The NALC Executive Council met today to consider the progress made during the 15-day negotiation period that followed the reopening of contract negotiations with the Postal Service on Feb. 3, pursuant to Article 16 of the NALC Constitution. The Council voted unanimously to not agree to terms with the Postal Service that would have produced a modified tentative agreement to be sent to eligible members for a second ratification vote. NALC has notified USPS officials that we are now at impasse on the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement.
The parties’ ongoing dispute over terms of a new agreement will now be decided in the interest arbitration process. The parties have selected Arbitrator Dennis R. Nolan to serve as the chair of the three-person arbitration panel. Information on hearing dates for interest arbitration will be shared as soon as the schedule is confirmed.
“While there was some movement on the issues that matter to letter carriers during this 15-day period of good faith bargaining, it was not enough to produce a fair contract for the active members of NALC. We have been preparing our case for interest arbitration since before we officially opened this round of contract negotiations,” NALC President Brian L. Renfroe said. “We have built a strong case, and we will fight like hell in interest arbitration to achieve the best collective bargaining agreement for letter carriers that the process can produce.”
