Field Negotiating Committee Meets in Washington DC

PAUL HOGROGIAN

MICHAEL

HORA NEIL RYAN

KEVIN TABARUS DAN ST. MARIE ANTHONY COLEMAN TERESA HARMON

EDDIE COWAN

FELANDRIA JACKSON

ANDY BADILISHAMWALIMU JAMES HAGGARTY

CHARLES CHARLESTON

The NPMHU’s 2019 National Agreement is set to expire on September 20, 2022. Negotiations with the Postal Service will formally commence on June 10, 2022; preparations at the National Office, however, have been ongoing for many months.

The Postal Service continues to claim, both publicly and privately, that it is in dire financial condition. This pronouncement is exacerbated by the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic which began in February 2020 and the long-term implications of the 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. It was this legislation that gave rise to the requirement to prefund retiree health benefits through the year 2056. These statutory obligations to prefund retiree health care are unlike expenses imposed on most other federal entities or private-sector businesses that offer such benefits.

It is not all doom and gloom, however. While the Postal Service experienced a significant decline in mail services during the pandemic, the USPS enjoyed substantial growth in sales from shipping and packages. Moreover, the USPS could gain significant relief from the Postal Service Reform Act which addresses the prefunding mandate and retiree healthcare costs. This legislation has cleared the House and is awaiting a vote in the Senate.

The challenges we face in National Bargaining are not insurmountable, but they are substantial. The NPMHU will work to achieve a negotiated National Agreement; that is certainly our goal. But there are many hurdles to overcome.

NPMHU preparation for negotiations are ongoing and include:

A national bargaining strategy session was conducted with all Local Union representatives at the November 2021 Semi-Annual Meeting of the Local Unions in Washington DC.

Bargaining proposals were solicited from the membership and Local Unions through January 2022. The NPMHU’s Field Negotiating Committee met at NPMHU Headquarters in Washington, DC from February 7 through 11, 2022 to discuss each proposal submitted.

Based on the proposals submitted, the feedback of the NPMHU’s Field Negotiating Committee will help formulate the Union’s initial bargaining proposals.

NICK MOSEZAR KELLY DICKEY

JEFF

LARSEN TODD LARSON

The Field Negotiating Committee included all members of the National Executive Board, all National CAD Representatives, and an array of Local Union Presidents, including:

• Paul Hogrogian, NP • Michael Hora, NST • June Harris, Local 306 • John Gibson, Local 308 • David Wilkin, Local 309 • Don Sneesby, Local 316 • Lawrence Sapp, Local 318 • Kevin Tabarus, Local 300 • Dan St. Marie, Local 301 • Tony Coleman, Local 302 • Eddie Cowan, Local 303 • Felandria Jackson, Local 305 • James Haggarty, Local 307 • Pervous Badilishamwalimu,

Local 310 • Charles Charleston, Local 311 • Nick Mosezar, Local 318 • Kelly Dickey, Local 322 • Jeff Larsen, Local 323 • Todd Larson, Local 328 • John. R. Macon, Local 329 • Sheldon Adams, Local 334

On behalf of all Mail Handlers, the NPMHU expresses its deep appreciation to all members of the Field Negotiating Committee for their invaluable work on these proposals.

Once bargaining kicks-off, the National Office will be posting periodic updates of the status of negotiations. Please watch your local bulletin boards and other means of communication for the latest updates.

EUGENE HORTON CHARLES MANAGO

TOM RUTHER BRUCE LERNER

JUNE HARRIS JOHN GIBSON

LAWRENCE SAPP JOHN MACON DON SNEESBY

SHELDON ADAMS

DAVID WILKIN

MEMBERS MAY SUBMIT PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS AND RESOLUTIONS IN ADVANCE OF NATIONAL CONVENTION

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS JUNE 10, 2022

Any member or group of members of the NPMHU who wish to submit proposals for consideration by the delegates at the 2020 National Convention must follow the requirements set forth in the NPMHU National Constitution.

As set forth in Article XII of the National Union Constitution, the delegates to the 2020 National Convention will consider and vote upon amendments to both the NPMHU National Constitution and the Uniform Local Union Constitution that governs all Local Unions affiliated with the NPMHU.

In addition, the current National Constitution also sets forth the governing procedure for the consideration of resolutions, whether related to legislation or other topics of interest to mail handlers.

Should you have any constitutional amendments or resolutions that you would like to propose, please be sure to follow the procedures set forth in Article XII of the National Constitution. The rescheduled opening of the National Convention is now set for Monday, August 8, 2022. Therefore, all submissions must be received at the National Office no later than Friday, June 10, 2022, which is sixty days prior to the opening of the National Convention.

The address for submitting any proposed amendments or resolutions is:

NPMHU 2020 National Convention

815 16th Street NW, Suite 5100

Washington, DC 20006

Proposals may also be submitted by fax to the National Office at 202-833-0008

Together with your proposal, it would be best if you also explained the purpose of your proposal and the reasoning thereof. In this way, the Committees reviewing all submissions will understand your intent in making the proposal. Such explanations are not required, however, as long as you submit your proposals on or before the June 10, 2022, deadline.

JUNETEENTH RECOGNIZED AS A FEDERAL HOLIDAY FOR POSTAL EMPLOYEES BEGINNING IN 2022

On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Juneteenth National

Independence Day Act, making June 19th a federal holiday. This new holiday commemorates the end to slavery in the United States. The Postal Service is fully supportive of annually observing and recognizing this historic event.

Because the Postal Service is part of the nation’s critical infrastructure, it was unable to cease operations to observe Juneteenth in 2021. Beginning in 2022, the Postal Service will recognize the Juneteenth National Independence Day as a holiday eligible to full-time and parttime career employees.

The observance will be included in the Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM) 518, Holiday Leave and be subject to the corresponding provisions of the section.

IMPLICATIONS OF JUNETEENTH NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE DAY ON PTFS

The addition of Juneteenth National Independence Day will require a recalculation of part-time flexible employee’s regular straighttime hourly rate consistent with Article 11.7. The USPS has not finalized the PTF’s new straighttime hourly rate, but a retroactive adjustment will be processed at a date to be determined by the USPS.