USPS declines to extend contract talks: On Friday, the USPS declined to extend collective-bargaining negotiations with the NALC, triggering an impasse that will automatically send the matter to mediation. “I am disappointed by the Postal Service’s decision,” NALC President Fredric V. Rolando said. “We have been making steady progress in negotiations. NALC continues to believe that a negotiated agreement is in the best interests of the parties, the businesses that rely on us and the nation we serve. We will continue to negotiate in good faith as mediation takes place.” Click here to read the president's complete statement.

Closings moratorium announced: In response to a request made by a number of Senators, the USPS agreed on Dec. 13 to delay closing or consolidating any post offices or mail-processing facilities until May 15. "This is a positive step, provided the parties use the time to put together a positive plan for the future, including ways to grow the business as well as efficiencies that make sense," NALC President Fredric Rolando said. "That requires maintaining the networks, which are vital to the ability of the Postal Service to adapt to an evolving society and meet the needs of the public and America's businesses, as we've been doing for 200 years."

The end of mail delivery to your door: A bill in the House, H.R. 2309, would end direct mail delivery for 90 percent of homes and businesses that now receive doorstep delivery, among other destructive effects the measure contains. "If H.R. 2309 becomes law, virtually all residents and business-owners would lose the door-to-door delivery they have long relied on," NALC President Fredric Rolando said. That's why the NALC is undertaking an extensive grassroots campaign to inform Americans and those organizations that would be most affected by the destructive H.R. 2309 of the facts about postal finances—and of the most effective ways to restore financial stability to the Postal Service. Click here to find out how you can take action and help save America's Postal Service.

A bipartisan majority in the House backs six-day mail delivery: The NALC has learned that 218 House members from both parties—a majority—have now signed on as co-sponsors of H.Res. 137, the measure introduced by Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) that expresses the sense of the House that the USPS should take "all appropriate measures" to ensure continuation of six-day delivery. "Our members' hard work continues to pay off," NALC President Fredric Rolando said. "This level of support will shore up our defense against the attempts by Congressman Darrell Issa and others to 'save' the Postal Service by cutting service—a counterproductive proposal that would surely fail if implemented." Click here to find out whether your representative is among this majority, and if he or she is not, click here to find out how you can ask your House member to become a co-sponsor of H. Res. 137.

How the GAO report supports H.R. 1351: The Government Accountability Office issued a report on Oct. 13 that reiterated its previously stated view that the Office of Personnel Management’s unreasonable division of Civil Service Retirement System pension obligations associated with employment for the pre-1971 Post Office Department between the USPS and the Treasury Department was “consistent” with the law. But it might surprise you to learn that this latest GAO report actually bolsters the case for H.R.1351, despite making a lot of misleading arguments. Click here to read more.

Job-killing bill will dismantle USPS: S. 1789 is a job-killer: President Rolando has condemned the Senate's postal bill. "S. 1789 would cause irreparable harm to our nation’s Postal Service," Rolando said in a statement. Click here to read the full statement.

H.R. 2309 Would dismantle the USPS:  GOP-controlled House Oversight and Government Reform Committee passed a radical and partisan postal reform bill by its chairman, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA).  It now waits for a full House vote.  Click here to read more.

The NALC's 68th Biennial Convention next summer will take place in Minneapolis July 23-27. Click here for more Information for delegates regarding hotels in "The City of Lakes."

One million signatures! On Oct. 16, at the National Rap Session in Las Vegas, NALC President Fredric Rolando asked all members of the NALC to collect signatures in support of protecting the future of the United States Postal Service—and you delivered! From active and retired letter carriers, from big cities to small towns, more than 1,000,000 signatures have been collected. The message is clear: America supports first-rate mail delivery service, six days a week, and our customers will do everything they can to protect it. Click here to read more.

POSTAL FACTS:   Seattle Branch 79 President Jo Ann Pyle spells out to the readers of the Washington State AFL-CIO's news website The Stand the problems with the Postal Service's cost-cutting plans, and retired Auburn, ME Branch 345 member Bert Godin's letter to the editor of the Lewiston, ME Sun-Journal was published Sunday. Click here to read more in POSTAL FACTS.
• Click here for a point-by-point guide to help you spread the truth about the Postal Service and the need for immediate congressional action.
• Click here to find out how the NALC Communications Department can help you get the NALC's message out.

Check out our YouTube channel to see our recent television ads, including one commerical that exposes the real reason the USPS is facing a financial crisis, and another than recognizes veterans who continue their public service as letter carriers. Click here to visit the channel.