USPS, NRLCA reach agreement

The U.S. Postal Service and the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association reached a tentative four-year contract agreement on Dec. 8.

Upon ratification by union members, the agreement will run through Nov. 20, 2010, and affect approximately 66,000 career employees and 52,000 non-career employees who deliver mail to residences and businesses on rural delivery routes.

The USPS and NRLCA formally opened national contract negotiations on Aug. 25. This year was the first time new contracts were negotiated separately at the same time with all four of the postal service's largest unions.

Earlier this week, the USPS and the American Postal Workers Union also agreed to a tentative four-year contract. Negotiations continue with the National Postal Mail Handlers Union. Negotiations with the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) were not successful and the two parties will now enter the dispute resolution process, which may include binding interest arbitration.