GSP 13-25 PEAK Christmas Arrangements 2025
04/November/2025
Description
The CWU and An Post senior management have engaged for some time in joint working in preparation for the PEAK/Christmas 2025 pressure period. It is critical the necessary arrangements are in place to cope with the projected further increase in mail volumes. It is also imperative members can have some certainty regarding required attendances. To this end, the focus has been to ensure all possible resourcing and operational arrangements are in place to meet customer demands, the business needs and crucially, the ability of management and staff to cope.
For this year, I am pleased to report early agreement with An Post, in respect of the agreed arrangements to apply for Peak/Christmas 2025.
Final Mile – Delivery Service Units
Indoor: To assist with earlier presentation of mails for delivery staff, a night duty attendance will be in place at 81 of the 102 DSUs, from mid-November. This is an increase of 34 offices that do not normally have a night attendance.
Installation of modified RM Benches, as agreed locally, will free up space which is at a premium. Marquee accommodation will be erected at 9 DSUs to alleviate congestion.
A total of 365 TC77s Handheld Scanners, 74 TC77S Docking Stations will be in place, which will assist in expediting accurate sortation of mails.
Double Stacking of green pallet boxes capability enabled in 52 DSU’s.
The HGV Network will be augmented with additional temporary drivers to ensure timely circulation and arrival of mails.
Weekend Delivery Attendances
- Saturday 8th,15th and 22nd November – Nationwide parcel/packet delivery 4 hours
- Saturday 29th November – Nationwide parcel/packet delivery 5 hours.
- Saturday 6th, 13thand Sunday 21st December – Nationwide delivery 5 hours
DSU Resourcing
In the context of the above, the total resourcing package commencing nationwide on Monday 24th
November to Tuesday 30th December is as follows:
• Non redesigned offices Nationwide: 67.5 Hours
• Redesigned Offices Provincial: 75.5 Hours
• Redesigned Offices Dublin: 85.5 Hours
• Monday 24th to Friday 28th November– 1 hour overtime per day (minimum) with Cessation of
Late finish agreement applying where warranted.
Local engagement will commence immediately to finalise arrangements to incorporate the parameters agreed
above. Please revert to the CWU Regional Officers if assistance is required.
In finalising this collective agreement, it is acknowledged by all sides that the next 2 months will be extremely
challenging. While it is Management’s responsibility to plan and organise the business requirements and to
ensure necessary resources are in place, the parties agree to engage at the appropriate level to ensure timely
resolution of any issues and to facilitate, where possible, a full clearance of mail. All members are requested to
co-operate fully with the agreed arrangements.
Monitor and Review Process
It is accepted there is already limited spare capacity in the delivery network, which ultimately requires a
re-evaluation of the existing model as parcel volume continues to increase, with letter volume declining. Going
forward, over reliance on overtime to cover extra work is not a sensible business model and certainly not
sustainable from staffs’ perspective.
Postal operators across Europe are progressing changes to address the changing profile, which we are aware
An Post is examining, any one of which will have major implications for staff. Recent developments at Fastway
are an immediate concern for workers there and will inevitably impact on the postal courier industry in
Ireland.
For this reason, we have agreed the JWG will closely monitor the arrangements that apply this year and an
overall review at the end of January. In accepting the arrangements for this year, the Postal Courier today
decided it would convene a special meeting the second week in January to consider the outcome. Branches
are invited to make submissions to include documentation of issues as they arise. We will also invite
suggestions from members as to the union’s approach to discussions on a future delivery model and the
manner in which we can deal with increasing volumes including the Peak/Christmas period.