Talks between unions and management at An Post on the company's cost cutting plans have ended at the Labour Court.
It is understood that the two sides will meet again at the court tomorrow to hear an interim determination.
It is also understood that the court is likely to recommend the establishment of an expert group to advise it on the complex issues involved in the restructuring programme.
While the duration or the composition of the expert group have not yet been confirmed, it is expected that it would be given until 6 May to come back to the court with recommendations.
Arriving at today's hearing, An Post's Chief Operations Officer Larry Donald said that due to the company's financial situation, new work practices had to be implemented as part of its recovery strategy.
Mr Donald said the changes would ultimately reduce staff numbers in the collection and delivery service by 1,000. However, he indicated that the company was prepared for productivity changes.
The General Secretary of the Communications Workers' Union, Steve Fitzpatrick, described the changes sought by the company as unacceptable.
He highlighted the plan to contract out rural deliveries and also accused management of breaching the National Partnership Agreement Sustaining Progress.
Mr Fitzpatrick said there was no trust left between unions and management and said it would be hard for the Labour Court to broker an agreement that the union could sell to its members.
He said the Labour Court would have to convince them that whatever agreement might be reached would not be done away with for some spurious reason.
An Post also wants to reduce workers' overtime. In return it has offered a 5.35% pay increase that workers have rejected.
The dispute was referred to the court in December when members of the Communications Workers' Union voted overwhelmingly against the restructuring plan.
Later this week, management and unions will also hold talks at the Labour Court on the planned closure of the company's parcels division, SDS.
The closure, with the loss 270 jobs, has been delayed until after the Labour Court deals with the matter.
