A protest was recently held by Post Office Pensioners United (POPU) at Portlaoise mail centre, in search of a change to pension legislation they deem 'immoral'.

The Postal and Telecommunications Act 1983 saw An Post workers no longer classed as civil servants, with an employment status transfer to 'employees of a commercial state body'. 

A pension cap was instated following the financial crash of 2008, and was planned to be removed by 2013. This 2% cap is still applied to An Post pensions.

Mr Paul Morehead, founder of POPU, alleges that "An Post's persistent reductions" in contributions to their pension fund is 'robbery'.

Mr Morehead spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live on the group's recent Portlaoise protest.

"We are just a voluntary group of retired An Post workers, with a growing number of serving workers joining," Mr Morehead explained.

"We have no finances supporting the group, we simply do it as we believe the handling of our pensions is immoral."

"The Portlaoise protest was very low-key. Hundreds of people didn't suddenly turn up, but we got a great reception from workers and local union members," he said.

"Members of senior management came out with questions and in support. It was a very successful protest that way," he said.

POPU was founded to protest for the removal of a 2% pension cap on An Post pensions, which they believe deny them their 'legally entitled pension rights'.

Mr Morehead worked in An Post for over 40 years, within their financial department and as a training officer. Having retired in 2015, Mr Morehead alleges that he and his peers are not receiving pension payments that they are 'entitled to'.

"In 1983, we were told that a bill would be passed in relation to our pensions. I had no interest in my pension 40 years ago, I was just told that I still had a job," he said.

"At the time, we were told that our pensions would be no less favourable upon the transfer, though we would be no longer entitled to a civil service pension. Our pensions are currently going down and down," he said.

"When current staff received an increase of 8% two weeks ago, our pension received 3.4%.Current workers don't realise that their lump sum is affected. People assume that your pension is half of your pay, but in reality, if you are paid €800 a week, you might only get €300," he said.

"We have met with Micheál Martin and members of the opposition, but we are being passed from Billy to Jack. We are entitled to a full pension," Mr Morehead argued.

There’s also letters from former CE Donal Connell and former director of hr pat knight saying they paid pay parity up to 2013.

"My grandfather was also a postman, he died in 1954. My grandmother received his pension when he died, and it was increased each time I also received an increase in pay as a worker at the time," he said.

"It's no coincidence that the €30 million they say they have recently paid back in loans, is the exact amount they have saved by reducing contributions to the pension fund. It went down from 18%, to 14%, and then dropped to 8%," Mr Morehead alleged.

"Workers are accepting vouchers for pension payments, they are not pensionable," Mr Morehead claimed.

"They’re accepting payments for vouchers; they’re not pensionable. All we want is what we are entitled to- pay parity. We are being robbed. We are funding An Post's losses."

"To An Post workers- look at your payslip. You will see it there yourself. We are not nay-sayers, we just want ourselves and current workers to receive what we are entitled to. We want our pensions to be like Ronseal- to do what they say on the tin," Mr Morehead finished.

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