Failure to award An Post pay rises condemned

The Government was yesterday condemned for permitting An Post not to award two pay increases to its 10,498 workers under the terms of the Sustaining Progress agreement.

At the annual conference of the Public Service Executive Union (PSEU) in Bunratty, Co Clare, deputy secretary general Tom Geraghty told delegates: "It is an absolute outrage, not just that An Post is refusing to pay under the terms of Sustaining Progress, but that the Government as shareholder has permitted it."

Mr Geraghty was speaking during a motion carried unanimously condemning the Government's refusal to pay An Post employees the last two national pay increases and instructing the executive to get an explanation from Government on how An Post could go from a €1 million profit to a €42 million loss in six months.

An Post is expected shortly to report a small surplus and currently has an application with the regulator, Comreg, to increase the price of a stamp by 14.5 per cent, from 48 cent to 55 cent.

PSEU president Patricia Tobin described the decision by An Post not to award the pay increases as "nothing short of an absolute disgrace".

"The inaction of Government in permitting such outrageous behaviour in respect of workers in a wholly owned State body is simply inexplicable."

Delegate Jim O'Connor told the conference that staff morale was at an all-time low.