An Post strike Q&A: Where have my letters gone?

An Post workers have gone on strike?

Well, not exactly. Staff employed by a contractor called IO Systems have gone on strike.

IO Systems? I’ve never heard of them, what have they to do with my letters?

Quite a lot as it happens. They maintain sorting equipment at An Post centres in Dublin, Cork, Portlaoise and Athlone, and their 36 staff are involved in a dispute with management over rosters. Last night IO staff downed tools and An Post halted deliveries because the IO-maintained machines process almost 90 per cent of the State’s mail. An Post warned the public not to post any mail, saying it couldn’t take letters or parcels if it couldn’t be sure it could process them.

Does it really matter? Does anyone send letters any more?

Yes. In fact An Post handles 2.5 million pieces of correspondence every day. All told, 90 per cent of it is either business-to-business or business-to-consumer.

Is all mail affected? What about Swift Post? Or registered mail?

All mail processed by An Post is affected.

I posted a letter yesterday. Where is it now?

There is a very good chance it escaped An Post’s sorting offices before the strike was called. A spokeswoman said only 2 per cent of yesterday’s mail was impacted upon by the dispute. In case you’re wondering, 2 per cent of 2.5 million is 50,000.

So does that mean there is 50,000 pieces of mail stuck in the system?

There’s probably more than that. There’s the mail that was not processed last night and then some letters which were posted on Friday morning before the scale of the disruption became widely known. An Post says it is “impossible to retrieve” this post.

I am due to get a social welfare cheque next week, what’s to become of that?

The Department of Social Protection said it was making contingency arrangements to provide for delivery of payment cheques to its customers, should the industrial dispute in An Post mail centres impact on mail delivery next week.

I was about to apply for my passport - what should I do?

That depends. The Department of Foreign Affairs has suspended its Passport Express service operated through post offices and asked those without definite travel plans to postpone submitting applications. Anyone travelling within 10 working days can still use the online appointments system to get a passport, while application drop-off boxes will be in operation at reception in the Dublin and Cork Passport Offices and at the Irish Aid Office in Limerick from Monday morning for anyone travelling in more than 10 working days. The department said it did not expect the strike to have an impact on application turnaround times.

But I have already applied for my passport?

The folk at Foreign Affairs will be contacting customers who have already submitted applications via Passport Express to arrange collection locations.

I need to send something urgently - what are my options?

Unlike the long postal strikes of the 1970s, consumers have alternatives to An Post now and there several courier companies who will be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of taking some business off Ireland’s main player.

Are post offices closed?

No. Only delivery services are affected and all other divisions of An Post are operating as normal.