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Volume 133/Number 11 November 2020 In this issue President’s Message 1 National Officers 64 Branch Election Notices 85 Branch Items 86 The monthly journal of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE —PAGES 22-61 NALC-USPS arbitration hearings begin— PAGE 4 InstallInstall thethe freefree NALCNALC MemberMember AppApp forfor youryour iPhoneiPhone oror AndroidAndroid smartphonesmartphone As technology increases our ability to communicate, NALC must stay ahead of the curve. We’ve now taken the next step with the NALC Member App for iPhone and Android smartphones. The app was de- veloped with the needs of letter carriers in mind. The app’s features include: • Workplace resources, including the National • Instantaneous NALC news with Agreement, JCAM, MRS and CCA resources personalized push notifications • Interactive Non-Scheduled Days calendar and social media access • Legislative tools, including bill tracker, • Much more individualized congressional representatives and PAC information GoGo to to the the App App Store Store oror GoogleGoogle Play Play and and search search forfor “NALC “NALC Member Member App”App” toto install install for for free free President’s Message 50 years of postal interest arbitration s we have highlight- of the arbitrators, attorneys and witnesses are working from dif- ed in these pages ferent locales around the country and meeting via Zoom calls. this year, 2020 marks But the process is basically the same one we have used the 50th anniversary in the past: The two sides alternate in providing expert tes- of the Great Postal timony, data and arguments in support of their contract pro- AStrike of 1970. After we over- posals. Witnesses testify and are cross-examined, rebuttal come the COVID-19 pandemic, and sur-rebuttal witnesses are called to reply and are, in turn, we will find a way to properly cel- cross-examined. Formal exhibits are presented and hearing ebrate the brave union members transcripts are produced by a court reporter. The process gives who risked everything to win col- both sides a chance to make the case for their views and the lective-bargaining rights for Post chance to convince the board to adopt their proposals. Office employees. At a time when labor strikes have become exceedingly rare Our plans to do so in New York due in part to judicial and legislative constraints that have in March, and at our 2020 bien- weakened the right to strike in the United States, interest ar- nial convention in August, had bitration gives workers and their unions an alternative way to to be indefinitely postponed (see achieve their collective-bargaining goals. Indeed, last year, page 9). But this month I want to there were just 27 strikes in the United States involving 1,000 celebrate a less-appreciated lega- or more workers—compared to 371 strikes in 1970. So interest Fredric V. cy of the 1970 strike—our system arbitration is especially valuable when the strike option is not of interest arbitration. That’s be- present. That is why it is most often used in the public sector, Rolando cause, in September, we initiated especially for police and fire departments, where binding arbi- the NALC’s seventh interest arbi- tration provides a fair way for parties to resolve their collective- tration since the Postal Reorganization Act (see story on page 4). bargaining disputes without disruptions in essential services. Interest arbitration is the process we use to reach a contract But it could be used in the private sector, too. In fact, the major settlement when voluntary efforts to negotiate a contract setting labor law reform bill passed by the House of Representatives in the terms and conditions of city letter carrier employment reach February (the PRO Act) calls for interest arbitration to be used an impasse. It is an alternative to what parties in the private sector for first contracts when new bargaining units are formed. use to force an agreement—a union strike or a management lock- out. Instead, the parties appoint union and management arbitra- We owe the brothers and sisters who went on strike in 1970 tors, who then select a neutral arbitrator to serve as the chairman a huge debt of gratitude. They not only secured the collective- of an arbitration board. The board then conducts hearings where bargaining rights that catapulted letter carriers into the mid- both sides present evidence and testimony in support of their dle class, but they also won our right to place our collective- bargaining positions on pay, work hours, leave policies and other bargaining demands before an interest arbitration board. The employment matters. Once the board hears all of the evidence, law that grew out of the strike, the Postal Reorganization Act of it meets in private (executive session) to decide the contents of 1970, provided for the process we are using right now to ad- our National Agreement, often using the evidence presented to vance our interests. It may not have been a perfect substitute negotiate compromises on the issues in dispute. The resulting for the right to strike in 1970, but it has become especially arbitration award is final and binding on the parties. valuable in 2020, when the right to strike barely exists. It is a time-tested process that has served our union well. We have used interest arbitration six times in our prior 13 rounds of collective bargaining. The NALC’s officers, staff and Of course, it is the NALC’s strong preference to reach voluntary attorneys began preparing for the current arbitration long be- agreements that can be sent out to the membership for a ratifica- fore formal negotiations to replace the 2016-2019 National tion vote. For that reason, I continue to engage postal manage- Agreement began in June 2019. Despite our best efforts to ment in order to reach a voluntary agreement even as the arbitra- reach a negotiated settlement, which continue to this day, tion proceeds—nothing in the process precludes us from doing we decided earlier this year to proceed to arbitration, and the so. We will continue to update members, via the NALC website parties chose Arbitrator Dennis Nolan to serve as the neutral and our mobile app, on the progress of the interest arbitration— chairman. NALC’s longtime outside legal counsel, Keith Secu- and on any bargaining developments of significance. lar, serves as the union arbitrator. Here’s to 50 years of collective bargaining—and to 50 years This time around, amid a global pandemic, we’ve been forced of interest arbitration as well. to be creative and innovative to pull off the arbitration safely. In- stead of meeting in person in Washington, we are conducting hearings virtually for the first time, using video technology. All November 2020 The Postal Record 1 Cover illustration by Jim Starr National Association of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO Contents Since 1889, representing city letter carriers employed by the United States Postal Service. Volume 133/Number 11 November 2020 100 Indiana Ave. NW Washington, DC 20001-2144 202-393-4695 | nalc.org RESIDENT OFFICERS FREDRIC V. ROLANDO MANUEL L. PERALTA JR. President Director of Safety and Health BRIAN RENFROE DAN TOTH The monthly journal of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS Executive Vice President Director of Retired Members LEW DRASS JAMES W. “JIM” YATES Vice President Director of Life Insurance NICOLE RHINE Mutual Benefit Association Secretary-Treasurer 202-638-4318 PAUL BARNER STEPHANIE M. STEWART Assistant Secretary-Treasurer Director, Health Benefit Plan CHRISTOPHER JACKSON Health Benefit Plan Director of City Delivery 888-636-6252 BOARD OF TRUSTEES LAWRENCE D. BROWN JR. 774 Valencia Street Los Angeles, CA 90017 MIKE GILL MACK I. JULION 18682 SW 93 Court 3850 S. Wabash Ave. Cutler Bay, FL 33157 Chicago, IL 60653 NATIONAL BUSINESS AGENTS Region 1: BRYANT ALMARIO Region 9: LYNNE PENDLETON (California, Hawaii, Nevada, Guam) (Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, 3105 E. Guasti Road, Suite 200 South Carolina) Ontario, CA 91761 1101 Northchase Parkway SE, Suite 3 909-443-7450 Marietta, GA 30067 678-942-5295 Region 2: NICK VAFIADES 20 (Alaska, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Region 10: JAVIER BERNAL Oregon, Washington) (New Mexico, Texas) 5115 NE 94th Ave., Suite A 23760 Hwy. 59 North Departments Features Vancouver, WA 98662 Kingwood, TX 77339 360-892-6545 281-540-5627 1 President’s Message 4 Interest arbitration begins Region 3: MICHAEL B. CAREF Region 11: MARK CAMILLI 3 Letter from the Editor The interest arbitration case for a (Illinois) (Upstate New York, Ohio) 4 News 4979 Indiana Ave., Suite 203 5445 Beavercrest Drive, Suite 7 new National Agreement between Lisle, IL 60532-3848 Lorain, OH 44053 62 Proud to Serve NALC and USPS opens virtually; 630-743-5320 440-282-4340 64 Executive Vice President NALC has two principal objectives Region 4: DAN VERSLUIS Region 12: DAVID J. NAPADANO 65 Vice President (Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, (Pennsylvania, South and Central 66 Secretary-Treasurer 6 News from Washington Oklahoma, Wyoming) New Jersey) The House passes a scaled-back 12015 E. 46th Ave., Suite 550 Four Neshaminy Interplex, Suite 111 67 Assistant Secretary-Treasurer Denver, CO 80239 Trevose, PA 19053 68 Director of City Delivery HEROES relief package; USPS elects 720-828-6840 215-824-4826 69 Director of Safety and Health not to implement payroll tax deferral Region 5: MICHAEL BIRKETT Region 13: VADA E. PRESTON 70 Director of Retired Members (Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas) (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West 71 Director of Life Insurance 8 COVID-19 MOUs continue 1828 Craig Road Virginia, Washington, DC) NALC and the Postal Service St. Louis, MO 63146 P.O. Box 2660 72 Director, Health Benefit Plan 314-985-8040 Ashburn, VA 20146 73 Contract Talk agree to continue several pan- 703-840-2010 demic-related memorandums of Region 6: TROY CLARK 74 Muscular Dystrophy Association (Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan) Region 14: RICHARD J.