'We're being robbed': An Post pensioners to protest pension cap

Eva Osborne

Pensioners of An Post will stage a protest on Wednesday to highlight how their pensions have been capped at two per cent or CPI, whichever is the lower.

Spokesperson for Pensioners United, Paul Morehead, said they feel like they are being "robbed".

The pension cap is a result of a 'pension accord' agreed in 2013 between An Post and the Communications Workers' Union (CWU). It was due to expire in December 2023.

An Post chairperson, Kieran Mulvey, told an Oireacthas Committee two weeks ago that the pension fund is in "rude good health with a large surplus" but yet the cap continues, Pensioners United said.

They said that many pensioners on low pensions are now receiving less than a couple drawing the old age contributory pension.

As these people paid the Class D PRSI, they are not entitled to benefits available with the old age contributory pension.

In the meantime, their An Post pension has been devalued and their purchasing lower reduced.

Morehead said: "The protest is happening outside the CWU headquarters on the North Circular Road from 1:30pm.

"We just want to highlight our case, to say that we gave our working lives to the company and trusted them, and we feel badly left out.

"So why is the accord still in place? We're being robbed."