The U.S. Postal Service has reached a tentative contract deal with around 200,000 mail carriers, which includes backdated pay raises and a promise to provide workers with air-conditioned trucks. The new agreement, which still needs to be ratified by union members, will run through November 2026. Both the National Association of Letter Carriers and the Postal Service have expressed their satisfaction with the agreement, highlighting that it meets their goals and recognizes the contributions of workers to the Postal Service and the American people. The deal also includes improvements such as increased top pay and reduced time for new workers to reach that level.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and his deputy were credited for bargaining in good faith throughout the negotiation process. The agreement aligns with the Postal Service’s 10-year “Delivering for America” mission to modernize operations and adapt to changing customer needs. All city carriers will receive three annual pay increases of 1.3% each by 2025, with some of these increases being paid retroactively from November 2023. Workers will also receive retroactive and future cost-of-living adjustments. Additionally, there is a commitment from the Postal Service to provide mail trucks with air-conditioning, with efforts already underway to roll out new electric delivery vehicles equipped with such features.
The new fleet of electric delivery vehicles has received positive feedback from letter carriers due to their modern safety features and reliability compared to older vehicles. The Postal Service plans to expand this fleet to 60,000 trucks, primarily electric models, serving as the main delivery vehicles across the country. The agreement includes a provision that the Postal Service must consult with the union before purchasing new mail trucks without air-conditioning. This marks the second contract negotiated since DeJoy’s appointment in 2020, and it is expected to take several weeks for union members to ratify it. It’s important to note that rural mail carriers, represented by a different union, are not covered by this contract.
Overall, the tentative contract agreement between the U.S. Postal Service and mail carriers represents a significant step forward in terms of pay raises, improvements in working conditions, and the modernization of delivery vehicles. Both the union and the Postal Service have expressed their satisfaction with the deal, emphasizing the collaborative effort that went into reaching this agreement. With a focus on meeting the needs of employees, customers, and the future of the Postal Service, this contract marks a positive development in the ongoing relationship between workers and management. As the ratification process unfolds in the coming weeks, it is expected that the agreement will be officially confirmed, setting the stage for continued collaboration and progress within the Postal Service.
