Dec. 7, 2011 — NALC President Fred Rolando and USPS Postmaster General Pat Donahoe announced on Wednesday, Dec. 7, that the parties’ 2006-2011 National Agreement has been extended a second time—to midnight Dec. 16, 2011—to give the parties additional time to negotiate the provisions of a new contract. The 2006 agreement had been set to expire at midnight Sunday, Nov. 20.
“We have been working in good faith to hammer out a new contract and we hope that this extension will lead to an agreement that our members can enthusiastically ratify,” President Rolando said.
The entire NALC Executive Council and the USPS negotiating team were sequestered at a hotel in Washington for the seven days leading up to the initial Nov. 20 deadline to work around the clock on the terms of a new National Agreement. As teams continue to work on the terms of a new contract, council committees chaired by the union’s resident national officers have engaged management counterparts in intensive discussions on the full range of contract issues affecting working conditions and workplace rights during daily negotiations that often stretched late into the night.
President Rolando has coordinated the work of all the committees and has taken the lead on the key economic provisions of the contract, including pay, health benefits and other matters such as the structure of the city carrier workforce. As the expiration date approached, the focus shifted to finding innovative ways to reduce the cost of employee health care while preserving and protecting the benefits of NALC’s members.
The 2011 round of bargaining kicked off in August at a time of extreme challenges for the Postal Service, as the congressional mandate to pre-fund future retiree health benefits has crippled the agency’s finances. Over time, the talks have gathered momentum. In the end, the parties agreed that more time could help the talks succeed.
“We remain committed to negotiating a fair contract that will advance the best interests of the nation’s city letter carriers,” Rolando said.
Hope our union reps are smart enough and hold there ground when negotiating maybe they can ask the APWU for some help the APWU was able to convert ptf clerks to regulars
Plenty of time to negotiate
GO TO ARBRITRATION…….DONOHOE HAS NO INTENTIONS OF ANY HONEST BARGANING….HE ONLY WANTS GIVE BACKS AND DESTROY OUR UNION …
GO TO ARBRITRATION………..
Grow some Balls and fight these assholes,,, instead of 5 for paying off congress, I’d rather give 5, for you to fight management IN Congress…
Attack the Structure of Management To Congress show them exactly whats wrong Too many Bosses … Kill Management by 3/4,, we dont need them. Let them go try to find a job !!!!
DON’T SELL US OUT !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rolando you better know what your doing, or your toast! I say we go to arbitration and let the chips fall as they may. Rolando giving the PMG ideas may not be in the best interest of the membership. Plus you run the chance of looking like a stooge by giving this PMG legitimisey.