National Association of Letter Carriers

300 represents the current number of co-sponsors for the USPS Fairness Act. We hope to see H.R. 2382 finally reach the floor of the House soon. And the Senate companion bill, S.2965, was recently introduced and will be making initial strides in its process.

What does this all have to do with 4.5 billion, you ask? That number represents just over half of the 8.8 billion loss the USPS posted this year. YES ... OVER HALF !!! Please check the NALC Government Affairs web page from time to time for breaking news on both of these bills.

Hot off the presses, we have the by-laws for the Massachusetts Northeast Merged Branch 25 of the National Association of Letter Carriers. In handy PDF format and ready for you to download. Please navigate to the "Carrier Resources" page of this website and follow the link at the bottom.

We here at Branch 25 would like to take a moment, as the busy holiday season begins in earnest, to wish all of you the best of Thanksgiving holidays this year.

Through turbulent times, we hope you take pause and enjoy a day with those who make it all worth it. Enjoy your family festivities, some football on the tube and some turkey with all the trimmings.

"Our recent experience suggests that this round of negotiations will be especially difficult. As you know, I've expressed our deep opposition to the 10-year business plan you have presented to the unions and to Members of Congress. We view it as a huge step backwards - sending us back 10 years when Postmaster General Pat Donahoe unveiled a very similar plan that failed in Congress and resulted in a period of angry and unproductive labor relations."

NALC President Frederic Rolando - June 26, 2019

Prescient words, indeed.

By way of a quick update, on September 20 of this year, NALC and the USPS announced an impasse in our collective-bargaining negotiations. This automatically triggered a mandatory 60-day mediation period.

Well, sixty days have come and sixty days have gone. At this time, both sides remain at an impasse and are discussing the appointment of a neutral arbitrator.

All terms of the 2016-2019 National Agreement will remain in effect throughout the process. Keep an eye here and of course at NALC.org for any new developments. And continue to keep the faith ...

While the idea of meaningful postal reform struggles in the House of Representatives, NALC does support several pieces of legislation of interest to labor.

The "Protecting the Right to Organize Act" (H.R. 2474) would increase workers' rights in the areas of ability to organize, bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions. "The introduction of the PRO Act is a powerful statement of support for America's workers." NALC President Fred Rolando said recently. NALC will keep an eye on H.R. 2474's progress.

NALC has participated in rallies that protest executive orders attacking the rights of other non-postal federal unions. We have offered our support as these unions continue to urge Senate Leader McConnell to put the "Butch Lewis Act" (S. 2254) before the Senate for a vote. NALC President Fred Rolando was quoted at a recent rally, "NALC is proud to support our brothers and sisters to fight against those who are working to take away fair returns for our work and our freedoms to join together in union."

"Giving Tuesday", the first Tuesday in December, aims to celebrate and promote charity and generosity. A day to give back to the world.

This year, NALC would like to extend that spirit for the benefit of MDA. Between November 12th and this year's Giving Tuesday on December 3rd, NALC and MDA are asking you, your family and your friends to support #DeliverTheCure. An informational PDF with a message from President Rolando is available right here.

In the language of the hashtag ... let's support #GivingTuesday so we can #DeliverTheCure !!!

Postmaster General Megan Brennan has announced her retirement as of January 31, 2020. She will be ending a 33-year career with the USPS, which saw her rise to the top position within the agency. Please click here to read more from The Government Executive.

On a semi-related note, the Postal Record has included an excellent guide to retirement for our members. It is in the October 2019 issue, but you can click here to access a copy.

AFL-CIO Scholarship time is upon us! We are adding a FAQ's page to our own "Carrier Resources" page. There you will find important registration information regarding the "Labor History" exam in 2020. Click right here for a quick link ... and best of luck to all who apply.

"As always, we will seek to preserve and improve the standard of living for city letter carriers. We aim to move forward, not backward. There will be no concessions offered or given. But we will work diligently and professionally to find common ground and mutual progress."

President Fredric Rolando's opening statements
Beginning of negotiations, June 26, 2019.

Reports from the front ...

Three months into the aforementioned negotiations, talks between the NALC and the USPS have stalled. Major bargaining issues involve carrier compensation, subcontracting, no-layoff provisions and various memos dealing with everything from safety to route evaluations.

For continuing coverage, please visit the national NALC website here.

As more details have come out of Odessa, TX regarding the mass shooting there on Saturday August 31, we are saddened to learn that the driver of the postal vehicle used was indeed shot and killed during the incident. Mary Granados had been a letter carrier less than a year when the tragic events of last Saturday unfolded.

NALC President Fredric Rolando has released the following statement ... "We are deeply saddened by the senseless murder of Odessa, TX Branch 3964 letter carrier Mary Granados, 29. We send our deepest sympathies and heartfelt prayers to Mary's family, loved ones, friends and co-workers. She was doing the job she loved and was serving the public when she was shot and her postal vehicle hijacked in Saturday's shooting rampage. Our thoughts are with sister Granados and with all the victims of this tragic event."

We here at Branch 25 add our thoughts and prayers for her family and co-workers at this time.

"Chip Away At The Stone". A great mid-period Aerosmith song, one of their best. It also serves as an apt metaphor for NALC's struggle against a certain short-sighted Washington policy. H.R. 2382, the USPS Fairness Act, is making its way through the chambers of Congress. As a reminder, this is the bill which would lift the burden of pre-funding from the shoulders of the USPS.

Most (but not all) of the representatives on our Congressional Contact List have already co-sponsored the bill. You can view the complete list by visiting our "Bill Tracker" page and linking to the Congress.gov page for H.R. 2382. Find the tab that says "Cosponsors". As of this post, the bill has attained more than the 218 reps required for majority support, but is still short of the 290 required to move the bill to an immediate floor vote. There is more work to be done.

If your rep has signed on, take the time to thank them. If not, you know what to do. Also, if you have friends and family across the country who are sympathetic to our cause, reach out to them. Perhaps their reps aren't on board yet. This link here will give them relevant information if they would like to contact their representative and show their support. Progress is good, but it takes a lot of hammers to chip away at a stone this big ...

Today, we are calling for NALC members to contact their Representatives in Washington and ask for their support for the "USPS Fairness Act". This is the bill which would remove the "Pre-Funding Mandate", passed late in the Bush administration.

You can make your voice heard today by simply picking up the phone. The Capitol switchboard can be reached at (202) 224-3121. You can also obtain contact information right here on our site by clicking right here. Remember, the more voices heard the better.

Branch 25 has released a special issue of the Wake-Up!, dealing primarily with the recent by-law changes which will be voted upon at the next branch meeting. And don't miss the extra President's Message in this issue. As always, you can access it here by clicking on the Wake-Up! icon to the right.

As of today, the NALC Carrier Resource Guide has been given an overhaul. The new guide merges the older with the newer, giving city carriers an up-to-date storehouse of information. From workroom issues to rights and benefits, the 2019 guide is an invaluable asset for carriers at all stages of their carreers.

To obtain a copy, visit the "Carrier Resources" page of this website and click on the icon at the bottom of the page.

"We Deliver For You?" ... Oh yeah we do !!!

From the Marijuana Moment.net website, we have a story regarding Postal Service regulations on the mailing of hemp-derived CBD products. CBD, THC's non-psychoactive cousin, is being used today for a whole host of applications. From pain relief to the reducing of anxiety symptoms, CBD has gained much popularity in recent years. For more info on CBD and it's many uses, one can hit Google or Bing. To read up on the USPS policy side of the issue, please click here.

First up ... flying in the face of the White House Postal Task Force's recommendations on agency improvement (which flirted with a desire to privatize), we have Senate Resolution 99. S. Res. 99 mirrors H. Res. 33 in calling for the preservation of the U.S.P.S. as an independent Federal agency, with strong bipartisan support against privatization.

Also of note, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government approved (by voice vote) its FY 2020 bill. For us, the House FSGG bill preserves language which will keep 6-day and rural delivery of mail at the 1983 levels. The FSGG bill also addresses the enactment of bad faith dealings in the collective bargaining process. The Senate FSGG Subcommittee has not yet put forth its version of the bill, but we are hopeful for similar language.

The "USPS Financial Improvement Act" hopes to enhance the long-term returns on the assets of the USPS Retiree Health Benefits Fund. It would lift current restrictions on the fund, allowing it to partake in higher-returning investments. NALC endorses this bill as a common-sense part of meaningful postal reform.To keep track on H.R. 2553, please click here. And, as always, can track the progress on any Postal Service related bills from our own "Congressional Bill Tracker" page on this website.

Under current law, the USPS can not ship beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages. Rep. Jackie Speier (D - CA) and 12 colleagues from both sides of the aisle have recently introduced a bill to level this particular playing field. To read all about H.R. 2517, please click here. You can also track the progress from our own "Congressional Bill Tracker" page on this website.

I am heartened that Democrats routinely unite to oppose privatization. But merely saying that the post should not be privatized comes from a defensive posture. The solutions we pursue must be bolder ...

From the Washington Monthly website, Representative Bill Pascrell Jr. (D - NJ 9th) brings us a nice pocket history and thoughts towards an optimistic future. You can put this article on your reading list with a simple click here.

Several links for you today regarding the U. S. Congress and their growing involvement with meaningful worker's rights.

Here and here you can read up on H.R. 2478, the "Federal Retirement Fairness Act".

And here, here and here you can read up on the "Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2019"

The 2019 NALC Food Drive arrives this Saturday May 11th. Once again, we will do our part to help "Stamp Our Hunger" across our country. If you're so inclined, please follow the Drive on social media here:

   

And once again, thank you. Thank you for your dedication and hard work year after year.

Several days ago, a bipartisan group of representatives introduced legislation to repeal the "pre-funding" mandate which has adversely affected the Postal Service since its inception in 2006. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006, a Bush-era law, did much to harm the USPS and has cost the service an average of $5.4 billion annually, representing 92 percent of Postal Service losses over the last twelve years. To read more, please click here. You can also track the progress of H.R. 2382 from our own "Congressional Bill Tracker" page on this website. Fingers crossed ...

Although the number was down slightly from last year, 5,714 attacks on letter carriers were reported for 2018. Findings have shown a trend in owners neglecting to secure their pets when answering the door to receive a package, sign for a certified, etc. Make sure that you have "situational awareness" when dealing with customers. Dogs are only doing what dogs do ... they don't realize that you're gonna need that leg to walk on to do your job. Keep your pepper spray handy at all times. Even with Dog Bite Prevention Week wrapping up tomorrow, make sure you are vigilant all year long.

I've said it in this space before and I'll say it again ... it's a very fortunate carrier who doesn't have a dog attack story to tell.

We have for you two stories from the Government Executive website ... here and here. One is from the White House, one is from the Senate and neither is good for your wallet.

BTW, here is one more link for you to consider ... LCPF.

"The USPS is a self-supporting, independent entity that relies on revenue derived from the sale of postal products and services - not on taxpayer dollars."

First off, how many times has someone told you that we're run on tax dollars alone? The above pull quote should easily roll off of your tounge the next time someone makes that argument.

Okay, that said, please click here to read a story at Mainebiz.biz regarding our friends in Congress and their good efforts to fend off the twin threats of privatization and ignorance. We appreciate those senators, on both sides of the aisle, who see the wisdom of a strong Postal Service.

The 2019 training sessions and RAP session with NALC President Fred Rolando has been scheduled for late April. All relevant information can be accessed and downloaded here. Keep in mind that the room cutoff date is April 2 ...

It is with deep sadness we annouce the passing of former Branch 25 President and National Trustee Randy Keller. Details regarding visiting hours are available in this PDF.

All of our thoughts and prayers go out to the Keller family at this time.

Here are links to the 2019 Customer Connect Teleconference lineup:

April 014-017 Info — April 018-019 Info — Complete 2019 Schedule

The above links access easily printable PDF files for your convenience.

It's arguable that the game really didn't start until the fourth quarter. Have seen better half-time shows, that's for sure (although the best quote from the Web may have been "Score at the half - Maroon 5, Football 3"). And the food at your Super Bowl party may have been way more entertaining.

But after the lowest-scoring Super Bowl in history, the New England Patriots stand victorious once again. We waited until after 9:30 pm to see Sony Michel's 2-yard drive down the middle for the one and only touchdown of the game. In the end, the Brady-Belichick juggernaut took the night once again. Seventeen years after beating Kurt Warner and the ... St. Louis Rams. Congrats once again to the Pats !!!

If you've been around our business for enough winters, you know how serious this is. In an unprecedented move, the USPS has suspended carrier operations in over one hundred zip codes in the Midwestern United States. Here is a quick story from the Business Insider covering this story.

Closer to home, when you are out there, please take all precautions to keep yourself safe and relatively warm. "Layers, layers, layers" aren't just words! From our own homepage, you can click on the big, shiny red button marked "Weather" and link out to your town's conditions through "Weather.com". Be smart and stay healthy ...

Patrick Mahomes is undeniably a rising star. But in the end, the biggest stars still shine the brightest

The New England Patriots took the win in over time, proceeding to the fifty-third Super Bowl against the Los Angles Rams. After a soul-crushing fourth quarter, the teams went into OT tied 31-31. A Rex Burkhead two yard TD run took the game, sending the Pats to Atlanta on February 3rd. We here at Branch 25 wish the Pats good luck in the big game !!!

Two House Resolutions dealing with important Postal Service matters have been re-introduced into the new 116th Congress. H.Res. 23 addresses door-to-door delivery issues and H.Res. 33 deals with anti-privatization matters. You can get links to both from our own "Congressional Bill Tracker" page.