You are reading the sixth Contract Update produced and distributed by the NPMHU during the course of 2025 negotiations. These updates, along with the Union’s magazine and monthly bulletins, will keep mail handlers throughout the country informed and involved in the issues raised during this round of bargaining.
This coming Monday, September 8th is, as in accordance with mutually agreed upon ground rules, the deadline for the NPMHU Negotiations Team and USPS representatives to introduce any additional non-economic proposed changes to the collective bargaining agreement. After September 8th , while the parties can discuss the already-introduced proposals (and make counters to those proposals), no new non-economic proposals can be introduced. This deadline allows the parties to focus on negotiating the details of what will become the new National Agreement.
During the Main Table Sessions this week, USPS introduced aggressive proposals to maximize their flexibility and ability to subcontract out mail handler bargaining unit work. The NPMHU Negotiations Team will not accept any such proposal and will continue fighting hard for more contractual protection against subcontracting.
The NPMHU Negotiations Team has submitted a number of new proposals and revisions since the last contract update, including proposals to enhance communication from management on important issues (such as advance notice at the local level when equipment is added or removed from a facility), further limits on the use of 204Bs, and improvements in the working conditions and benefits for MHAs. The NPMHU Negotiations Team stressed how the adoption of each of these proposals is not only important to the union but is in the Postal Service’s interest as well. Given the continued problems recruiting and retaining MHAs, adopting proposals to improve working conditions should be at the top of the Postal Service’s priority list.
What’s Happening Next?
On Saturday, Sept 13th, negotiations will move to a local Washington, DC hotel, so that the parties can be singularly focused on the bargaining process with the hope of reaching tentative agreements on the remaining outstanding issues.
Beyond the negotiations at the Main Table, the subcommittees continue their vital work in making sure that all the intricate details of each proposal are well understood and any issues or concerns can be addressed.
During their hotel stay, the NPMHU Negotiations Team will continue to advocate for the changes it has already put forward and for their economic proposals. While some of these proposals seek to adopt language already negotiated by other postal unions – what we refer to as “no brainers” – other proposals target specific problems facing our craft. Regardless of the source of our proposals, each is critical to improving the working conditions for Mail Handlers across the country.
As the contract deadline approaches, the NPMHU Negotiations Team remains more prepared than ever to achieve the goals we set out at the start of this process and to reaching a final tentative agreement on the terms of a new National Agreement. That result depends on the USPS representatives coming to the final sessions of bargaining with an open mind and a genuine will to address the problems that Mail Handlers face every day.
The NPMHU Negotiations Team will ensure that these issues remain the priority of the remainder of the negotiation process. In doing so, we are confident that we will secure a new agreement that advance the interests of the NPMHU, the Postal Service, and the American mailing public.
