The Communications Workers' Union challenges “dirty tricks” of departing An Post CEO over false claim that decline in service is down to staff absenteeism and calls on board of An Post to withdraw false claims as figures presented to the board today by management show continuing decline in absenteeism

The Communications Workers’ Union is challenging outgoing An Post CEO, Donal Curtin, to withdraw false claims over absenteeism made by him against postal workers before a Joint Oireachtas Committee earlier this week. Mr Curtin’s departing dirty trick was to deliberately blacken postal workers’ names by suggesting that the latest ComReg report on decline in quality of the postal delivery service was down to increasing absenteeism, said the Union.

CWU National Officer, Seán McDonagh, said: “Our members in An Post are incensed at these defamatory claims made by the Chief Executive this week in relation the relationship between the current Quality of Service crisis and absenteeism in the workplace. Mr Curtin’s lies were exposed this morning when the actual figures for January to May 2006 were presented to the board. These figures show that there has been a significant reduction in absenteeism this year except in the GPO where sick leave among managers has increased. According to the official report from the company, month on month absenteeism has decreased in mail centres with levels in May standing at 6.9%, down from 8.39% in March. There is also no evidence to support Mr Curtin’s claim that absenteeism in mail centres has risen during the period of the World Cup.

“The fact remains that Mr Curtin is leaving An Post with the worst Quality of Service levels in the history of the company where, according to ComReg, up to one million items a day are not getting next day delivery. His latest attempt to blame this failure on workers has failed and the fact still remains that this situation came about because of incompetence on the part of Mr Curtin and his management team.

“If the board and its new CEO want to start on a new footing with the 10,000 staff in the company, today is the ideal day to set the record straight. Mr Curtin was always part of the problem; the new CEO and the board should be part of the solution as to the best future for An Post.

“The comments have caused serious distress to our members who have had to cope with three years of non-stop abuse from Mr Curtin. Now in his final days as Chief Executive, Donal Curtin, continues to spread lies to cover-up for serious flaws in the ability of management to manage the business. The workers in An Post are sick and tired of putting up with this abuse and on their behalf, I’m asking the board of An Post to end the dirty tricks and set the record straight .“