Delegates at the Communications Workers' Union conference in Sligo have unanimously backed an emergency motion calling for Government action on the cost-of-living crisis as well as statutory collective bargaining rights for workers.
The motion at the CWU Biennial Conference in Sligo was passed by delegates representing workers across postal, courier and ecommerce sectors.
The union said soaring fuel, transport, household and housing costs are outpacing wage growth, particularly for younger workers and those in lower-paid and insecure employment.
CWU General Secretary Seán McDonagh said workers are living through genuinely difficult times and added that they were asking "for fairness".
"We are asking for fairness - a living wage, the right to organise and bargain collectively, and a government that stands with workers rather than against them," he said.
He said workers were not asking for handouts, but "the tools to help themselves - collective bargaining, fair wages and a tax system that recognises their contribution".
"If the Government continues to abdicate its responsibilities, coordinated action across the trade union movement is not a threat - it is a commitment," Mr McDonagh said.
He said the CWU would continue to campaign with SIPTU, Mandate and the Financial Services Union for changes to employment law.
The Government published a National Action Plan to Promote Collective Bargaining in November 2025, but the union said this has yet to deliver legislative change.
More than 300 delegates attended the CWU's conference, representing workers from companies including An Post, eir, Vodafone, DPD, Meta and TikTok.
They elected Tom Sheehan of Mallow, Co Cork, as union president for a two-year term, succeeding former president Frank Donohoe.
Mr Sheehan said it was an honour to be elected president and added that he was acutely aware of the challenges facing workers.
CWU members at Covalen are due to strike tomorrow in Sandyford Industrial Estate in a dispute over union recognition and redundancy payments.
Further action is planned for Friday, 22 May and Friday, 29 May. It is understood that over 700 staff are facing redundancy at the company that provides services to social media giant Meta.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Covalen said the company continues to proactively consult with and support the affected teams through this transition.
"We also continue to follow the required processes in line with our obligations. All employees have access to our employee wellbeing support through Covalen’s Employee Assistance Programme," the spokesperson added.
