NALC to Defend Members, 'America's Postal Service' in 2011 Contract Talks

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) today promised to vigorously represent the country's most trusted federal employees and defend the long-term viability of America's most trusted federal agency, the United States Postal Service, in negotiations for a new labor contract that began today at Postal Service headquarters.

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NALC President Fredric V. Rolando called on the Postmaster General to bargain in good faith and to disavow the regressive and destructive path unveiled last week when the Postal Service unleashed a lobbying campaign to convince Congress to reduce postal services to the nation, slash the postal workforce by 220,000 employees, and to attack the collective bargaining rights of America's hard-working letter carriers.

"Despite the Postal Service's outrageous show of bad faith at the start of these negotiations, we are prepared to negotiate a fair, responsible, and innovative labor agreement to reward our members and to position the Postal Service for a stronger and better future," Rolando said.  

"Letter carriers and the NALC have worked tirelessly over the past four years to help the USPS overcome the impact of the Great Recession, helping to maintain high quality service at the most affordable postage rates in the world," he said.

"Even as we press Congress and the administration to reform the crushing retiree health pre-funding mandate that accounts for 100 percent of the Postal Service's losses over the past four years, we are ready to roll-up our sleeves at the bargaining table to creatively negotiate a contract that helps the USPS better serve the American people and the $1.2 trillion industry it supports," Rolando added. "We are not prepared to shut out the lights on one of America's greatest institutions."

"We need to strengthen our nation's only truly universal communications network, not dismantle it," he said.  "We want to work with management to restore the Postal Service to health and to help it grow, offer new services, and evolve to meet the changing needs of the country and the American economy."

The NALC represents letter carriers across the country. Its 280,000 members make it the largest of the four unions representing employees of the United States Postal Service. Founded by Civil War veterans in 1889, the NALC is among the country's oldest labor unions.

www.nalc.org  

SOURCE National Association of Letter Carriers