The LRC proposals provide for an increase of 12.5 per cent in pay for all clerical staff in the Post Offices Division.

Arrangements are now being made to conduct a ballot of members in the Post Offices Division over the next. The Union has lifted all threats of Industrial Action while the ballot in being conducted.

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CWU General Secretary Mr Con Scanlon said he was pleased that a settlement had been reached, but said it was a pity that "it had been necessary to ballot for Industrial Action to persuade the Company to negotiate in a meaningful way on this issue".

The threat of strike action was initially deferred last night following a marathon meeting at the LRC.

The payment of State benefits as well as delivery of mail today could have been affected if the strike had gone ahead.

Eight thousand staff at An Post had balloted for strike action over what the CWU said was management’s failure to engage in proper negotiations over a restructuring package which will see around 1,200 redundancies at the company.

Pádraig Collins

Pádraig Collins

Pádraig Collins a contributor to The Irish Times based in Sydney