The United States Postal Service (USPS) and the National Association of Letter Carriers, which represents nearly 200,000 mail carriers, reached a tentative agreement on a new contract on Friday.
The contract, which spans from 2023 to 2026, includes several key provisions aimed at improving working conditions and compensation for city mail carriers.
The agreement provides cost of living adjustments throughout the contract period, along with three 1.3% pay raises, two of which will be applied retroactively. In a statement, union president Brian L. Renfroe expressed satisfaction with the deal, noting the nearly 20 months of negotiations.
“We are pleased to reach a fair agreement that rewards our members for their contributions to the Postal Service and their service to the American people,” Renfroe said.
One major provision of the agreement requires all new delivery vehicles purchased by USPS to include air conditioning, a significant improvement for mail carriers, particularly those working in hotter climates. If USPS seeks to purchase vehicles without air conditioning, the decision must be negotiated with the union. This aligns with the USPS’s ongoing efforts to modernize its fleet, which began in September with the introduction of Next Generation Delivery Vehicles, all equipped with air conditioning.
In addition to wage increases, the contract formalizes new overtime protections, with a pay rate of 2.5 times the base salary for carriers working more than 12 hours of overtime. The union also secured a higher top pay rate and reduced the time required for carriers to reach the highest pay tier.
While the tentative agreement must still be ratified by union members through a vote-by-mail process, a deadline for the vote has not yet been announced. The union has been operating without a contract since May 2023, making this agreement a significant step forward for its members.
With input from USA Today.
