Contractors concerned with the operation of sorting machines have downed tools for a fourth day today, stopping Irish postal services through An Post.

The company has asked people in Ireland not to post any mail or parcels today as the industrial dispute continues. 36 staff who maintain the sorting machines have gone on strike over pay and conditions, and are based at locations in Athlone, Cork, Dublin and Portlaoise.

Sorting machine workers, retained by An Post but employed by contractor IO Systems have had their pay cut and hours reduced because there will be no more weekend working. The Communication Workers Union state that this is on contravention to an earlier ruling by a Labour Court, though IO Systems dispute this.

Unions have questioned why An Post has has called off all of its operations when mail and parcels could very easily be sorted manually by existing staff. The Irish government has urged both parties to resolve the issue as soon as possible.