EIRCELL customers can expect further disruption of services as sales and marketing staff at the company plan to step up their industrial action.
New subscribers are already experiencing delays of up to 10 days in obtaining connections, and many existing subscribers are finding that problems are slow to be addressed.
The company wants staff to adopt new work practices, including "walk and talk" procedures.
Under this system, authorised agents of Eircell will be able to sell customers mobile phones and they will be connected to the Eircell network before they leave the shop.
The 70 members of the Civil and Public Service Union affected have still to agree the necessary changes in work practices to allow this. The company also wants them to accept longer opening hours for Eircell's public offices and the recruitment of staff on a starting salary £2,000 below their own grade.
The work to rule, including an overtime ban, began when the company pressed ahead with plans to recruit staff at the lower rate. Eircell suspended recruitment last week to allow talks to take place. However, it became dissatisfied with progress, and the talks broke down on Friday after the company announced it was resuming its recruitment this week.