The U.S. Postal Service and the National Rural Letter Carriers Association extended their collective bargaining agreement by two years, they announced yesterday.
Postmaster general John E. Potter and association president Dale Holton signed the agreement earlier this week.
The existing collective bargaining agreement was set to expire Nov. 20. It has now been extended to Nov. 20, 2006.
The agreement provides for a 1.3 percent wage increase effective Nov. 27, and a 1.3 percent increase effective Nov. 26, 2005. Terms include continuing the cost-of-living allowance, establishing a standard time allowance for reloading and unloading vehicles, increasing the reimbursement rate for rural carriers who furnish their own vehicles and creating a joint task force to discuss issues related to future developments in mail delivery.
All other provisions of the contract remain in effect.
