The Irish Congress of Trade Unions says the non-payment of wage increases due to postal workers under "Sustaining Progress" must be dealt with as a priority before the other issues in the dispute at An Post can be addressed.
ICTU general secretary David Begg was speaking after a meeting with Communications Minister Noel Dempsey and representatives from the Communications Workers Union.
Mr Begg said there had been a very good exchange of views but he said the dispute has to be resolved through the industrial relations mechanism.