NALC’s response to closings announcement: The postmaster general announced on Thursday, May 17, that he would move forward with the closing of hundreds of mail-processing plants. That followed his announcement on Wednesday, May 9, that rather than proceed with post office closings he would sharply reduce hours in thousands of rural post offices. In response to the latest announcement, NALC President Fredric Rolando said: “Since $3.1 billion of the reported $3.2 billion loss in the most recent fiscal quarter stems from pre-funding future retiree health benefits—which no other entity in America is compelled to do—the USPS and congressional response ought to address the actual problem. Moreover, what’s lacking is a business plan for the future that takes advantage of opportunities to meet the needs of an evolving society. Dismantling the network and reducing services to Americans and their businesses is not a business plan.”

Thanks for helping us ‘Stamp Out Hunger’: Saturday was the NALC’s 20th Annual National Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. Thank you to all who helped out—active and retired letter carriers, family members, friends, volunteers and sponsors. America’s hungry appreciate your hard work, dedication and muscle aches. Collection totals, photos and news accounts continue to stream into NALC Headquarters. Check back for further updates.

USPS announcement reinforces NALC’s view of the financial situation and how it can be fixed: The Postal Service reports that 96 percent of its losses—$3.05 billion out of $3.18 billion—have nothing to do with mail delivery expenses, but rather result from the congressional mandate to pre-fund its future retiree health benefits. The report follows on last quarter’s financial statement by the Postal Service, which reflected a similar pattern. Click here to read NALC President Fredric Rolando's statement on the report

White paper outlines plan for saving the USPS: A new whitepaper drafted by the advisory firm Lazard says that successful revitalization of the U.S. Postal Service requires a strategic business plan that leverages the unmatched reach of its network, legislative action to relieve it of obligations no other business bears and shared sacrifice from all stakeholders. Click here to read the news release.

Contract update: The April 8 deadline for mediation has passed and negotiations for a new National Agreement between the NALC and the U.S. Postal Service have concluded. The process now moves to interest arbitration. “Our members should have faith that we continue to bring all our resources to bear on this effort to achieve a new National Agreement,” NALC President Fredric Rolando said. Click here to read more.

House-approved budget amounts to a 5% pay cut: The Republican-controlled House of Representatives, on a mostly party-line vote, approved a budget measure Thursday that would require federal employees in both the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement System to contribute 5 percent more of salary toward their pensions—in effect, a 5 percent cut in pay phased in for current workers over five years. Click here to read more.

NALC disappointed, but determined, as Senate passes S. 1789: The Senate adopted a deeply flawed postal reform bill on Wednesday, voting for S. 1789, the 21st Century Postal Service Act, by a vote of 62 to 37. “We’re disappointed, but we are determined to fight on,” NALC President Fredric Rolando said after the vote. He reminded letter carriers that the legislative process is far from over. “It may take months to get a bill through the House of Representatives,” he said, “but we will not rest in this struggle to defend a strong and viable Postal Service.” Click here to read the statement.

PMG supports ‘practically everything’ in H.R. 2309: Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe, during a House subcommittee hearing, told members that he supports “practically everything” in H.R. 2309, the draconian Issa-Ross (so-called) postal reform bill. Click here to read more.

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.

New data indicates proposed cuts could mean greater losses in volume, revenue: The proposed cuts in service sought by the U.S. Postal Service could result in a far-greater loss of mail volume – and thus of revenue – than postal authorities previously have disclosed, new testimony indicates. In fact, the losses – outlined in a preliminary study commissioned by the USPS but which the agency has since kept under wraps – could outweigh any savings realized by the cuts. Click here to read more.

POSTAL FACTS: NALC President Fredric Rolando’s letter to the editor of USA Today, in response to an earlier editorial, appeared in the paper’s May 14 edition. 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.

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2012 COLCPE Contest: This year’s COLCPE competition again encourages letter carriers to boost their branch’s number of “Gimme 5” contributors.  For the first time, all branches with 25 members or more have been divided by branch size into eight categories

Delivering mail—and so much more: On the AFL-CIO website under "In Our Communities" is a story about how letter carriers—besides delivering mail to every American community six days a week—serve as our neighborhoods' eyes and ears, collect food for our hungry customers through the annual food drive, and raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Click here to read the story.