Union: 90% of post will be delivered in a day by end of 2008

POSTAL workers are committed to restoring An Post’s next-day delivery rates to their position among Europe’s best, union leaders said last night.

The Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) believes improvements in industrial relations will help An Post reach its own target of 80% of mail being delivered the next day.

On Monday, an Irish Examiner survey revealed how An Post was delivering just 73% of mail on time with one-in-four letters late, making Ireland’s postal service one of Europe’s slowest.

“Early next year the 80% target will be reached and it will be 90% by the end of the year after that we hope,” said CWU general secretary Steve Fitzpatrick.

He said a three-year period of industrial strife between bosses and workers — which had seen next-day delivery rates tumble from 90% to 70% — had passed.

Now unions and An Post’s new management have set up a working party to identify how the postal service can be improved for consumers.

“This is the first time in four years the people who collect and deliver the post will be able to identify reasons for late delivery (and tell management).

“We have the opportunity to examine where the faults are, why they are there and what can be done to put them right.”

Improved performance was in the company’s best interests as the Government’s postal regulator ComReg would only sanction rises in the price of stamps if delivery rates improved. Such rises are needed so An Post has enough money to meet the rate of inflation and for the pay agreements with its 9,000-strong workforce.

Both unions and management have realised An Post’s next-day delivery rates had to be restored to the top performance levels of the past, he said.

A figure of 90% of all mail delivered next day would put Ireland into the top league of performers in Europe, according to the latest EU figures.

An Post said it is committed to achieving a next-day delivery rate of 94% for mail in line with ComReg demands.