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NALC New Contract 2019: What You Need to Know
The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) recently reached a new tentative agreement with the United States Postal Service (USPS) for a new contract that would cover over 213,000 active city letter carriers across the country. The proposed contract, which still needs to be ratified by the union membership, would run from September 20, 2019, to September 20, 2022, and include a number of changes and improvements for postal workers and customers alike. Here are some of the key highlights of the NALC new contract 2019:
Wages and benefits: The new contract would provide for five general wage increases over the life of the agreement, as well as cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for urban wage earners and clerical workers. The first two wage increases would be retroactive to November 24, 2018, and November 23, 2019, respectively. The contract would also maintain the existing health insurance plans, but increase the employer contribution towards the premium costs for some of the plans.
Part-time flexibles: The new contract would convert a portion of part-time flexible positions into regular career positions, allowing these workers to have better job security, benefits, and opportunities for advancement. The conversion would be phased in over the three-year period of the contract, and would prioritize part-time flexibles who have more than two-and-a-half years of service and meet other eligibility criteria.
Holiday schedule: The new contract would establish a new holiday schedule that includes the day before or after Christmas Day and New Year`s Day as holidays for all career employees, not just those who work on those days. This change would benefit employees who currently have to use their own leave or work irregular schedules during the holiday season.
Parcel delivery: The new contract would create a new category of city carrier assistant (CCA) called the “city carrier assistant parcel” (CCAP), who would be dedicated to parcel delivery and pick-up services during the peak season from November 24 to December 21. This would help address the growing volume of packages handled by the USPS due to e-commerce and online shopping trends, and reduce the workload of regular letter carriers during the busiest time of the year.
E-commerce and other issues: The new contract would also establish joint labor-management committees to study and address various issues related to e-commerce, safety, and other areas of concern for both the NALC and the USPS. These committees would have the authority to make recommendations and propose solutions, subject to approval by both parties.
In summary, the NALC new contract 2019 represents a significant step forward for the letter carriers of the USPS, who have been working without a contract since September 2018. The proposed contract would provide them with higher wages, better benefits, and more job security, while also addressing some of the challenges faced by the postal service in the digital age. The contract still needs to be reviewed and voted on by the NALC membership, but if approved, it would be a win-win for all involved. As a customer, you can support your local letter carrier by thanking them for their hard work and understanding the value of the postal service to our communities and economy.
