Approximately 200,000 mail carriers have reached a preliminary contract agreement with the United States Postal Service, which includes retroactive pay raises and a commitment to supply workers with air-conditioned delivery trucks.
This new contract, which awaits approval from union members, will remain in effect until November 2026. The letter carriers have been operating without a formal contract since May 2023.
Both the Postal Service and the union expressed satisfaction with the agreement, which was disclosed on Friday.
“While neither side received everything they wished for, we were able to achieve an accord that aligns with our objectives and benefits our membership,” stated Brian Renfroe, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers. “To reach this milestone, the Postal Service had to acknowledge the valuable role our members play for not just the organization, but the American public as well.”
The agreement offers a range of improvements, including an increase in maximum pay and a reduction in the duration required for newcomers to reach this level, Renfroe noted. He commended Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and his deputy for their commitment to honest negotiations throughout the demanding bargaining process.
The Postal Service highlighted that this agreement aligns with its decade-long ‘Delivering for America’ initiative aimed at modernizing operations and responding to evolving customer demands.
“This contract is equitable and responsible, taking into account the best interests of our workforce, our clientele, and the long-term goals of the Postal Service,” said Doug Tulino, deputy postmaster general and chief human resources officer.
Under the terms of the agreement, all city carriers will receive three annual pay raises of 1.3% each by the year 2025, with some of this pay being retroactive to November 2023. Employees will also benefit from retroactive adjustments for cost-of-living, as well as future increases.
Additionally, the Postal Service has pledged to “make every effort” to equip mail trucks with air conditioning.
This summer, the Postal Service began the rollout of its new electric delivery vehicles, which are already fitted with air conditioning. Although these trucks may not be visually appealing, they have been met with enthusiastic feedback from letter carriers who are used to older models lacking modern safety features and prone to mechanical failures, including fires.
In the coming years, the new delivery vehicle fleet will expand to around 60,000 units, with the majority being electric, serving as the Postal Service’s primary delivery trucks across the country from Maine to Hawaii.
As part of the tentative contract, the Postal Service is obliged to engage the union in discussions regarding any plans to purchase new mail trucks that do not include air conditioning.
This marks the second contract negotiated since DeJoy assumed the role of postmaster general in 2020. The ratification process for union members is anticipated to take several weeks. It’s important to note that rural mail carriers are not included under this contract, as they are represented by a different union.