Martin Brady (Fianna Fail)

Industrial relations within An Post are a shining example to other countries. The general secretary, Mr. Steven Fitzpatrick, takes a keen personal interest in the welfare of his union's members and the progress and development of the company and its service to its customers. Since his appointment, he has put forward plans and ideas for progress and development instead of making management prod the union into activity. He is capable of weighing the pros and cons of any project or idea. To kill the company's initiative would reduce its competitiveness and lose customers. Mr. Fitzpatrick keeps in touch, is a skilled negotiator, heads off trouble and ensures that none of his union's members suffers a reduction of income as a result of changes in structures or work practices.

We should give An Post a chance because it has had a difficult time in recent years. Considering prevailing industrial relations, I do not doubt that with co-operation between unions and management, the situation has never been as good. I checked this fact with the union. While I worked there, we struck for 19 weeks and no one spoke to us. Thank God that type of situation does not prevail and that unions have come a long way in the past 20 years. Union members are aware that if they do not provide a service to the company, there will be no company, management or staff. If customers are lost, the knock-on effect is the loss of staff and union members.

I commend An Post on its progress. That progress will continue and the public will get a more satisfactory service, but a number of problems remain. For example, a man contacted me last night concerning the whereabouts of his regular postman because someone else had started delivering the mail. One cannot go into a bar and ask for the regular bar staff. They must be off work some time.