Nearly a year after our contract expired we finally have an ARBITRATED contract. Please note the emphasis I have placed on the word ARBITRATED. My reason for this is because I have been hearing some critical feedback concerning the contract from some carriers. They have been the minority and many of the carriers complaining are non-members who have no right to criticize the NALC.

Most carriers I have spoken with understand that this contract, while not giving us all that we sought, is an historic victory for each and every letter carrier.

Any criticism. anger, disgust etc. that anyone may have should be directed towards those who deserve it. U.S.P.S. MANAGEMENT! I've listed some of the reasons for this.
1. Management refused to bargain in good faith and negotiate an agreement with our NALC leaders.
2. Management refused to put forth any effort during the mediation process in an attempt to reach an agreement and avoid interest arbitration.
3. Management’s chief negotiator testified to the arbitration panel that career letter carriers are no better than casual employees are.
4. Management testified that a carrier on an average route only receives four parcels per day to deliver.
5. Management testified that letter carriers aren't working as hard as we claim and that the routes are only returning to the way they were in the 60’s and 70's.
6. Management testified that we have been overpaid for far too long and have actually been receiving a wage premium.
7. Management actually brought a witness from one of our biggest competitors and detractors–UPS–to testify against the letter carriers. This is the very company who is attempting to tear down the Postal Service and has spoken against us to the public and congress.
8. Management testified that since we, the carriers, accepted our jobs we must like working outdoors and since we enjoy it we deserve to be paid less! On the other hand, many clerks must work nights and so they should be paid more! (Hello? Night time differential!)
9. It is management who claims that automation has had no negative impact on the carriers and the way that we do our work.
10. It is management who lied, cheated, stretched the truth, denied the truth, and fought the NALC every step of the way! It is management who would not admit in arbitration that the letter carriers have made the transition into the automated environment possible.

Having been in Washington, DC for the arbitration I know one thing for sure. Our leaders at the NALC, the staff at headquarters, the carrier witnesses, and the professional witnesses that participated throughout the arbitration process deserve nothing but praise. The amount of time and effort put in to preparing and presenting our case was unbelievable. Early mornings through late nights, weekends and holidays! The people representing us left no stone unturned. If management testified to something that we felt was inaccurate our people would jump to action immediately to research and investigate it and bring the accurate information back to the arbitration panel.

So, yes, we could have received a better contract. But, we could have received worse. The arbitrator was clear in stating that letter carriers are working harder and deserve higher pay. Management can say and do what they want, but there is no denying what is said in the arbitration decision, and they can not take that from us.

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