GROW. RISE. TOGETHER.
rules, a gap remained between what the Postal Service was willing to pay and what we believe would constitute a fair agreement that re- wards NALC members for their value and contributions to the Postal Ser- vice’s success. As talks continued into the new year, we were working on dual tracks, finalizing preparations for interest arbitration even as we con- tinued to engage at the table with the Postal Service for a negotiated agreement. In early March 2024, NALC and the Postal Service se- lected Arbitrator Dennis R. Nolan to serve as the neutral chair of a three-person interest arbitration panel that would set the terms of a new national agreement. Arbitrator Nolan served as the parties’ neutral arbitrator in the interest arbitration proceedings for the 2019 National Agreement, which were near con- clusion when the parties reached a negotiated settlement late in 2020. Under the law, the interest arbi- tration process is triggered by the parties declaring an impasse in negotiations. While the parties had yet to declare an impasse in March, naming a neutral chair was a way to create some deadline pressure to get a negotiated settlement. Ad- ditionally, Arbitrator Nolan would not be available to us until later in the year. NALC and the Postal Ser- vice continued to negotiate in an attempt to reach a tentative agree- ment while final preparations for interest arbitration were made. As stated above, while reaching a voluntary settlement that properly rewards city letter carriers for the work they do delivering America’s mail remains NALC’s goal, NALC of- ficers, staff and attorneys are busy preparing for binding interest ar- bitration hearings. The meticulous work of marshaling evidence and recruiting expert witnesses to make our case in interest arbitration pro- ceedings began well before bar- gaining opened and continues in earnest throughout negotiations.
Volume 136/Number 12
December 2023
In this issue President’s Message National Officers 35 Branch Election Notices 55 Branch Items 58 1
The monthly journal of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS
At NALC rap session, President Renfroe updates state and branch leaders on:
• Contract
negotiations • Crimes against carriers
• Heat safety • Improving
representation • Legislation and politics • New initiatives —PAGES 4-7
Postal Service in transition Delivering for America 10-Year Plan The world has been changing around the Postal Service for nearly two decades. In the early 2000s, the rise of the internet and digital communications, along with the impacts of the Great Recession, permanently reduced letter mail. Since then, e-commerce has slowly gained momentum, expanding in- credibly in 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic, creating a huge new source of revenue for the Postal Service. In 2019, parcel revenue surpassed First-Class Mail revenue for the first time. Longtime carriers have experienced these changes firsthand, as letter volumes have decreased, and parcel volumes have increased on our routes. Until recently, it has often felt
The Postal Record 23 August 2024
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