GROW. RISE. TOGETHER.
continued political engagement on the federal level to keep our priori- ties at the forefront. We know that Congress has enor- mous power over the Postal Service, our health care, our pensions, and our collective bargaining rights. There’s a saying that if you are not at the table, you are on the menu. LCPF keeps us at the table – ready to take advantage of any opportunity to advance our goals. In addition, our proactive defense enables us to stop bad policies before it sees the menu. Despite the inevitable power shifts in the House, Senate and White House, LCPF allows us to con- tinue to invest in candidates who support us and stay at the forefront no matter the landscape. Enact- ment of the Postal Service Reform Act proved that if we continue to engage in a bipartisan manner, we can achieve success. LCPF is one of our greatest weap- ons. Right now, only 12 percent of our members support our political action committee (PAC). At that lev- el, LCPF generates nearly $7 million in a two-year cycle, a respectable number. For context, the top labor PAC brought in nearly $70 million. Our union has 94 percent voluntary membership so we know that if we were to increase participation in the PAC from 12 percent to 50 percent, LCPF’s influence would skyrocket. Over the past year, our Legisla- tive and Political Organizers (LPOs) have asked branches to organize Hatch Act compliant events focused on signing members up for LCPF. Additionally, LPOs have worked with state associations and branch- es to educate LCPF coordinators with talking points and instructions to maximize local contributors.
The legislation would cover let- ter carriers who were employed as casuals, transitional employees, or city carrier assistants. About 70 percent of active NALC members would have some sort of credible time under this bill. Reps. Derek Kilmer (D-WA), David Valadao (R-CA), Don Bacon (R-NE), and Gerry Connolly (D-VA) introduced the legislation, which has 113 co- sponsors at the time of this writing. Much of our work related to this bill has been focused on educating mem- bers of Congress on this issue. Many are unfamiliar with this widespread injustice across the Postal Service and the entire federal government. Like WEP and GPO repeal, this bill, which covers the entire federal government, has a hefty price tag that this Congress is almost certain to shy away from. While likely we will not see action on this bill this Congress, NALC is committed to continuing to educate members and candidates on this issue that affects so many of our members. Our power through the Letter Carrier Political Fund NALC has a robust legislative agenda and while the landscape of this Congress is not ideal for ad- vancing much of anything, NALC remains actively engaged in Wash- ington and in every Congressional district due to the hard work of our letter carrier congressional liaisons and every engaged member in local districts. Our reputation and com- mitment to supporting those who support us is backed by one of our greatest weapons, the Letter Carrier Political Fund (LCPF), which allows
LCPF events are only successful when branch leaders “make the ask” of their members. As you are coordinating events or trainings, please reach out to your LPO for any assistance. They are a great resource and are available to help grow LCPF in your branch and state. This year’s convention theme and the February 2024 LCPF-focused is- sue of The Postal Record are the same: Grow. Rise. Together. This em- bodies the spirit of becoming stron- ger together, and we must come to- gether to increase LCPF participation. Everyone has a role in our legis- lative efforts, whether it is offense, defense, letter writing, or town halls, but the most efficient and ef- fective way to make a difference is by contributing to LCPF. Its strength and growth are critical to our legis- lative success. We will continue using our LCPF resources on educating, electing, and re-electing lawmakers who stand with us on our issues. We do not engage in wedge, partisan is- sues that seek to divide us, rather we support candidates who support a strong and vibrant Postal Service, protecting our benefits and retire- ments, and expanding collective bargaining rights for all workers. Regardless of party, we make deci- sions based on candidates’ records and stances on our priorities. This is how we ensure the right candi- dates who will fight for us are in Washington. On page 222, please find the Let- ter Carrier Political Fund Committee and Distribution report, which in- cludes all disbursements made to members of Congress from Jan. 1, 2023 through July 15, 2024.
Note: By making a contribution to the Letter Carrier Political Fund, you are doing so voluntarily with the understanding that your contribution is not a condition of membership in the National Association of Letter Carriers or of employment by the Postal Service, nor is it part of union dues. You have a right to refuse to contribute without any reprisal. The Letter Carrier Political Fund will use the money it receives to contribute to candidates for federal office and undertake other political spending as permitted by law. Your selection shall remain in full force and effect until canceled. Contributions to the Letter Carrier Political Fund are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Federal law prohibits the Letter Carrier Political Fund from soliciting contributions from individuals who are not NALC members, executive and administrative staff or their families. Any contribution received from such an individual will be refunded to that contributor.
The Postal Record 41 August 2024
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