The National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association and the United States Postal Service have negotiated a Tentative Agreement to cover the 3-year period from May 21, 2018 to May 20, 2021. This Tentative Agreement must be ratified by a majority of the voting membership of the NRLCA to become effective. The highlights of the Tentative Agreement are outlined below. A more detailed explanation of the changes will be presented in a special Tentative Agreement edition of the National Rural Letter Carrier magazine and via ratification meetings to be held in every state in accordance with Article XI, Section 1 of the Constitution of the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association. The required ratification meetings will be held throughout the month of July 2019; the time and place of each meeting will be published in the special Tentative Agreement edition of the National Rural Letter Carrier Magazine and posted on the NRLCA National Website.
The NRLCA National Board believes this is a fair and reasonable agreement that is in the best interest of the 131,000 hardworking rural letter carriers across the country providing for substantial gains in wages and benefits for all classifications of rural carriers.
TENTATIVE AGREEMENT 2018-2021
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
AND THE
NATIONAL RURAL LETTER CARRIERS’ ASSOCIATION
- Article 38
- 3-Year Contract
- May 2018-May 2021
- Article 9.1.A. General Wage Increases
- 1.3% November 24, 2018-retroactively applied
- 1.1% November 23, 2019
- 1.0% November 21, 2020
- 0.8% Additional increase November 21, 2020
- 4.2% Total Compensation Increase term of the Agreement
- Includes RCAs and ARCs
- Article 9.1.E. COLA
- Retain COLA, same formula and frequency
- July 2018-retroactive
- Jan 2019-retroactive
- July 2019
- Jan 2020
- July 2020
- Jan 2021
- Article 9.1.F and 9.1.I. All RCAs and ARCs
- Tables 3 and 4 receive additional 1% wage increase each year in lieu of COLA
- Goes into effect with GWI increases-retroactive
- Article 9.1.D. Top Step of Table Two raised to match top step of Table One
- 2 additional steps added to table 2
- Proportional COLA applied to lower steps in Table Two going forward
- Article 21.1.B. Beginning 2020 employer contribution to FEHB plan premiums changes from 73% to 72%
- MOU Non-Career Health Plan for RCAs
- Will be available to all RCAs from date of hire
- USPS continues to pay $125 per pay period toward Self Only premium
- USPS to pay 65% of Family or Self Plus One premiums during first year of employment
- USPS to pay 75% of Family or Self Plus One premiums after one year of employment
- Special Open Season will be offered as soon as administratively possible
- Article 9.2.C.3.a.1 and 2. Mail Counts
- Parties agree to discuss interim method for evaluating routes in lieu of national mail counts
- USPS retains right to call for a National Count in September
- All special count provisions remain in effect
- Traditional mail counts not necessary if RRECS is implemented
- Article 30.2.D.4. Utilization of RCAs
- RCAs from another office within local commuting distance may be used before regular carriers not on the RDWL
- Mileage over normal commute will be compensated
- MOU Task Force to address RCA hiring and retention
- MOU Rural Joint Workplace Improvement Process
- MOU Implementation of RRECS
NRLCA Reaches Tentative Agreement with USPS for Three-Year Contract
