President's Message

November 18, 2011
Mark Strong, President

League Members,

LEAGUE and NAPUS file request with Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service for Fact Finding Panel

On November 9, 2011 a message was sent to all members regarding the conclusion of pay talks. I gave you the specifics of the pay package offered to Postmasters. From the date of receipt we had 10 days to make a decision as to whether to accept the proposal or take it to a fact finding panel.

It is the decision of the Executive Board to exercise our rights under Title 39 and have requested the Federal Mediation Board to start the process to provide us a panel for fact finding.

The LEAGUE clearly understands the financial position of the Postal Service. As PMG, Pat Donahue has mentioned, this problem is of no fault of its hard working employees and with that in mind we have been left with no alternative.

The Executive Board supports a two year freeze with the current economic hurdles facing the Postal Service and our country. We all need to give something back today to make sure there is a tomorrow. We adamantly oppose a pay proposal that has no guaranteed pay raises in 2013-2015, while the craft is receiving both COLA and guaranteed raises. Postmasters more than ever need some sort of certainty, for that matter everyone does. Working for 5 years without some sort of guarantee will not create an environment that will help the Postal Service through these trying times.

Title 39 is clear in that a reasonable differential in pay between management and craft needs to exist. This is not possible if one group is receiving pay increases, while the other is frozen in its current pay structure.

We are entering into a process that has never been tried before but both Postmaster organizations feel that a pay package from 2011-2015 with no guaranteed salary increases is not acceptable and is not in the spirit of the law.

Mark Strong

President

National League of Postmasters