Strike could affect mail services, union warns

Mail services could face disruption on foot of strike action by staff at the An Post maintenance operator IO Systems in a dispute over new rostering arrangements and reduced earnings from overtime and other payments.

The personnel concerned maintain mail-sorting equipment at An Post’s centres in Dublin, Cork, Portlaoise and Athlone.

The Communications Workers Union (CWU), which represents the staff at the company, said the unilateral imposition of the new arrangements has "imposed pay cuts of up to 22 per cent on IO Systems workers who have already endured reductions to basic pay and shift premiums".

Working lives

It said IO Systems had also attempted to introduce rosters which would force workers on to non-rotating night work for the rest of their working lives.

“The immediate implications for mail services are as yet unclear, but it is certain that they will start to affect services the longer the dispute continues,” said the CWU.

The company has said the dispute has already been heard by the Labour Court, the Labour Relations Commission and by two independent facilitators without a resolution.