Tag Archives: IPU

A Clare postmaster has outlined plans to set up a new postmasters’ union, following claims that the existing Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU) has “failed miserably” to safeguard the interests of more than 1,000 of its members. Kildysart native, Tom O’Callaghan confirmed to The Clare Champion his intentions to set up a new Independent Postmasters’ Group, once the latest Dáil bill in relation to postal services is passed. Mr O’Callaghan, who runs a post office on Upper William Street in Limerick City, officially resigned from the IPU on Wednesday evening. According to his resignation letter, a copy of which has been seen by The Clare Champion, the Clarecastle resident said it is with a heavy heart that he had come to the conclusion that the current executive of the IPU has “failed miserably in their duty of care to guard the interest of their membership”. “Their silence in the current crisis of An Post announcing the unviability of up 700 offices …

Carol Byrne THE Irish Postmasters Union (IPU) is to meet Minister Pat Rabbitte on Monday, amid concerns that a new partnership arrangement and possible change to the social welfare payment system will lead to the death of rural post offices. Speaking to The Clare Champion this week, Tom O’Callaghan, national executive member with the IPU for County Clare, said the new partnership between An Post and Tesco will signal the death of not only the post office network, but of rural communities. “I’m trying to get across to people the seriousness of where we are. If this is gone, it doesn’t come back. An Post and Tesco are looking at rolling out 10 sites that take the transactions like any other post office. A post office doesn’t get paid by salary, it is per transaction; the less transactions you do, the less you get paid. This is a direct threat on those post offices, which would wipeout rural Ireland. This …