The industrial dispute at Athlone company IO Systems has been resolved after workers at all four An Post mailing centres nationally voted in favour of settlement proposals.
The dispute originally erupted over new rostering arrangements and pay conditions which the company was seeking to impose. The settlement proposals, worked out under the auspices of industrial relations mediator Mr Phil Flynn, were balloted upon last weekend in Portlaoise. The ballot returned a vote of 23 to 5 in favour of settlement.
Commenting on the result, CWU general secretary, Steve Fitzpatrick, said: “IO Systems workers have delivered a strong vote in support of the settlement proposals worked out under the process overseen by Phil Flynn. This settlement includes revised agreed shift patterns and changes to pay levels including shift premiums. Also, workers who stuck to their previously agreed rosters will be paid for the work they did.
“There is one outstanding matter that we have agreed should be referred to the Labour Court on the level of shift premium that should prevail from September 2016. We are satisfied that the recent negotiations have delivered a fair result. However, we are disappointed that the implications of the dispute for the public were unnecessarily escalated by the actions of An Post mail management.”
