2026 NALC Contract Confrence Report

Hello Brothers and Sisters of NALC Branch 524!

 I am currently on a train bound for Washington DC to attend the 2026 NALC Contract Conference to gather information on the status of our upcoming national contract. Let me first explain where exactly we are in the process. The current agreement which expired at midnight on May 22, 2026 will remain in full effect until a new negotiated or arbitrated agreement takes effect. On May 17, 2026 the NALC and USPS bargaining teams came together in Washington DC at a hotel for the final week of the contract to try and negotiate an agreement. This is after three months of ongoing negotiations between the two parties. Unfortunately progress was made but terms to a new tentative agreement could not be reached after this three month period. As a result both parties have entered the mandatory 60 day mediation period which began on May 18, 2026 as required by law. After this mediation period if an agreement is still not reached any unresolved issues would be addressed through an interest arbitration process which would result on a final and binding decision on the contents of a new National Agreement. The parties will select a neutral arbitrator to chair an arbitration board that would also include one management and one union arbitrator. The 60 day mediation period will end on July 22, 2026.

Dollars and Sense

Here are a few things that have been laid out thus far that would be a starting point for our membership. The Postal Service usually at this point has a dollar amount they are willing to pay for our craft. Typically, they will always start at what the previous contract cost them. For example, the 2016 agreement cost just under 3 billion dollars, 2019 agreement just over 3 billion and the 2023 agreement about 4.1 billion. Of course, we believe our members always deserve more than each previous agreement. So a good starting point for the NALC would be 4.5 billion. This would mean three general wage increase of 1.5% and our COLA’S (Cost of living adjustment) remaining the same. CCA’S would continue to get a 1% increase in lieu of the COLA. Going to what would be called a full step P for top pay which would be about $750 and shaving the waiting period from 46 weeks to 40 weeks in between each pay step. Doing this would shave off 86 weeks to get to top pay. I believe this would help a lot with the people in the middle of the pay scale. As I said the postal service usually at this point in negotiations has a dollar amount they are willing pay but as of right now they have no idea what that number is.

The 4-Day Proposal

I am sure by now most of you have heard of the 4 day work week proposal. Let me be very clear that this is purely only an idea at this point and it would only be a pilot test phase at a S&DC somewhere if implemented. It would not work in small offices.  This was discussed at length and lots of questions were asked by the branch leaders. Here are a few of them that I noted.

What about 8 hour restrictions?  National doesn’t seem to think it would affect them and USPS would still have to honor them.

What would happen to T-6’s?  There would be fewer assignments and T-6’s would carry 2 routes 2 days a week.

Would this mean a total rebid of the routes and new T-6 strings?  Possibly with expedited bidding if the Branch President would like.

Proposed Early Out Incentives

There was even a mention about possible early outs for those carriers that are getting close to retirement. The postal service’s concern about offering early outs like have been offered to other crafts is that the city carrier craft is understaffed as a whole. It isn’t entirely off the table though. NALC has asked the postal service to run the numbers of $15,000, $20,000 and $25,000 dollar payouts. We have to be really thoughtful about how this would be done so that we don’t create a catastrophic situation where a mass number of people leave.

More Noteworthy Proposals

There was also talk about the way our routes and workloads are structured. It will be hard for the postal service to not use Artificial Intelligence when the rest of the world is using it.  Other proposals from NALC for this negotiation are a workhour guarantees of 4 hours for all offices no matter the size. Creating a pecking order that would require USPS to use PTF’S and CCA’S before requiring regular NON OTDL’S to work off the list. There are also proposals for 12 weeks paid maternity leave and to expand the amount of SLDC you can use from 80 hours to the same you would get if you had FMLA which is 12 weeks.  A proposal for CCA’S and PTF’S  to get all 11 holidays is also on the table.

 I hope this was helpful and gave some insight as to our current state of negotiations and would like to thank President Murray for trusting me to go on his behalf and for the members of Branch 524 for allowing me to go! We have now for 56 years achieved collective bargaining agreements that have resulted in pay increases and us not conceding on any pay. Let us keep up the good fight and keep educating ourselves even at the lowest levels and keep this trend going.

In Solidarity

Randy Fellers

Vice-President NALC Branch 524