Dear NALC e-Activist:

Today Congress returns to Washington after the Memorial Day recess and postal reform is firmly on the agenda in both chambers. House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-TX) recently announced that H.R. 22, the House version of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2005, would be scheduled for floor debate before the July 4th recess. That debate could come as early as June 14th. At the same time, we have learned that the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee expects to mark-up S. 662, the Senate version of the bill with the same name, in June. Brothers and sisters, crunch time on postal reform is nearly here. The future of the USPS and our jobs as letter carriers will be on the line.

As we monitor the reform legislation and meet regularly with both Democrats and Republicans in the House and the Senate, we have no reason at this time to believe that H.R. 22 will be negatively amended on the floor of the House or that S. 662 will be negatively changed in the Senate committee mark-up. But we would like to improve the bills where we can and we must stay on our toes at this very crucial time to fend off any hostile amendments.

That’s where you and thousands of other e-Activists come in. I know I can count on you to respond to my requests for action in the weeks to come if we need to make our voices heard on Capitol Hill. You can get ready for action by thoroughly reading a brand-new NALC Briefing Paper on Postal Reform on the NALC web site and two related fact sheets, Price Indexing, Flexibility and Postal Collective Bargaining and Military Pension Costs and Postal Reform. This will equip you with all the arguments you will need to make on behalf of America’s letter carriers.

In terms of other preparations, NALC’s National Business Agents and State Presidents have been setting up phone banks and phone trees in strategically important branches throughout the country. When postal reform goes to the floor of the House, those of you residing in key states and legislative districts (whose members of Congress are offering either positive or negative amendments) may be contacted to volunteer your time to reach out to your fellow letter carriers to call, write or email their members of Congress and Senators to advocate the NALC’s positions and views.

I will keep you posted on the status of this legislation as we track it through the month of June. I am confident that I can count on your support and participation at this crucial time.

In unionism,

William H. Young
President